‘BEYOND BASKETRY: JAPANESE BAMBOO’ ON VIEW AT MFA, BOSTON TO JULY 6

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BOSTON, MASS. — “Beyond Basketry: Japanese Bamboo Art” is on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through July 6 in the Japanese Decorative Arts Gallery.

Although woven bamboo containers have been used in Japan for thousands of years, it is only during the last century that basketry has emerged as a prestigious art form. From its roots in imitations of Chinese baskets through to today’s expressive, nonfunctional sculptural works, Japanese bamboo art is a demonstration of the variety that can be achieved from one of East Asia’s most abundant natural resources.

Often seemingly simple, the 39 baskets in the exhibition required years of training and months of work to complete. Through careful selection of raw material, intricate, contrasting woven patterns, inventive forms and meticulous finishing that celebrates the natural qualities of bamboo, Japan’s basket makers have created a little-known but compelling artistic universe.

The museum is at 465 Huntington Avenue. For more information, www.mfa.org or 617-267-9300.