Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art Now on View at SFO

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Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art
Now on View at SFO

SAN FRANCISCO —  Symbolism abounds in the decorative arts of China, rendering clothing, personal adornment, and household objects rich with meaning.  Surrounding oneself with objects bearing auspicious symbols was—and still is—commonly believed to increase the likelihood of wish fulfillment.   Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art , a new exhibition now on view at San Francisco International Airport, unlocks the mysteries of these propitious signs, offering a fascinating glimpse into the time-honored importance of auspicious symbolism in Chinese culture.

The more than 100 porcelains and jades featured in the exhibition—most of which were originally made for imperial courts—illustrate the many pictorial motifs that represent wishes for fertility, a harmonious marriage, wealth and prosperity, longevity, and more.  For example, a plate (1736–95) with bats and peaches is more than just ornamental—as the imagery of bats implies the sentiment “blessings vast as the sky” and peaches are a symbol of longevity. Meanwhile, a vase showing a golden pheasant, a bird of prosperity, surrounded by white magnolia (yulan), crab apple (haitang) and peony (fuguihua) contains the hidden meaning “May your noble house be blessed with wealth and honor.”  In addition to the symbolism inherent in the pheasant and flowers, the Chinese names for peonies, white magnolias and crab apple blossoms combine to form the auspicious phrase yutang fugui: wealth and rank in the jade hall, a term meaning wealthy establishment.

Images from the exhibition are available at: http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about/news/pressres/exh-meanings.html.

Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art is on view in Terminal 3, Boarding Area F, from June 1, 2010 to January 17, 2011. The exhibition is located post-security and is only accessible to passengers ticketed for travel through Terminal 3. All objects on view are from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

San Francisco Airport Museums

The San Francisco Airport Museums program was established by the Airport Commission in 1980 for the purposes of humanizing the Airport environment, providing visibility for the unique cultural life of San Francisco, and providing educational services for the traveling public. The Museum was granted initial accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 1999, reaccredited in 2005, and has the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport.  Today, the San Francisco Airport Museums features approximately twenty galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a permanent collection dedicated to the history of commercial aviation.

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About San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop links with more than 30 international points on 25 international carriers. The Bay Area's largest airport connects non-stop with more than 65 cities in the U.S. on 20 domestic airlines. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit www.flysfo.com. SFO was voted “North America’s Best Airport” in 2008 by passengers for its outstanding customer service and amenities.