Join us on Eagle Family Plaza for a traditional Japanese blacksmithing demonstration. In honor of the focus of our new exhibition, the North Texas Blacksmithing Association will construct a traditional Japanese forge and create a unique work of art in keeping with the techniques and designs featured in the exhibition’s five centuries of metalwork.
The North Texas Blacksmith Association (NTxBA) is a nonprofit organization in affiliation with ABANA (Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America) that strives to educate the public and its members about the art and craft of blacksmithing. NTxBA has monthly meetings every second Saturday and holds various workshops around the DFW area. The club also hosts various blacksmiths from around the country, and the world, to broaden the scope of the craft of blacksmithing. NTxBA performs demonstrations and workshops for Scouts groups, local municipalities, and many heritage organizations.
Marvel at the artistry and beauty of Japan’s metalworking tradition across five centuries in Samurai to the Imperial Court: Japanese Metalwork. Through more than 90 works of art drawn from the DMA’s significant holdings and other leading collections, including The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection, Dallas, Samurai to the Imperial Court celebrates the technical mastery, innovative spirit, and aesthetic brilliance of Japanese metal artists. From samurai arms and armor to imperial court commissions, from luminous enameled vessels to sculptures of fantastical animals and figures, this exhibition showcases a dazzling array of objects shaped by centuries of imagination and craftsmanship.
Traditional Japanese Forge demonstration. Image courtesy of the North Texas Blacksmithing Association.
Phoenix, about 1900. Hirayama Kantei. Silver, gold, copper, and shakudō. Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, The John R. Young Collection, gift of M. Frances and John R. Young, 1993.86.13.FA