By Michael Rich
I am writing in opposition to the removal of art and the pending sale of the former Hannah Carter Japanese Garden, just one mile from our campus. These gardens are a priceless work of art, containing site-specific installations of sculptures, structures and plant material.
The great Chancellor Charles E. Young lauded the gardens: “The Japanese Garden, ancient in purpose, pattern and symbolism, brings peace to both eye and spirit.”
The evacuation of the gardens has already begun ““ already removed are two sculptures and a five-tiered pagoda, and an ancient carved Buddha. While they are set to be curated at the Fowler Museum, the objects were not removed by professional art installers.
Community groups like the Bel-Air Association and Los Angeles Conservancy are alarmed, as are national organizations like the Garden Conservancy and the Cultural Landscape Foundation. I am profoundly concerned by the speed and secrecy of this action ““ including lack of public announcement and opportunities to tour the gardens while intact, as well as the quiet shutdown of the garden’s website.
Many structures in the garden ““ the main gate, bridges, garden house and family shrine ““ were built in Japan and reassembled at the garden. Included were many antique objects and carved stones acquired in Japan, like an ancient Buddha carving and a spectacular five-tiered pagoda, along with a spectacular collection of carved stones. The design of the garden included these objects and their removal is not acceptable by any curatorial standard.
Just as one would not remove paintings from the Rothko Chapel, UCLA is acting improperly in breaking up this work of art. Albeit times are hard, but the promise to Hannah Locke Carter to maintain the gardens in perpetuity should be honored.
Bear in mind that the assembly of such a collection would be impossible today. The Japan of the 1960s was another world compared to our era of mass tourism: The garden’s renowned designers, as well as UCLA professor and campus architect Dr. Koichi Kawana (who oversaw the restoration of the gardens in 1969) were born in the prewar era and carried forward culture and traditions that have been lost to later generations. It is not clear whether the decision to remove objects was overseen by any person with expertise in the subject.
UCLA claims that the garden is not economically viable. I disagree. UCLA has made no effort to encourage public access and charge admission fees. A van service from the Fowler or Hammer museums, or from Hotel Bel-Air, with an entrance fee of $10-15 per person, would no doubt boost traffic enough to fund upkeep. The Consulate-General of Japan indicated that it is aware of a number of funding sources to maintain and endow the Japanese Garden. The Carter home could be used as a reception site, a VIP guest residence or an advanced studies institute, or perhaps the best imaginable use: An office of planned giving, which occurs when individuals decide to leave an organization like UCLA money in their estates, rather than giving the gift while they are alive.
Rich is a UCLA physics and astronomy researcher.