ANNISTON, AL – The Berman Museum and Gardens welcomed members Thursday evening for an exclusive preview of its newest temporary exhibition, “Way of the Samurai,” featuring expert presentations on samurai armor symbolism and the evolution of Japanese martial arts.
The two-hour member reception, held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., combined scholarly presentation with live demonstration, offering attendees a comprehensive introduction to samurai culture before they explored the exhibition.
Alan Robinson, Director of the Anniston Museums and Gardens campus, opened the evening by thanking members for their attendance and support.
“It’s always one of the fun nights for us because what we do, we do for you all,” Robinson said. “We want you all to have the first shot at seeing what the next great story is that we have worked out for you in our exhibit galleries.”
Education Director Amy Gray introduced the evening’s program, noting it was the first opening in over four years to feature presentations directly connected to the exhibition.
Angela May, Associate Director of Learning and Engagement at the Birmingham Museum of Art, delivered the evening’s feature presentation, “Functional, Fierce, and Fabulous: The Art of Samurai Armor.”
May, an art historian specializing in Asian art, provided a detailed examination of samurai armor’s components and their symbolism, connecting the exhibition pieces to broader Japanese cultural traditions.
“As an art historian, I have a lot of fun talking about visual language,” May told the audience. “There are other scholars who can talk to you about the Battle of Ichinotani or the Tale of Heike, but I can tell you where all the dragons are going to be on armor and all the fun stories behind it.”
Her presentation included a comprehensive overview of armor components, with particular focus on the kabuto (helmet) and its ornate decorative elements that identified the wearer’s family, rank, and desired symbolic powers.
“The imagery imbues the wearer with kind of this sort of supernatural power,” May explained. “The samurai sort of takes on the power of what’s being depicted.”
One of the evening’s revelations was the prevalence of floral imagery in samurai armor. “When we think of brave, lethal, masculine samurai warriors, what imagery comes to mind?” May asked the audience. “Florals. Everything flowers. Their armor is covered in flowers head to toe.”
She detailed the specific symbolism of common floral motifs, including cherry blossoms (representing the brevity of life), plum blossoms (resilience and protection against demons), chrysanthemums (healing and resilience), and peonies (wealth and bravery).
During her examination of the Berman Museum’s samurai armor, May pointed out specific elements she had discovered during her pre-presentation research, including chrysanthemums, peonies, and distinctive facial patterns on some textile elements.
“When I was doing the up-close photography, these amazing faces appeared on the textile,” May noted. “I haven’t seen that often. I’ve seen variations, but not specifically this.”
Following May’s presentation, Stephen Owens, owner of Valhalla Martial Arts in Alexandria, delivered a practical demonstration of how samurai fighting techniques evolved into modern martial arts.
Assisted by Jacob Starling, Owens explained how armored battlefield tactics influenced the development of fighting styles like jiu-jitsu and judo.
“In their era, heavy armor and tight formations ruled the battlefield,” Owens explained. “In a situation like that, falling to the ground is a death sentence.”
He traced the evolution of combat techniques from armored battlefield encounters to civilian self-defense applications, showing how clothing grips in modern martial arts derive from techniques once used to manipulate armored opponents.
“We traded the armor for the gi, this kimono-like uniform that you see,” Owens said, demonstrating how fabric grips can control an opponent. “This, in some ways, does represent the armor that we used to wear, but also what we wear in our day-to-day lives.”
Owens particularly highlighted how Brazilian jiu-jitsu revolutionized martial arts in the early 1900s by challenging the longstanding belief that being taken to the ground meant defeat—a concept rooted in samurai battlefield realities where falling meant certain death.
The demonstration included throws, joint manipulations, and ground fighting techniques that showed how martial arts principles adapted as warfare evolved from armor-clad samurai to modern combat.
Following the presentations, members were invited to explore the “Way of the Samurai” exhibition on the museum’s upper floor. Collections Manager Alex was credited as the “brainchild” behind the exhibition, with multiple staff members contributing to its development.
The exhibition features authentic samurai armor with elaborate decorative elements that May had highlighted in her presentation, allowing members to identify the symbolic motifs firsthand.
Special “fan stations” were also mentioned as part of the exhibition experience, credited to the museum’s graphics and marketing specialist, Joe.
“Way of the Samurai” is now open to the public at the Berman Museum, with the exhibition expected to run through the summer.
