Ema (literally, “picture horse”) are wooden votive plaques on which visitors to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have for centuries written their prayers and wishes for the _kami _or Buddhist deities to read. Though these plaques originally featured horses, they evolved to feature many different images associated with various wishes, from good fortune to health to love and relationships.

In conjunction with the exhibition Painted Prayers: The Japanese Folk Art Tradition of Ema, exhibition curator and Japanese art historian, Meher McArthur will explore the history of these votive plaques, the meanings behind some of the images, and their role in contemporary Japanese spiritual culture.