FALL 2016 The Asian Art Museum Members’ Magazine
Special guests at our June 11th Big Thank You Party pose in front of the installation Collected Letters. Photograph by Quincy Stamper. Collected Letters, 2016, by Liu Jianhua (Chinese, b. 1962). Porcelain, steel, and monofilament. Asian Art Museum, Acquisition made possible by the Society for Asian Art in honor of the Asian Art Museum’s 50th Anniversary, F2016.2. Š Liu Jianhua.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FALL 2016 /// VOL. Vl, ISSUE lll The Asian Art Museum Members’ Magazine MAGAZINE STAFF Tim Hallman, Editor-in-Chief Kate Johnson Lafferty, Director of Membership and Guest Experience Kate Ritchey, Creative Director Amy Browne, Art Director / Graphic Designer Jennie Lin, Writer / Editor Meghan Lee, Member Engagement Manager Published by the Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art & Culture 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 415.581.3500 · www.asianart.org · magazine@asianart.org Copyright © 2016 Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
MUSEUM HOURS: Tue–Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM–5 PM Mon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed Visit www.asianart.org for additional closings and special hours.
Cover: Hanuman, Angada, and Jambavan climb Mount Mahendra (detail), approx. 1720, attributed to the workshop of Pandit Seu of Guler (d. 1740). Opaque watercolors and gold on paper. Museum Rietberg Zurich, RVI 847. Photograph © Rainer Wolfsberger. Back cover: Rama (detail), 1000–1100. India; Tamil Nadu state, Chola period (880–1279). Copper alloy. Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.023. Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor.
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18 23 FROM THE DIRECTOR JAY XU — Our highly anticipated exhibition The Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe has us contemplating the power of narrative (page 6). This exhibition walks us straight into an epic tale — and the distinct perspectives of four remarkable characters. As you’re swept through the galleries by poignant artworks both ancient and contemporary, participate in the gripping saga that has enthralled billions for centuries.
Come visit us and discover how your own story resonates with art both ancient and modern. SEE YOU AT THE MUSEUM!
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In this issue, we examine how art and narrative are entwined: our conservation work on a rare Thai painting reminds us that each work of art not only tells a story on its face, but has a secret story of its own (page 14); the provocative Koki Tanaka: Potters and Poets chronicles the travails of artist collaboration (page 16); and the minimalist yet expressive works of The Sculptural Turn underscore the shifts in contemporary Japanese ceramics (page 17).
ART BITES
NEWS FROM THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM
WELCOME ABOARD Our new Deputy Director, Art & Programs, Dr. Robert Mintz, began his tenure this past July, at the midpoint of our 50th anniversary celebrations. Mintz is responsible for providing strategic oversight and management of the museum’s collection, exhibitions and education and interpretive initiatives. A scholar of Japanese art with deep interests in cross-cultural artistic traditions, Mintz previously served as chief curator at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. A curator of Asian art there since 2006, he has developed exhibitions and installations exploring points of intersection between Eastern and Western art, 18th-century Japanese painting and decorative arts, modern woodblock prints and contemporary art from India, Thailand, Japan and China — all while maintaining a robust agenda of teaching and publishing. “The museum is an exceptional institution with an extraordinary collection and a reputation for sharing important works of art through innovative, memorable exhibitions,”
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Dr. Robert Mintz in the Asian Art Museum's Loggia. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
says Mintz. “I am excited to join such a dynamic organization.” And we are excited to have him on board. n
ART BITES
A UNIQUE DONOR WITH A UNIQUE HOME Ever wonder about the residents of the iconic, crooked block of Lombard Street? Here’s the story of one longtime (and generous) resident of the fabled street. Founding member and longtime Asian Art Museum supporter Elton Puffer resided in a pink duplex there for 55 years until passing away last year. A collector and self-taught scholar, Elton Puffer gave the museum a tremendous bequest, including a 50% interest in his home in addition to artworks ranging from elegant Arabic calligraphy to Indian miniatures. His previously donated paintings appeared in our recent exhibition Hidden Gold: Mining Its Meaning in Asian Art and continue to grace our Indian galleries.
Gifts in wills from patrons like Elton Puffer help
the Asian Art Museum build and preserve its collection. To learn how your legacy can make an impact, visit plannedgiving.asianart.org or contact Director of Planned Giving Kate McNulty at 415.581.3683. n
Nobleman smoking a hookah and riding a dappled grey horse, accompanied by an attendant, approx. 1830–1850. India; Jodhpur, Rajasthan state. Opaque watercolors on paper. Asian Art Museum, Gift of Elton L. Puffer, 2004.41. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
IN REMEMBRANCE Seasons change, reminding us of the fleeting countless Japanese exhibitions and programs
Satinder Kaur Kapany, loving wife
nature of life. In recent months the museum at the museum, including our popular annual of Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, passed on lost three dear friends, each with lasting Japanese New Year Bell-Ringing Ceremony. legacies, who made the museum a much
Joan Vinson, wife of former trustee collection of Sikh art to the museum, allowGlenn Vinson, passed on June 21. A tireless ing us to become the first museum in the
Tomoye Takahashi passed away on June and generous fundraiser, Joan’s love of the Western hemisphere with a gallery devoted 4. She and her late husband Henri Takahashi museum over the past 25 years was also to Sikh art. and sister Martha Masako Suzuki established reflected in our galleries. She, along with
We are deeply indebted to their gen-
The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Glenn, was a keen-eyed collector of Indonesian erosity and leadership, and in upcoming Foundation to encourage understanding and textiles, and they lent a portion of their hold- issues of Asian magazine we will share appreciation of Japanese culture. For nearly ings for our presentation of Batik: Spectacular how their legacy continues to shape the 30 years, the Foundation has supported Textiles of Java in 2012–2013.
museum’s future. n
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stronger place.
June 25. She and Dr. Kapany donated their
ON VIEW
DRAGONS CLOSE TO HOME
ACTIVATING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY ON VIEW
You didn’t imagine it. A dragon — the museum’s newest guardian — has descended upon Civic Center, breathing fiery art, color and auspicious blessings into our surroundings. Taiwanese artist Hung Yi’s Dragon Fortune crouches at our entrance, a welcoming, psychedelic sentry. You might recognize Dragon Fortune from Hung’s whimsical menagerie, on view in Civic Center Plaza in the spring of 2015 — that’s when director Jay Xu fell in love with it. Grateful for the donation from Taipei’s InSian Gallery, Xu is delighted by the dragon selfies proliferating across social media. “Our building is historical and beautiful, but it’s a little serious,” he says. “The dragon offers a joyful, lighthearted counterbalance. It makes people smile.” Inscribed on the body are abundant Chinese expressions of good fortune, such as, “Every day brings buckets of gold.” (We’ll take it!) The hulking shape of the body itself evokes Chinese folklore about fish turning into dragons: If a carp is strong enough to leap over the Dragon Gate, it takes on a glorious form. This story of transformation feels apt as we embrace ways to enliven the public areas of our dynamic neighborhood. Near the southwest corner of the museum, another dragon will soon offer hope. Students from Youth Art Exchange will install a Living Innovation Zone (LIZ) — a dragon structure with a gallery wall — for the museum and San Francisco Public Library. The gallery wall will display a mural by Ira Watkins. A painter known for lively depictions of the human experience, Watkins’ own life, which includes homelessness and artistic triumphs, is a story of both the struggles and vibrancy of our beloved neighborhood. Don’t miss future rotations: Plans include an installation by Iranian street artists as part of the Public Art/Public Space of Iran project, and a participatory mural created by the
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museum’s Art Speak interns. n
The Asian Art Museum Living Innovation Zone is generously supported by The Hearst Foundations, Inc. and The NFL Foundation and 50 Fund, the legacy fund of the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee. Above: Auspicious symbol: “Every day brings buckets of gold.” Right: Dragon Fortune, 2014, by Hung Yi (Taiwanese, b. 1970). Baked enamel on steel plate. Asian Art Museum, Gift of Victor Ou, InSian Gallery, F2016.3. © Hung Yi. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
ON VIEW
Our Himalayan gallery abounds with painted and sculpted Buddhas. Many seem similar at first glance, sharing commonalities such as beatific expressions, half-closed eyes and long earlobes. Yet the different ways these Buddhas are depicted are just as important as their similarities. Featuring five Tibetan paintings
A BILLION BUDDHAS
THE AWAKENED COSMOS OF HIMALAYAN BUDDHISM
from our collection, A Billion Buddhas reveals how myriad representations of Buddhas function in Himalayan religious thought and practice, providing a unique window into the immense diversity within the awakened cosmos of Himalayan Buddhism.
ON VIEW THROUGH APR 9, 2017 3RD FLOOR | GALLERY 12
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is perhaps the best-known Buddha. In The life of the Buddha (depicted here), Shakyamuni sits on a lotus pedestal surrounded by scenes from his biography. Close observation reveals not only episodes from Shakyamuni’s life, but also details of daily Tibetan life — for instance, curious yaks approaching a nomad’s tent. But Shakyamuni is not the only Buddha in Himalayan traditions. Later texts from the Mahayana or “Great Vehicle” system present a vision of the cosmos that contains infinite universes, each one presided over by a Buddha. Many of these cosmic Buddhas are associated with specific colors, directions and hand gestures. Red Amitabha, who presides over the western paradise Sukhavati (“the Place of Bliss”) and folds his hands in meditation, is such a Buddha; one painting in the exhibition features him in this cosmic form. Other Buddhas peculiar to the Vajrayana or “Lightning Vehicle” texts of Buddhism appear in this exhibition. Known as “meditation deities” (yidam), they are typically depicted as male and female figures in sexual union. In this form, such Buddhas are called yab-yum, or “father-mother,” in Tibetan. According to Vajrayana texts, the symbolism of father-mother Buddhas is so powerful that meditation on them can produce “enlightenment in this very life.” The paintings in this exhibition are thangkas, sacred artworks that can easily be rolled and stored, or even taken on journeys. Because they are fragile and fade easily, they are rarely on display, in A Billion Buddhas are featured at our museum for the first time — so don’t miss the chance to see them. Offering blissful contemplation, A Billion Buddhas will be on view through next spring. n A Billion Buddhas: The Awakened Cosmos of Himalayan Buddhism is organized by the Asian Art Museum. Right: The life of the Buddha, 1700–1800. Tibet. Ink and colors on cotton. Asian Art Museum, Bequest of Marjorie Walter Bissinger, F2003.33.37. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
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and even then for only short amounts of time. A few thangkas
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EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
SEE THE LIGHT
CELEBRATE DIVALI AT THE MUSEUM
On Sunday, Oct. 23, help us welcome The Rama Epic with a light-filled day! The museum fittingly celebrates Divali, the Festival of Lights, on the opening weekend of our much-anticipated exhibition exploring the Ramayana. The ancient Hindu festival honors the triumph of light and goodness over darkness and evil, which (spoiler alert) also happens to be the story arc of the time–honored classic. The museum’s Divali festivities introduce characters and scenes from the Ramayana through storytelling and performances — including a participatory performance of two classical Indian dance styles, Bharatanatyam and Odissi. With the India Community Center, Brahma Kumaris and others, we’ll also mark the holiday with kids’ tours, food, art projects and hands-on activities. The event is free. Please join us! n Free general admission and the family programs offered at the Divali Celebration are made possible by Target. Lead funding for the Asian Art Museum’s Cultural Celebrations is generously provided by Kaiser Permanente. Major funding is provided by Bank of America Foundation.
EXPERTS OF EPIC PROPORTIONS What do you get when you fill a room with the top specialists on the Ramayana? A morning of visual, cultural and literary exploration that brings the characters and stories to life — or Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe: A Symposium on The Rama Epic. On Nov. 19, the museum, along with the Society for Asian Art, gathers highly esteemed experts Philip Lutgendorf of the University of Iowa, Robert Goldman and Sally Goldman of UC Berkeley, Pika Ghosh of the University of North Carolina and the museum’s Wattis Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, Forrest McGill, to examine character-specific episodes of the Rama epic through depictions in the exhibition’s artworks. After the symposium, the museum’s own curators and docents will offer a behind-the-scenes look as they lead character-specific tours through the galleries of The Rama Epic exhibition. Hear their insights about their experiences of writing from the perspectives of individual characters, and the artworks that consumed their time and imagination. n 12 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Henna tattoo. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
“Through wonderful partnerships with local public schools, we serve over 30,000 children annually with free programs, such as Asian folktale tours and East Asian brushpainting workshops. We recently developed new pre-K programs with Head Start to serve families with annual incomes less than $24,000. Your gift to our Museum Fund helps us continue to serve diverse communities, expand our reach and welcome new advocates to the museum family.” –Deborah Clearwaters, Director of Education and Interpretation
Does educating the next generation matter to you? Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation to the Museum Fund this holiday season. Make your donation at www.asianart.org/give or by calling 415.581.3740.
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
AN INTERNATIONAL DANCE-OFF Feeling stuck now that your summer travels are over? Tour the world right here from the museum — each month, we visit the Ramayana through a different interactive dance performance. This cross-cultural program, The Ramayana Through Dance, compares the diverse and thrilling dance traditions of Bali, northern India and Cambodia. First up on Nov. 6, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, a Balinese music and dance company, brings us Kecak (or “monkey chant”), a rhythmic, energetic form of dance and vocal percussion. The following month, on Dec. 4, Chitresh Das Dance Company portrays the abduction of Sita through Kathak, a classical dance with origins in northern India that uses music,
IT’S TRADITION
Don’t miss our annual holiday festivities, all free with admission. Ring in the new year — literally!
Japanese New Year Bell-Ringing Ceremony Saturday, Dec 31 9:30 AM (for members only) 11:30 AM (for all visitors)
Mochi-Pounding Ceremony
movement and mime to narrate stories. Closing out the program on Jan. 8 is Charya Burt,
Sunday, Jan 15, 11 AM–2 PM
who will interpret the Ramayana through classical and folk dances of Cambodia.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Satisfy your wanderlust with this monthly dose of high drama. n
Sunday, Jan 29, 10:30 AM–4 PM
Dancers perform at last year’s Divali celebrations. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
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BEHIND THE SCENES
HEALING HANUMAN
CONSERVING A RARE THAI BUDDHIST PAINTING “Caring for art requires constant stewardship. Artworks are like living things — they age and decay as part of the natural progression of time. The Conservation department is charged with understanding how materials age or change, and doing all it can to slow this progression.” – KATHY Z. GILLIS, HEAD OF CONSERVATION
What makes a conservator of Asian art swoon? How about an extremely rare Thai Buddhist painting in need of some extra tender loving care? Last year, out of the blue, the museum received an extraordinary gift: a nearly seven-foot-long 19th-century painting that depicts Hanuman, the celebrated monkey lieutenant in the Rama epic, lifting Buddha and two disciples. Such paintings were likely commissioned as offerings for occasional ceremonial use in Buddhist temples. This gift needed some serious quality time with conservators — Thailand’s tropical climate and the original temporary nature of the paintings mean that very few have survived. Forrest McGill, Wattis Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, and Shiho Sasaki, conservator of paintings on paper and silk, were eager to visit the painting at its Bay Area home prior to its official acquisition by the museum. A close examination revealed that the painting had been restored relatively recently, possibly in the 1960s. While not ideal by current standards, this earlier beauty treatment helped extend the painting’s lifespan. During that initial restoration, the painting was adhered with heat-set, dry-mount tissue to
Does preserving the collection matter to you?
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Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation to the Museum Fund this holiday season. Make your donation at www.asianart.org/give or by calling 415.581.3740.
Close-up of the monkey hero Hanuman during consolidation of flaking pigments. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
drafting linen, a fabric commonly used as backing for library maps until the mid-20th century. The linen supported the painting, but over the years had become brittle, posing great physical risk to the artwork by the time it arrived at the museum. The aging pigments were also severely flaking, a problem not uncommon to this type of Southeast Asian Buddhist painting.
BEHIND THE SCENES
At the museum, what followed was an intimate, intricate program of conservation, each step made more challenging by the extreme fragility and unusually large size of the artwork. Conservators stabilized the flaking pigments, carefully removed the backing and mended weakened areas to regain flexibility in the painting for its safe display and storage. The byproducts of years of slow degradation, which had accumulated in the painting’s cloth support, were reduced through aqueous treatment. Washing the artwork with a stream of water and solvent is not as simple as it may sound. The nearly five-hour process is one of the most advanced conservation treatment techniques utilized today, administered to avoid disturbing the painted surface. The results were worth the wait: Pale colors — not visible before the treatment — emerged, bringing enchanting details to life. Next, conservators attacked the challenge of mitigating damaged areas, making them less apparent to casual observers. This involved delicately filling holes and toning areas where pigments had been lost. In this stage, restraint on how far to take the treatment. She explains, “We wanted visitors to view the painting with understanding and pleasure, but still to recognize, upon closer inspection, that the repairs and infills have a story of their own.” After nearly 400 painstaking hours, the conservators have the ultimate reward: The severely damaged painting has been rejuvenated. Experience the glowing result of their hard work and examine this rare, astonishing painting in person at The Rama Epic exhibition. It’s as good as (re)new(ed)! n
This conservation project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Grant #MA-31-15-0464-15. Left: Closeup of Buddha in the painting prior to conservation treatment. Right: The painting, after conservation treatment. Standing Buddha flanked by two disciples, supported by the monkey hero Hanuman, approx. 1825-1875. Thailand. Paint and gold on cloth. Asian Art Museum, Gift of John K. Little, 2015.28. Photographs © Asian Art Museum.
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is as important as the impulse to restore. Sasaki recalls thoughtful discussions
ON VIEW
KOKI TANAKA
POTTERS AND POETS
NOV 4, 2016 – FEB 14, 2017 2ND FLOOR | TATEUCHI GALLERY
Koki Tanaka is a Japanese artist with a diverse practice centered on reexamining everyday experiences and fostering conditions in which people interact. The exhibition Potters and Poets pairs two examples: his 2013 video projects A Poem Written by 5 Poets at Once (First Attempt) and A Pottery Produced by 5 Potters at Once (Silent Attempt). Both projects explore the idea of temporary creative collaborations that involve trial and error as well as risk and the negotiation of individual egos and biases. A Poem documents the assembly of written works developed jointly by a diverse group of Japanese poets, and A Pottery presents clay objects fashioned by five Chinese ceramic artists. But it’s the process — and not necessarily the final poem or pot — that’s at the heart of Tanaka’s work. Ultimately, Tanaka serves as the conduit for a social experience rather than considering himself the primary author of a new work. “To do something collaboratively is an ethical proposition,” he explains. “What is documented here is a kind of social sculpture, and as such it is also a document of the failure of that process.” The pieces that make up Potters and Poets are thus evidentiary, represented through documentation. Their subjects resonate with the museum’s historical collection of ceramics, painting and calligraphy, but at their core these projects are about how people live, work and create together. Tanaka’s work invites audiences to reflect on sometimes unanswerable questions about the very nature of participation — in art, politics and society. In his words, “We expect collaboration to succeed since working together is a positive methodology, but it fails a lot of the time. However, we learn more from failure, don’t we?” n
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Hear Koki Tanaka speak about his work at the San Francisco Art Institute’s Visiting Artists and Scholars Lecture Series. Tuesday, Nov 1, 7–9 PM 800 Chestnut Street More info: sfai.edu/vas
Koki Tanaka: Potters and Poets is organized by the Asian Art Museum. Presentation is made possible by an anonymous donor. Right: A Pottery Produced by 5 Potters at Once (Silent Attempt) (detail), 2013, by Koki Tanaka (Japanese, b. 1975). Collaboration, Video Documentation. Above: Koki Tanaka. Courtesy of the artist. © Koki Tanaka. Portrait photograph by Motoyuki Daifu.
ON VIEW
Contemporary Japanese artists are taking a number of turns — away from functional forms, apprenticeships, traditional materials and exclusively male production — to give shape to new dimensions in sculptural ceramics. The Sculptural Turn showcases 14 Japanese clay artists, all but one born after World War II, whose work expands on early 20th-century experimental forms. Drawn together by Dr. Phyllis A. Kempner and Dr. David D. Stein of San Francisco, collectors with a keen eye for abstract, minimalist and expressionistic contemporary art, The Sculptural Turn tells a story about the changing character of clay in Japan. Unlike previous generations who learned exclusively from master craftsmen, these artists studied in universities and in many cases came to ceramics after exploring other creative fields. Masters of technique, material and concept, these artists depart in fresh, new ways by taking inspiration from diverse cosmopolitan sources, even when they represent a well-
THE SCULPTURAL TURN
CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE KEMPNER AND STEIN COLLECTION OPENS NOV 9, 2016 2ND FLOOR | GALLERY 28
known regional tradition or have inherited a long family lineage in clay. The diverse artists featured in The Sculptural Turn include living masters, new talent and some of Japan’s leading female potters, the first generation of women to flourish in this traditionally male field. Two rising young stars, Hattori Makiko and Fujikasa Satoko, create expressive and technically complicated works in porcelain and Shigaraki stoneware, respectively. Sakurai Yasuko’s sculptural porcelain pieces play with light, shadow and void to create delicate patterns, while the ceramic forms of Katsumata Chieko evoke sea life and plant and mineral forms. Taken together, this striking exhibition unfurls innovation at every turn. n
The Sculptural Turn: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Kempner and Stein Collection is organized by the Asian Art Museum. Left: Untitled, 2014, by Hattori Makiko (Japanese, b. 1984). Porcelain. Collection of Dr. Phyllis A. Kempner and Dr. David D. Stein. © Hattori Makiko. Photograph © Asian Art Museum. Below: Eggshell, 2008, by Sakurai Yasuko (Japanese, b. 1969). Unglazed white porcelain. Asian Art Museum, Gift of Dr. Phyllis A. Kempner and Dr. David D. Stein, 2016.155. © Sakurai Yasuko. Photograph © Asian Art Museum. Box, 2009, by Kondo Takahiro (Japanese, b. 1958). Porcelain with enamels, silver, and gold. Asian Art Museum, Gift of Dr. Phyllis A. Kempner and Dr. David D. Stein, 2016.156.a-.b. © Kondo Takahiro. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
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MUSEUM MILESTONE
REMEMBERING A CENTURY OF SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY
A cornerstone of San Francisco Civic Center’s impressive historic landmark district, our grand building is not just home to the Asian Art Museum — it is a living monument to the city’s history. Originally the site of Yerba Buena Cemetery followed by an ill-fated City Hall, the current structure opened in 1917 as San Francisco’s Main Library. This February, the building celebrates its 100th anniversary, and we recall its storied past. After the 1906 earthquake and fires, which destroyed City Hall and decimated the library system, a new Civic Center arose like a phoenix. To reenvision the public space, architects drew upon beaux arts style, which adopted Greek, Roman and Renaissance traditions to reject grim industrial landscapes and call forth a sense of stateliness. Today’s City Hall, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, War Memorial Opera House and Veterans Building, along with the museum’s current home, are examples of this approach — and their stone facades remind us of the city’s rock-solid rebound from catastrophe. On Feb. 15, 1917, the former Main Library opened, and was celebrated as a “magnificent, chaste temple of learning.” Flash forward a few decades and the library had developed a different kind of reputation. In 1959, a civil grand jury referred to it as “gloomy, soiled and odoriferous” and a “skid-row hostel for the homeless.” Anne Roughton, a longtime museum volunteer, recalls the dingy environment when she worked as a librarian at the Main Library. “It hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned in years,” she says. “For a long time people could smoke inside, so you had that in addition to city grime. In what’s now Samsung Hall, the chandelier was black with dirt.”
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The Main Library eventually sought a fresh start next door at 100 Larkin Street.
Above: The former Main Library in 1917, the year of its opening. San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. Right: The building under renovation prior to its opening as the Asian Art Museum. Photograph © Perretti and Park Pictures. Opposite page left: The museum’s South Court under construction. Photograph © Perretti and Park Pictures. Opposite page right: The museum’s South Court, suffused with light. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
MUSEUM MILESTONE
Meanwhile, the Asian Art Museum, having outgrown its shared space
Kyoto craftsmen was imported and installed.
with the de Young Museum, was given the go-ahead to convert the
Roughton, who now channels her love of the building into the mu-
former library into a state-of-the-art home. Renowned architect Gae
seum’s architecture tour program, was awestruck when it opened in
Aulenti, best known for transforming a Paris train station into the
2003. “In Samsung Hall, once they cleaned those walls, you could
Musée d’Orsay, reimagined the building. She understood its main
see its magnificence,” she says. “I had walked through so many times
purpose had changed from a static activity — reading and quiet
without ever really looking at it. Suddenly, it was beautiful.”
concentration — to one of dynamic discovery. “We’re preserving the
On your next visit, as you ascend the grand staircase to the encir-
building but giving it a new heart,” she said. “Now there will be an
cling Loggia, wander the third floor galleries or enjoy a program in
explosion of light.” Massive skylights were installed to allow sunlight
Samsung Hall, look up. Ornate arches and ceilings, towering pillars
to stream in. Former reading rooms with 31-foot ceilings became
and carved inscriptions are dramatic reminders of the building’s
two floors of gallery space. A traditional Japanese teahouse built by
rich history. May 100 look this good on all of us. n
This Halloween, contemplate what lay beneath. In 2001, as they worked on extending the basement of the former library, the museum’s contractors made a grim but not unexpected discovery – the remains of unidentified Gold Rush pioneers. San Francisco’s first graveyard, Yerba Buena Cemetery, was thought to have been removed in the late 1800s, but in fact a portion had been left behind. After delicately entrusting the remains to the coroner, the museum sought to memorialize the forgotten pioneers. Before opening its doors, it hosted a Tibetan healing ceremony in which a treasure vase was buried in the new foundation. n
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EERIE EXCAVATIONS
MEMBERSHIP UPDATES
MEMBERSHIP AT A GLANCE All membership donations, big or small, matter. Your gifts allow us to repair and care for artworks, present dynamic exhibitions and develop high-demand educational programs. We depend on your generosity to build and strengthen our art collection, one of the finest and most varied in the world. We can’t thank you enough for your support. Here’s an overview of the exciting benefits we offer at each level of membership.
Members
Jade Circle
Nexus
Museum membership includes unlimited
Jade Circle unlocks a world of glamorous
Nexus donors provide vital philanthropic
free admission, shopping and parking
events, scholarly discussions and spectacular
support, and in return they receive unpar-
discounts, members-only events and more.
cultural programming.
alleled access to curators, dealers and
LET'S CONNECT
DEEPEN YOUR CONNECTION
the art world, as well as exclusive events
Swing by anytime and share Asian art and culture with your friends.
EXPAND YOUR IMPACT
Bronze $3,000–$5,999
and travel opportunities.
Includes all Patron benefits, plus:
Member $89 • One member card, admission for two
Member Plus $119 • Two member cards, admission for four
Member Premium $179 • Access to over 800 museums nationwide
Friend $500 • Invites to opening receptions and
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Curator’s Choice Lectures
Patron $1,000 • Invite to annual Preview Lunch, featuring sneak peeks of upcoming exhibitions
• Access to the Peterson Room private dining room and garden • Docent-led tour for up to 10 people • Four guest admission passes and four parking vouchers
Nexus $25,000+ Includes all Jade Circle benefits, plus: • Exclusive events featuring private collection visits, behind-the-scenes tours, studio visits, day trips and the Nexus Dinner
Silver $6,000–$9,999
• International travel opportunity with
• Annual domestic travel opportunity
the deputy director, including insider
• Two exclusive curator-led tours
access to art fairs and cultural destinations
Gold $10,000–$24,999 • Invitation to the Director’s Dinner • Tour with the deputy director, art & programs
• Opportunity to join the deputy director and curators at Asia Week New York, with visits to private collections, galleries, auction houses and the Nexus Salon
Discounts available for seniors, students, teachers and people who live 200+ miles outside the Bay Area.
For more information, please contact 415.581.3740 or members@asianart.org.
For more information, please contact Allison Oseth at 415.581.3794 or jadecircle@asianart.org.
For more information, please contact Amanda Riley at 415.581.3680 or ariley@asianart.org.
TRAVEL
Jade Circle Travel Program
EXPERIENCE THE OTHER “CITY BY THE BAY” — BOSTON MAY 22–26, 2017
Join Wattis Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art Forrest McGill on a guided
Photograph © kershawj.
tour of Boston’s rich cultural history and artistic legacy. Over four days of exciting programming, explore the unique Yin Yu Tang House at the Peabody Essex Museum and go behind the scenes with curators at the Museum of Fine
The Jade Circle Travel Program is open to donors at the Silver level ($6,000)
Arts, Boston, and the newly redesigned Harvard Art Museums. Private receptions, gallery
and above. Donors at the Gold level
visits and five-star dining and lodging opportunities round out your insider’s experience.
($10,000) and above receive priority
Difficulty Level: Strenuous – There will be extensive walking on uneven surfaces,
please contact 415.581.3794 or
stair climbing and extended periods of standing. The trip is not suitable for those with mobility challenges.
Nexus Travel Programs
ASIA WEEK NEW YORK
registration. For more information, jadecircle@asianart.org.
THE VENICE BIENNALE
MARCH 10–13, 2017
JUNE 27–30, 2017
Experience Nexus’ signature annual event with Deputy Director Rob-
Join Deputy Director Robert Mintz and Assistant Curator of
ert Mintz and museum curators. Asia Week New York programs in-
Contemporary Art Karin Oen in Italy for La Biennale di Venezia,
clude insider access to private collections, intimate salons, galleries,
the oldest and largest established biennale in the world. Nexus
auction house previews and more.
members will enjoy exclusive access to an unprecedented array of exhibitions, artists, galleries and private collections.
Difficulty Level: Medium – The trip will spend considerable time in museums and will require being on your feet for extended periods, including walks of 10-15 minutes.
Difficulty Level: Strenuous – There will be extensive walking on uneven surfaces, stair climbing and extended periods of standing. The trip is not suitable for those with mobility challenges.
The Nexus Travel Program is open to donors at the Nexus level ($25,000+).
Photograph © bluejayphoto.
To register, or for more information, please contact Amanda Riley at 415.581.3680 or ariley@asianart.org.
FALL 2016 /// 21
Photograph © Mihai Andritoiu.
22 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
COMING SOON
SOCIETY FOR ASIAN ART
WOMEN, REAL AND IMAGINED, IN ASIAN ART
SPRING 2017 ARTS OF ASIA LECTURE SERIES
Explore the important, richly varied roles women have played in Asian art through the Society for Asian Art’s Spring 2017 Arts of Asia lecture series. The programs will examine how women have been perceived and portrayed as powerful deities, virtuous wives, respected mothers and sensual lovers. As these roles are highlighted, so will the myriad ways women have thrust off familiar roles and acted in their own rights as leaders, patrons and artists. In the 15 lectures, leading scholars and curators will highlight the impact of fearsome Hindu goddesses such as Durga and Kali — Indian deity rock stars — and Tara and Prajnaparamita, revered goddesses in the Buddhist pantheon of the Himalayas and beyond. Also explored is the dramatic history of China’s Empress Wu Zetian, who rose from concubine and nun to become the only female sovereign of a unified Chinese empire in more than four millennia, earning herself the title “Emperor of China.” Both the subjects and creators of art will be examined: Japanese female artists, patronesses, courtesans and ghosts from the Heian era to modern day. Southeast Asian textiles — the ultimate statements of fashion, faith and status — will illuminate women’s creative leadership. The evolving, deepening roles of women in modern and contemporary Asian art will also be discussed, with particular attention to contributions in architecture, painting and film-making. The popular Arts of Asia lecture series takes place Fridays, Jan. 20 through Apr. 28, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, in Samsung Hall. For ticket information and a full list of lecturers and topics, visit the Society for Asian Art at www.societyforasianart.org. n
SOUK IT TO ME!
Thrill in the hunt for treasure at the Society for Asian Art’s popular souk, a teeming marketplace for Asian art, antiques, crafts and collectibles at bargain prices. Proceeds support the museum. n
Saturday, Oct 29, 12–5 PM Sunday, Oct 30, 10 AM–2 PM Fort Mason Center Firehouse www.societyforasianart.org/souk
FALL 2016 /// 23
Top: The Hindu deity Durga, 1977, by Sita Devi (Indian, 1914–2005). Ink and colors on paper. Asian Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1999.39.5. © Estate of Sita Devi. Photograph © Asian Art Museum. Bottom: The Buddhist deity White Tara, approx. 1400–1500. Nepal. Gilded copper with turquoise, lapis lazuli, other gemstones, and glass. Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S22+. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
STORE SELECTIONS
IN NO ONE’S SHADOW
ARTISAN PUPPETS FROM BALI
Eager to prolong the drama and suspense of The Rama Epic? The museum store has got just the thing: a troupe of stunning handmade Indonesian shadow puppets, the work of master artisans and puppetmasters I Wayan Wija and I Wayan Artawa. Meet Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman, alongside equally vibrant characters and creatures from other cherished stories. Each artwork is an elaborate labor of love — and in this colorful cast of characters, no two are alike. These Indonesian shadow puppets (wayang kulit) are made of painted animal hide; some are also gilded. Whether in motion or posed, they are show-stopping. During performances, puppetmasters (dalang) hide behind a screen with a light source that illuminates the puppets’ silhouettes. Immense skill and artistry is required to endow the puppets (sometimes several at once) with a delightful range of movements and voices, set to percussion and music. I Wayan Wija is a celebrated, world-famous puppetmaster who has been performing for over 50 years. His style embraces the challenge of preserving an ancient art form in front of modern audiences. He constantly creates new characters and experiments with combinations of puppetry, dance and music. If you attended his energetic performances here at the museum in 2011, you will surely recall the captivated crowds. I Wayan Artawa, who also has a long history of puppet-making and performance, pursues his art because he feels called upon to preserve the legacy of his ancestors, as well as religious traditions and Balinese culture. He believes the performances contain a philosophy of life. Ultimately, both artists wish to leave a lasting emotional impact. I Wayan Artawa says, “As we watch the puppets, we can choose the
24 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
shadow of who we relate to … it is determined by the viewer alone.” I Wayan Wija says, “Life has illusions — shadows — which, if studied, can lead to self-understanding.” n
Shadow puppets (wayang kulit) by I Wayan Wija and I Wayan Artawa
$125-$425 (member price $112.50–$382.50)
STORE SELECTIONS
SHOP FOR WORLDLY WARES IN STORE AND ONLINE Holiday shopping is a cinch with the help of the museum store and its one-of-a-kind offerings. Among them are rare objects from afar, including handpainted boxes made by Uzbek artist Radjab Khayotov, a woodworking master recognized for his detailed lacquerware featuring local and traditional motifs. These intricate, velvet-lined boxes are dazzling by themselves, but are also perfect for tucking away a special surprise. Handpainted boxes from Uzbekistan sold out when they made an appearance at the store years ago. This limited selection will be equally popular. Or consider a luminous gift from West Asia. Select from an array of beautiful copper and handpainted ceramic vessels from Turkey, which have been fashioned into candle holders by a women’s collective, Prosperity Candle, in Baghdad, Iraq. Each candle is hand-poured and packaged in a beautiful gift box. These and other handpicked keepsakes will make holiday shopping a delight this year. (And we won’t judge if you end up with something extra for yourself!)
Above:
Boxes by Radjab Khayotov
$55-$375 (member price $49.50-$337.50)
Right:
Prosperity Candles
$38-$55 (member price $34.20-$49.50)
If you can’t make it to the museum store in person, we’ve got you covered. Visit store.asianart.org. n
GIVE THE GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP This holiday season, give friends and family something to enjoy all year long: an Asian Art Museum membership. Consider giving the Member Premium ($179) level, which includes access to more than 800 museums around the country. Our $50 add-on levels make while Lunar Society connects young patrons to bright ideas and world-class art through dynamic events. During the holidays, enjoy a 20% discount on any standard or deluxe gift memberships (use promo code HOLIDAY20 at checkout). Your recipient will receive a certificate announcing your generous gift. n
Call us at 415.581.3740, visit www.asianart.org/membership or stop by the member desk for more information.
FALL 2016 /// 25
great gifts, too: Rhino Club is just for kids (perks include a cool backpack and passport),
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
Jade Circle Travel Program participants visit contemporary artist Emily McIlroy’s studio in Honolulu. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
Nexus donors go behind the scenes in the museum’s Conservation Lab. Photograph © Natalie N Photography.
26 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Susan Koret and her guests view objects from Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware from Korea at the Annual Director’s Dinner on May 23, 2016. Photograph © Natalie N Photography.
The museum honors former board members at a 50th anniversary celebration. Photograph © Natalie N Photography.
Lion Dance Me performs at Once Upon a Time in Asia. Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
@missasiancalifornia #AsianArtMuseum
THE SCENE
A boy steps inside his creation at The Box Project. Photograph by Quincy Stamper.
Fun and fitting 50th anniversary festivities continued to unfold this spring. We honored past leadership, celebrated our loyal members, welcomed exquisite exhibitions, and hosted hands-on programs such as Tasting Menu and The Box Project. Who knew turning 50 would be so action-packed? n
SPRING 2015 /// 27
Director Jay Xu, Akiko Yamazaki, Gov. Jerry Brown, Gorretti Lui, Tim Kahn, Pam Rorke Levy and Matt Brooks celebrate Emperors’ Treasures the exhibition’s opening dinner. Photograph © Natalie N Photography. Performers the Knuckle NeckatTribe
Participants in Tasting Menu with Aedan Fermented Lion Dance Metake-home performs at Once a Time in Asia. show off their bags of Upon miso ingredients. Photograph ArtStamper. Museum. Photograph©byAsian Quincy
MEMBERSHIP
A HIP HAPPY HOUR SERVING GREAT ART
Right: Photograph © Asian Art Museum.
A lively group of young adults — artists, professionals from varied
continents and through time, all while combining social fun. The Tales
fields, college students — sip cocktails and mingle. But this isn’t
& Cocktails series, for example, consists of storytelling tours followed
the typical after-work meet-up at the corner bar. Here, the topic
by refreshments and conversation, while Craft Night features art and
of conversation is art, and these trendsetters are flocking to the
craft-making led by a Bay Area artist and serves up artisanal brews.
Asian Art Museum as part of the Lunar Society, a new museum membership program.
28 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Tailored for ages 21 through 45 (although the young at heart
Lunar Society is growing the museum’s already loyal membership base, which has an 87 percent retention rate, outshining the national average of 67 percent for art museums.
are welcome) and launched this past May, Lunar Society was born
“We’re doing a great job keeping our existing members
out of insights gleaned from interviews, multiple focus groups and
engaged,” Lafferty says. “But to secure the museum’s future,
member feedback.
we need to build on that success by attracting new fans.”
“We discovered that young people want to have fun and feel
One such fan is Camryn Mothersbaugh, who joined Lunar
a sense of community, but they also want to learn something,”
Society for the chance to work on crafts projects led by artists.
says Kate Johnson Lafferty, director of membership and guest
So far, she says, she has especially enjoyed listening to “incredible
experience. “So that’s exactly what we’re providing.”
storytellers bring special life to the art.”
In Lunar Society, content is key. Often held on Thursday evenings,
“The Lunar Society events have been a great place to spend
events offer connections with local artists and world-class art. Animat-
time with friends,” Mothersbaugh says. “And I’m excited by all of
ed tours and workshops led by passionate guides take members across
the fascinating and unexpected things I learn with each visit.” n
Lunar Society is a $50 add-on level and can be added to any level of Asian Art Museum membership. It also makes a great gift.
For more information or to join, visit www.asianart.org/lunarsociety, call 415.581.3740, or stop by the member desk at the museum.
CALENDAR
FEATURED MEMBER EVENTS New Member Welcome Tour Wednesday, Oct 5 10:30–11:30 AM Open to all members Tour, Talk & Tea: Avery Brundage and His Legacy Tuesday, Oct 11 2–4 PM Saturday, Oct 15 11 AM–1 PM Open to all members
Opening Reception The Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe Wednesday, Oct 19 5:30–7:30 PM Open to Jade Circle ($3,000) and Nexus ($25,000) 7:30–9:30 PM Open to Friends ($500) and Patrons ($1,000) Preview Day The Rama Epic Thursday, Oct 20 10 AM–5 PM Open to all members Richard B. Gump Society Tea Thursday, Oct 27 2:30–4:30 PM Open to Legacy Society members
Rhino Club Art Roundup Sunday, Oct 16 10:30–11:30 AM Open to Rhino Club families
New Member Welcome Tour Wednesday, Nov 2 10:30–11:30 AM Open to all members
Tour, Talk & Tea: The Goddess: Wrathful and Benevolent Tuesday, Dec 6 2–4 PM Saturday, Dec 10 11 AM–1 PM
Tour, Talk & Tea: Love and Adventure: The Epic Story of Rama Tuesday, Nov 8 2–4 PM Saturday, Nov 12 11 AM–1 PM Open to all members Tea Reception and Curator-Led Tour of The Rama Epic Wednesday, Nov 9 2:30–4 PM Open to Jade Circle Silver ($6,000) Member Shopping Days Friday, Nov 11 and Saturday, Nov 12 10 AM–5 PM 20% off in the store and 10% off in Cafe Asia Open to all members Member Morning Saturday, Nov 12 9–10 AM Bagels, coffee and tours before opening to the public Open to all members Champagne Reception and Curator-Led Tour of The Sculptural Turn Thursday, Nov 17 10:30 AM–12 PM Open to Contemporary Council members Rhino Club Art Roundup Sunday, Nov 20 10:30–11:30 AM Open to Rhino Club families
Check out our calendar at www.asianart.org/events
New Member Welcome Tour Wednesday, Dec 7 10:30–11:30 AM Open to all members Tour, Talk & Tea: The Rama Epic Tuesday, Dec 13 2–4 PM Saturday, Dec 17 11 AM–1 PM Open to all members Rhino Club Art Roundup Sunday, Dec 18 10:30–11:30 AM Open to Rhino Club families
Want more access?
Consider upgrading your membership. If you renew at a higher level before your current membership expires, we’ll add 12 months to the full amount of time left in your current membership cycle and upgrade your benefits immediately. For more information, call 415.581.3740 or email members@asianart.org.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
The Rama Epic Oct 21, 2016 – Jan 15, 2017
FEBRUARY
MARCH Tomb Treasures Feb 17 – May 14, 2017
Collected Letters Koki Tanaka Nov 4, 2016 – Feb 14, 2017
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: WWW.ASIANART.ORG
FALL 2016 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
EXHIBITIONS
ASIAN ART MUSEUM Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art & Culture www.asianart.org 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94102 USA
Non-Profit Organization U. S . Po s t a g e P A I D Asian Art Museum of San Francisco