SUMMER 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SUMMER 2014 /// VOL. IV, ISSUE ll The Asian Art Museum Magazine MAGAZINE STAFF Tim Hallman, Director of Communications and Business Development David Owens-Hill, Creative Director, Brand Amy Browne, Art Director Kazuhiro Tsuruta, Museum Photographer Editorial support provided by Colin Winnette 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 © 2014 Asian Art Museum
MUSEUM HOURS: Tues–Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM–5 PM Thurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM–9 PM Mon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed
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Early closing dates: Fri, April 25; Wed, June 18; Thurs, June 19 The museum will also re-open at 6:30 pm on Fri, June 20 for the Gorgeous Opening Night Party Visit www.asianart.org for additional closings and special hours. Cover: The Buddhist deity Simhavaktra Dakini (detail), 1736–1795. China; Beijing or vicinity, Hebei province. Lacquered and gilded wood inlaid with semiprecious stones. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S600.
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FROM THE DIRECTOR JAY XU — Summer’s here, and we’re thinking of you. As we pore over the results of our recent visitor experience survey (see page 22), we’re brainstorming new ways to make your visits more rewarding, memorable and fun! We’ve pulled together a stellar lineup of special summer events, such as interactive webinars to help you take better advantage of our new online resources (see page 14) and engaging new programming (see page 4) for our Gorgeous exhibition (see page 6). The artworks in Gorgeous—an exciting collaboration with our friends at SFMOMA—span more than 2,200 years and dozens of cultures. This incredible range is designed to invite viewers to have a subjective, self-driven experience with the artwork. Walking through the galleries, you’ll notice the artwork labels are personal rather than instructional, and that individual curators have signed each one. These are firsts for us—changes that celebrate the subjectivity of each viewer, even our curators. As we experiment with new ways of putting the visitor first, members provide the support necessary for it to happen. We thank you for all you’ve done, and all you’ve helped us do. Make sure to stop by and get a tour from our new docents—congratulations, graduates (see page 5)! These informed and inspiring volunteers help us bring history to life. SEE YOU AT THE MUSEUM!
ART BITES
INTERESTING GOINGS-ON FROM INSIDE THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM, THE BAY AREA AND AROUND THE WORLD
HEY, YOU WITH THE ROLLER BAG! STEP OFF THE PEOPLE MOVER AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND! Over the next eight months, travelers rushing through San Francisco International Airport (SFO) may want to pause and note the new
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display co-organized by the Asian Art Museum’s Korean art curatorial team and SFO museum staff. Dual Natures in Ceramics: Eight Contemporary Artists from Korea is a special exhibition offering a modern twist on ceramics, bringing fresh perspectives to traditional Korean art and suggesting new paths of expression for a new century. Few people know that SFO has a fully accredited museum on site. The museum is responsible for displaying amazing art and artifacts throughout the terminals—everything from Japanese toys to ornate doors. Among 75 artworks created by some of Korea’s most respected artists, you’ll find Yeesookyung’s Translated Vases, a group of freeform ceramic sculptures. The artist mends broken ceramic pieces with 24k gold, creating unexpected shapes and bringing new life to the formerly discarded shards. You can find Dual Natures on view through Feb. 22, 2015 in SFO’s Terminal 3 (past security, accessible only to passengers ticketed for travel). www.asianart.org/collections/dual-natures-in-ceramics. Translated Vases, 2014, by Yeesookyung (Korean, b. 1963). Ceramic shards, epoxy, 24k gold leaf. Lent by the artist and courtesy of Locks Gallery. Photography courtesy of SFO Museum.
ART BITES
NEW CFO IN THE HOUSE Meet Joanne T. Chou, our new chief financial officer. As a part of this key leadership position, she’ll oversee the financial management of the museum.
Jerry Yang with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee
We’re in good hands. Joanne is a
IF YOU CAN MAKE IT HERE, YOU CAN MAKE IT IN NYC
well-rounded leader with over 20 years of
There’s nothing quite like having one of the most respected museums in the world celebrate
experience in international trade, corpo-
your work. That happened for the Asian Art Museum in April when our critically acclaimed
rate finance and nonprofit management.
exhibition Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy reopened at New York’s
Since 2008, she’s served as chief financial
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
officer for San Francisco-based Room to
Out of Character explores the significance of calligraphy in Chinese culture, and
Read, a nonprofit aimed at improving liter-
introduces the art’s subtleties to those less familiar with the form. The exhibition’s 40
acy and gender equality in Asia and Africa.
calligraphies were borrowed from the impressive collection of Bay Area entrepreneurs
Joanne earned a MBA from the Haas
(and Asian Art Museum supporters) Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang.
School of Business, UC Berkeley; a Juris
We’re thrilled that the exhibition lives on at the Met, and that, because of our hard
Doctor from the School of Law, UCLA;
work, some of its 6 million-plus annual visitors will walk away with a greater appreciation of
and a BS in Biological Sciences, and BA in
Chinese calligraphy. The exhibition is on view through August 17.
History, with Distinction, from Stanford.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE famous fortress was once prison to the no-
events this fall will be @Large: Ai Weiwei
torious Al Capone and later a site of Native
on Alcatraz (September 27, 2014–April 26,
American heritage and protest. Will Ai use
2015), a site-specific installation on Alcatraz
this opportunity to indict capital punishment?
Island.
Or will he examine the Rock’s unique location
Conceptual artist Ai Weiwei—currently not permitted to leave China—has developed
in relation to his own geographic isolation? We’ll have to wait and see.
the show’s artwork from his studio in Beijing,
Tickets go on sale June 27. The National
with the help of the For-Site Foundation.
Park Service suggests booking early, and
Known for work that is equal parts politically
recommends off-peak tourist periods like
provocative and playful, it’s hard to guess
early November and December. Visit
what Ai’s new installation will be like. The
www.for-site.org for more details.
FALL 2014 /// 3
One of the most anticipated Bay Area art
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
GORGEOUS PROGRAMS
Below: Mugwumpin Right: Nicole Kidman Is F*cking Gorgeous
This summer, the Asian Art Museum is
the events, manipulating the images to render
Presenters will discuss a subject or question
obsessed with gorgeousness. In the loud,
each more splendid, more lush and ravishing.
of interest to them, some pertaining to their
lavish and experimental spirit of our newest
These photographs—to be displayed on the
areas of expertise, and others coming from
exhibition, Gorgeous, we’ve prepared a variety
museum’s website—will be the final artifacts
outside their comfort zones. The audience will
of special events for families and individuals
of a complex series of exchanges, from exhi-
be invited to join the conversation with ques-
eager to delve more deeply into the show’s
bition to performance to documentation.
tions and reflections of their own.
For those more keen on witnessing
Families with children will have their
The AsiaAlive series Luster (Saturdays,
rather than actively participating in the
pick of a variety of engaging activities suitable
August 2, 9, 16 and 23) invites visitors
spectacular, the Asian Art Museum is hosting,
for all ages throughout the summer and
to respond to the artworks in Gorgeous
for the first time ever, the fabulous experi-
early fall. Our regular Family Fun Days (first
through individual improvised performances
mental performance art band Nicole Kidman
and third Sundays, June through September)
to be presented in the museum’s galleries.
Is F*cking Gorgeous. On Thursday, July 10,
will make the ordinary extraordinary with
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themes and propositions.
At each event, San Francisco’s award-winning
NKIFG will take over the museum, activating
art projects inspired by Gorgeous. An
live art ensemble Mugwumpin will guide
spaces with dance, music and artistic happen-
opportunity to explore materials and patterns
audience members through the process of
ings meant to engage, question and subvert
through mixed-media sculptures and abstract
generating personal responses to the exhi-
notions of what gorgeousness is or can be.
art, Family Fun Days encourage kids
bition, embracing subjectivity and examining
Gorgeous Ideas—a series of in-gallery
and families to get in the mix and make
our appetites for the stunning and sublime.
talks featuring writers, artists, academics and
artwork of their own, using the aesthetics of
Photographer and Mugwumpin collaborator
filmmakers from the Bay Area—will extend
Gorgeous as a jumping-off point for individual
Pak Han will document each performance
the conversations provoked by Gorgeous
creativity.
and generate his own unique responses to
and the programs running this summer.
Our annual Korea Day celebration,
Major support for the Asian Art Museum’s education programs is provided by Douglas A. Tilden and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Additional support provided by The Charles D. and Frances K. Field Fund, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, Bonhams, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, The Sato Foundation, The Joseph & Mercedes McMicking Foundation, United Airlines, Dodge & Cox, and The Morrison & Foerster Foundation. Lead funding for Thursday Night Programs is provided by Wells Fargo. Korea Day is made possible with support from the Korea Foundation.
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Sunday, August 24, will feature activities
in unique ways. Some encourage visitors
responding to themes represented in Gor-
to examine and respond to artworks on
geous, including adornment, artifice and, of
their own creative terms, while others ex-
course, play.
pand on some of the exhibition’s central
The many programs on offer—the
questions. In the end, the aim is for visitors
above are only a select few—are designed to
to discover what inspires them, build on
deepen visitors’ experiences with Gorgeous
that creativity and have fun with it.
ASIAN ART MUSEUM'S DOCENT CLASS OF 2014 This past May, 42 new dedicated volunteers graduated from the Asian Art Museum’s three-year Docent Training Program—one of the most rigorous programs of its kind.
DOCENT GRADUATION
To equip docents to lead visitors on in-depth tours of the museum’s collection, the program has to familiarize trainees with the seven geographic areas, and over 6,000 years of art history, represented within the museum’s walls. And for this docent class, that was only the beginning.
“During my medical training I heard it said that you need to take a class in human anatomy seven times before you really know it. Just imagine how many courses we need to fully understand the thousands of years of art history represented at the Asian Art Museum!” Photographer: Kaz Tsuruta
– Teresa Swift, graduating docent
“Besides being able to give visitor-centered adult tours, this docent class will serve
Looking to get involved? There are many ways you can volunteer your
one of three co-chairs of the Docent Training Program.
time at the museum. To learn more about
For these trainees, every minute spent in an art history lecture was matched by one
the docent program, the museum’s storytell-
spent in group workshops. The goal of the program is to prepare each docent to guide
ers or other volunteer positions, please visit
visitors of any age through an active process of discovery—so these workshops helped
www.asianart.org/get_involved/volunteering.
trainees translate their vast knowledge into conversational art experiences for their groups. While trainees worked to form stronger bonds with both the museum’s collection and its visitors, friendships also rapidly developed within the group. “Emails would fly with study guides, flashcards and resource links. Our class became very close,” reflected Etsuko Kobata, a graduating docent. “Where else would one find 40 friends who are interested in all the things you are?”
The Asian Art Museum Docent Program is generously supported by Charles D. and Frances K. Field Fund, Bonhams, and Society for Asian Art.
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the museum’s ever-growing programs for students,” said Linda Lei, an active docent and
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Summer gatherings in mountain villas (detail), 1738, by Hua Yan (Chinese, 1682–1756). Set of twelve hanging scrolls; ink on gold-surfaced paper. Coutesy of Asian Art Museum, Museum purchase,B74D8.
June 20 – September 14, 2014 We recently gave a talk on the museum’s new special exhibition, Gorgeous, and someone came up to me after to say, “I don’t think any of the artworks you showed are gorgeous at all.” “Oh!” I responded, “That’s great!” – Allison Harding, co-curator of Gorgeous
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e don’t expect an easy answer, and we certainly don’t think there will be a consensus. In fact, the answer itself might be beside the point.
“Even the curators had very different opinions themselves,” says Forrest McGill,
co-curator of Gorgeous. “For me, the word gorgeous has a slightly campy implication. I’ve found out that’s not true for everybody. While developing the show, we’ve had a lively set of conversations and debate.”
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What is Gorgeous?
Born of an unusual opportunity for a unique collaboration,
a 1,000-year-old Indian sculpture of the Hindu deity Durga
Gorgeous (on view at the Asian Art Museum from June 20
victorious over a buffalo demon; a gilded and jeweled
to September 14, 2014) consists of 72 arresting artworks
Burmese Buddhist bowl; a Korean textile artwork with complex
drawn from the collections of the Asian Art Museum and the
geometric designs; a decorated Qur’an from 16th-century Persia?
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).
Can some unity be found in the way these objects exhibit or
What began as a collaboration between two museums has evolved into an extraordinary chance for the public to engage in an ongoing conversation about the nature of looking.
employ extremes? Or is there no continuity to be found? In the end, the most important story is your own. For the first time ever at the Asian Art Museum, the
Spanning more than 2,200 years and dozens of cultures,
labels accompanying each artwork in the exhibition will
the artworks in Gorgeous are not organized within traditional
be more associative than instructional, and will be signed
art historical and cultural contexts. Instead, they are arranged in
by an individual.
fluid groupings such as “Seduction,” “In Bounds,” “Dress Up,”
“It’s easier to disagree with an individual than with the Asian
“Pose,” “Danger” and “Beyond Imperfection.” These groupings
Art Museum as an institution,” says McGill. “So we signed
embrace the ways the works resist classification, as well as the
the labels. We wanted to be personal—even idiosyncratic—in
techniques each employs to demand the viewer’s attention.
our own reactions, in hopes that this would liberate other
“We didn’t want to make explicit pairings,” says McGill.
people to do the same.”
What does “gorgeous” mean to you? “We wanted it to be a little free form, a little open-ended.
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Are these objects over-decorated? Is there a kind of Trump
The labels invite visitors to dive in and have an equally personal interaction with the artwork being presented.
Tower aspect to things that are gorgeous? Is there a certain
“We’re hoping to loosen people up,” says Harding. “Not to
implicit sleaziness? And if extremes of ornament, color and
make it into a joke, but to suggest this is not your normal way
luxury are provocative, what about opposite extremes? How
of looking at art objects. There is something different going
can we think about something that’s gorgeous because of its
on. For me, the word gorgeous has a sense of exaggeration
extreme restraint? What would that mean?”
to it. It’s also often playful, with a tongue-in-cheek quality. It
Gorgeous is not an attempt to provide a contrast of “East”
undermines the notion of museums as arbiters of what can
and “West,” or “traditional” and “contemporary.” While valu-
be considered valuable culturally. This isn’t about what the
ing the cultural significance of each artwork on display, Gor-
museum thinks. This is about what you think.”
geous asks that the viewer try something different. What is it
With Gorgeous, we’re moving away from the more
like to move through a gallery that presents such a diversity
traditional one-sided museum experience and proposing
of work, including paintings, sculptures and photographs, by
a unique opportunity for exchange. We’re saying: Take a
artists like Marcel Duchamp, Jeff Koons, Marilyn Minter, Joan
look around. What do you see? What grabs you? What
Miró, Meret Oppenheim, Robert Mapplethorpe and Pablo Pi-
repulses you? What’s ‘gorgeous’ to you and why? Let’s talk
casso, along with works that span the extent of Asia, including
about that.
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hat of the poignant disfigurement here? Beauty decays, and gorgeousness may well have an element of pain.
This sculpture has not been on view for more than a decade. When it was
last considered for display there was some feeling that its damage, given its subject, might lead to misunderstandings or make visitors uncomfortable. The centuries have robbed a voluptuous female figure of a head, arms, and feet, leaving the figure seemingly deprived of consciousness and the ability to move or take action. All that is left are the breasts, belly, thighs, and buttocks, with their associations with sexual fascination. The figure has been ogled and fondled, bought and sold who knows how many times before ending up in a museum. But, given an acknowledgment of the issues, why not show the sculpture? As an artwork, it is pretty stunning, it seems to me. How carefully the sculptor has created the narrowing and swelling volumes by carving away the stone matrix, and has contrasted broad smooth surfaces with areas of intricately detailed ornament. – Forrest McGill Torso of a female deity, 1400–1600. Southern India. Stone. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B63S3+.
S
eduction and repulsion are at play in Marilyn Minter’s image of a grime-splattered heel wearing a Dior stiletto bejeweled with
crystals. The scale of Minter’s work, the layers of its slick enamel paint, and the “lusciousness” (Minter’s description) of her image trigger a sensory overload that gets right to the sexy underside of glamour and desire. Is the wearer of this stiletto dirty from a fun night out? Or did something go terribly wrong? Despite the excesses of Minter’s work, I cannot stop staring at one small speck of grime on the larger-than-life heel. It is just under the fleshy, swollen folds of skin right about where the ankle meets the heel. It looks wet, three-dimensional, and for reasons I cannot quite express, outright disgusting. I feel this filthy speck and it sends shivers down my spine, is exactly the point. Minter’s subject reminds us that, in the end, even the most glamorous figure will be covered in dirt. – Allison Harding Strut, 2004–2005, by Marilyn Minter (American, b. 1948). Enamel on metal. Collection SFMOMA, Accessions Committee Fund purchase: gift of Johanna and Thomas Baruch, Charles J. Betlach II, Shawn and Brook Byers, Nancy and Steven Oliver, and Prentice and Paul Sack, 2005.187. © Marilyn Minter.
FALL 2014 /// 9
undoing a facade of glamour. It is just too close to real life. Of course, this
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Ceremonial alms bowl with stand, approx. 1850–1950. Burma. Lacquered and gilded bamboo, wood, and ferrous metal with mirrored and nonmirrored glass. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2006.27.107.a-.e.
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hat if we came upon this object on display at SFMOMA? Out of place, right? Its elaborate ornamentation doesn’t seem “modern.” It also violates
a principle of much twentieth-century design: it isn’t true to its materials. Its materials are not made apparent. Instead, everything is slathered over with lacquer and gilding. But what if we were told—or imagined—an invented back story? The object was made by an eminent artist working in Paris in the 1930s. On the underside of the base is written a surrealist poem dense with references to an undersea dreamworld and ripe for Freudian interpretation. Or what if I say that the object in fact comes from a Buddhist temple, and that the green glass bowl is a reminder of the begging bowl in which the Buddha accepted gifts of food to sustain himself? It’s a symbol of his embrace of humility and nonattachment. Where we see an art object and what we are told about it have big impacts on how we react. – Forrest McGill
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ipes. It’s as though you walked in on some 1950s sitcom Mom in the bathroom,
except instead of being horrified she’s amused (or maybe drunk). Then when you look closely you’re struck by the meticulous handling of the paint, the delicate highlighting and shadowing to suggest the slight swells and recesses of the woman’s body, and the subtle color variation—like that of such a person’s skin— from pink to cream to pale grayish blue. If you’re an art-history geek you’re reminded not just of old-fashioned pin-up girls but of the peculiar nudes of Northern Renaissance artists like Lucas Cranach the Elder (whom Currin admires). Is the result gorgeous? Cringe-inducing? Currin’s dealer’s website speaks of the artist’s “search for the point at which the beautiful and the grotesque
Laughing Nude, 1998, by John Currin (American, b. 1962). Oil on linen. Collection of Vicki and Kent Logan, fractional and promised gift to SFMOMA, 99.114. © John Currin. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery
FALL 2014 /// 11
are held in perfect balance.” – Forrest McGill
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he museum’s label discribes this work’s “distinctive style . . . characterized by lean, elegant, elongated
human figures with typical arching eyebrows and lotus petal– shaped eyes.” Typical? Characterized? These are not words used to describe the gorgeous. My earlier draft of this label began with the statement “This is not a gorgeous work of art.” But in preparing to support my statement by highlighting the lovely but “typical” features of this study, I started noticing small circles. They are everywhere. The circles in the figure’s necklaces mirror the ones that band her hair. The double circles that adorn her nose echo the ones in her earring. Her circular eye repeats at her earlobe. After some time I realized that my expectations of the drawing’s subject were distracting me from fully seeing the drawing. I wanted to feel neutral about this portrait and never gave it a chance. Now I wonder whether this work is the preparation for a portrait or an exercise in form and repetition. – Allison Harding Study of the head of woman, approx. 1750. India; former kingdom of Kishangarh, Rajasthan state. Ink and opaque watercolors on paper. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, Gift of Dr. William K. Ehrenfeld, 1988.23.1.
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ooks uncomfortable and impractical, but who cares when displaying wealth and power is the goal, right?
This chair was made for use in the Chinese imperial court, and its lavish material and intricate carving represent the pinnacle of luxury artisanship in its period. Imagine the chair in use as the seat of an imperial family member wearing colorful, ornate silk robes. More gorgeous? Both the inner and outer sides of the chair’s arms and back
bear narrative scenes that someone with a thorough knowledge
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of Chinese literature might have been able to identify. But who would have had a chance to get close enough for long enough to figure them out? (In fact, the scenes show a party hosted by the immortal Queen Mother of the West in her paradise, depicted as an elaborate palace.) – Forrest McGill
Imperial chair, approx. 1750–1850. China. Lacquered wood. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60M28+.
S
ally Mann photographed her three children. “As subjects, grown-ups aren’t as good as kids,” said Mann in a 1999 Vogue article. “They’re too
self-conscious.... There’s no playfulness.” Jessie at 5 captures Mann’s middle child in a serpentine pose looking into the camera with the directness of someone well beyond Jessie’s five years. Some viewers see this image as a Other viewers see it as exploitation; a startling violation of the protection a mother owes her young daughter. Can a five-year-old be considered a willing participant? Can she reclaim the gaze? The power of this image lies in its ability
to confound boundaries of childhood, femininity, and sexuality while capturing the love between a mother and her young child. – Allison Harding
This exhibition was organized by the Asian Art Museum in partnership with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of Prospect Creek Foundation, Fred Eychaner Helen and Charles R. Schwab, Doris Fisher, The Bernard Osher Foundation, United, The Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Fund for Excellence in Exhibitions and Presentations, Jim Breyer, William Mathews Brooks, Eliza and Dean Cash, Sakurako and William Fisher, Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation, Hiro and Betty Jean Ogawa, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Lucy Sun and Warren Felson, Jean and James E. Douglas, Jr., and an anonymous donor. Media sponsors: San Francisco Examiner, 7x7. The museum acknowledges Trustee Presenter Eliza Cash for her support and assistance in securing funding for the exhibition.
Medis Sponsors:
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private moment between mother and daughter; an honest slice of childhood.
Jessie at 5, 1987, By Sally Mann (American, b. 1951). Gelatin silver print. Collection SFMOMA, Purchase, 89.13. © Sally Mann. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.
BACK TO SCHOOL
LEARNING IS ALWAYS PERSONAL
More and more educational programs are
department’s vision to improve the quality of
being designed to prepare students to think
teaching about Asia.
critically about the abundance of information
Over the past three years, with additional
at their fingertips. To keep up with develop-
support from the Japan Foundation Center for
ing educational trends, the Asian Art Muse-
Global Partnership, we have been developing
um is creating new, customizable resources
new content on Japan in the form of short vid-
that extend the museum’s collection beyond
eos, lesson plans, a brush painting interactive
its walls and into the hands of educators and
program and online art history material that is
students working in a variety of educational
accessible to anyone and easily shared.
modes. Wherever you are and whatever your educational goals may be, we want to provide
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engaging content that suits your needs.
Khan Academy: A Dream Partnership
Nearly five years ago, with the help of
While we were proud of the traction the ed-
a grant from Bank of America we began
ucation website was receiving with schools
to develop online resources that would
and teachers, we never imagined that a
benefit educators and the general public.
dream partnership was within reach. Sever-
With BofA’s initial investment we created a
al months ago, we were approached by the
searchable online database of short videos,
Khan Academy—an online nonprofit educa-
images and classroom-ready materials about
tional program that offers “a free, world class
Asian art and culture. Providing teachers and
education for anyone, anywhere.” While they
students access to hundreds of resources
had strong resources and partners in the art
was the first step in fulfilling our education
and history of Europe and the United states,
BACK TO SCHOOL
they had little Asian art-related content, and
available year round, so they can help students
Rather than being simple “how-to” lectures,
our materials were precisely what they were
stay sharp during the summer months. In
these webinars will be live, interactive ex-
looking for. Our new video content has since
addition to the Khan Academy programs,
changes between teachers, scholars and
been integrated into their art history program
more than 1,300 videos of academic lectures
museum staff. Beginning with the content
and can be accessed through their website.
and talks are available via iTunes University, an
we’ve recently developed about Japan, we’ll
This partnership has made it easier than
online venue for long form audio and video,
demonstrate how to access each unique on-
ever for students and educators to study
and our YouTube channel offers a variety of
line resource while brainstorming ideas with
Asia’s diverse cultures and histories. It’s
lively content, such as performance docu-
participants about how to incorporate
free, easily accessed and geared toward
mentation, behind-the-scenes featurettes and
resources into classroom instruction. By
meeting the specific needs of individual
short documentaries. There’s plenty to see
making each webinar a conversation, we
students. Furthermore, it raises awareness
and do, and all of it is free.
hope to build a community of educators
of the Asian Art Museum for millions of people.
As technology continues to develop, and
that can continue to support each other
Our exciting new collaboration with the
our resources expand into new arenas, we’re
and collaborate with us as they implement
Khan Academy is one of the many ways we’re
coming up with exciting ways to keep edu-
the lessons back in the classroom.
supporting customizable educational resources
cators and students up-to-date and informed
Our goal is always to develop content
and extending our impact as a vital outreach
about each new possibility. This summer
that is adaptable to developing trends in
tool. Our rich content is available for teachers
we’ll collaborate with World Savvy and UC
education while providing a customizable
looking to enhance the classroom experience,
Berkeley to host a series of four webinars
and personal experience for every visitor
or anyone else who would like the benefits of
on Teaching Medieval Japan, each of which
(in the museum or on the website). It’s totally
visiting our museum but who can’t always
will offer model lessons, scholars’ talks,
up to you how you use these resources and
make it out to see us.
video-conferenced discussion and guidance
where they lead you, but we’re here to help
on how to use our new online resources.
when you need it.
And, of course, our online resources are
Looking to learn more? For more information on how to get involved with this summer’s webinars, visit education.asianart.org/professional-development/ teacher-events-and-workshops. To access any of the other online resources mentioned, please visit the following links:
• Education portal:
education.asianart.org
• Khan Academy:
• iTunesU:
itunes.apple.com/us/institution/ asian-art-museum/id381380446
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AsianArtMuseum
Major support for the Asian Art Museum’s education programs is provided by Douglas A. Tilden and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Additional support provided by Wells Fargo, The Charles D. and Frances K. Field Fund, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, Bonhams, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, The Sato Foundation, The Joseph & Mercedes McMicking Foundation, United Airlines, Dodge & Cox, and The Morrison & Foerster Foundation.
FALL 2014 /// 15
www.khanacademy.org/ partner-content/asian-art-museum
RECENTLY ACQUIRED
THE NIGHT OF PERPETUAL DAY BY ALLISON HARDING, ASSISTANT CURATOR OF CONTEMPORARY ART
A number of art historians marked the mid-1990s as a significant transitional period in Chinese contemporary art. Multimedia art forms—installation, performance and film among them—connected Chinese artists to international art trends defying specific cultural identities, while simultaneously giving them new visual languages to articulate tradition. The Asian Art Museum’s newest acquisition of contemporary art, The Night of Perpetual Day, 2013, by Yang Yongliang (b. 1980, Shanghai), is a strong example of this developing relationship between technology and tradition. It combines traditional Chinese painting strategies with new media techniques to construct an animated landscape, exploring and critiquing the effects of China’s rapid development. Yang’s process begins in the urban landscape, where he photographs and videotapes the development surrounding him. Using digital editing software, he collages these images and films together, animating them against a landscape backdrop based on Chinese paintings with mountains and water, or shanshui. On first glance, the video’s black-and-white composition and handscroll format appear to give a bucolic view of nature. As the video unfolds, the grayness of the metropolis invades: cranes backlit against the sky, cars on highways that cut across rivers, billboards advertising on mountainside cliffs. The result is a complex hybrid world—real and imagined, utopian and apocalyptic, futuristic and historic. The Night of Perpetual Day does not present a contemporary China that’s ruptured with the past, but one that is part of a continuum. Yang’s artistic pastiche of old and new is intentionally unresolved, leaving viewers with the unsettling tensions that change can provoke. It reminds us that tradition is always the backdrop to adaptation, resistance
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and progression.
UPCOMING
ROADS OF ARABIA: ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
OCT 24, 2014–JAN 18, 2015
The Arabian Peninsula has been an important cultural crossroads for thousands of years. Over the last forty, archaeologists working in Saudi Arabia have unearthed an astonishing level of artifacts from the peninsula’s ancient past. Roads of Arabia, a new exhibition drawn primarily from their discoveries, is now touring North America for the first time. Roads of Arabia traces the ancient incense trade routes and early-Islamic pilgrimage roads that traversed the peninsula, connecting Arabia to Iraq, Syria, Egypt, the Mediterranean and beyond. More than 200 objects on display offer firsthand insight into the remarkable cultural interactions between these diverse societies. For example, the Arabian Peninsula had a near monopoly on the cultivation and trade of incense that grew in its southern regions. This lucrative trade encouraged the creation of a complex network of roads that supplied the highly prized commodity to the temples and courts of ancient Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Iran and the Greco-Roman world. Oases, towns and way stations flourished along the trade routes, while bustling markets offered luxury objects created locally and imported from afar. With the arrival of Islam in the seventh century, Mecca became the religious and spiritual focus of both the Arabian Peninsula and the expanding Muslim world. New pilgrimage routes from Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran and beyond converged on Mecca. In Roads of Arabia, magnificent objects like a pair of gilded doors that once graced the entrance to the Ka‘ba—Mecca’s main shrine—sit with eye-opening discoveries like the al-Hamra cube, an object that confirms religious practice. Also included are 6,000 year-old steles—stone slabs used for commemorative purposes—that are among the earliest known works of art from the Arabian Peninsula. Archaeologists continue to unearth important ancient finds beneath the shifting sands of the desert. Roads of Arabia offers a rare first glimpse into the Arabian Peninsula’s richly layered and fascinating past. Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is organized by the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution in association with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco are gratefully acknowledged as principal co-sponsors of the tour of Roads of Arabia in the United States. Sponsorship is also provided by The Olayan Group and Fluor Corporation. The Boeing Company, Khalid Al Turki Group, and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation SABIC granted additional support. Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of The Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Fund for Excellence in Exhibitions and Presentations. Image: Anthromorphic Stele, 4th millennium BCE. Saudi Arabia; El-Maakir-Qaryat al-Kaafa, near Ha’il. Sandstone. Courtesy of National Museum, Riyadh,ELS2012.8.28.
FALL 2014 /// 17
the integration of Egyptian and Mesopotamian motifs into early local
LECTURE SERIES
ARTS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD
A SEASON OF FIRSTS You may have noticed this is a season of firsts for us. We’re always working to ensure you get the most out of your membership. This year we’re expanding our classic programming to include more variety. The Arts of Asia series, Arts of the Islamic World, is a great example. Presented this fall by the Society for Asian Art, it will be the first series of lectures on the arts of the Islamic world ever presented at the Asian Art Museum. The roster of distinguished international scholars and curators is hard to match. You’ll recognize resident experts Pedro Moura Carvalho, a renowned scholar of Islamic art and the museum’s new deputy director for art and programs, and Qamar Adamjee, our associate curator of South Asian art. We’re also hosting a wealth of notable presenters from around the world, including Robert Hillenbrand, a leading authority on Persian painting, and Massumeh Farhad, chief curator of the Freer-Sackler Gallery of Art and curator of Roads of Arabia (see page 17). As notable as the participants is the diversity of topics and time periods discussed. Lectures range from pre-Islamic art to the art of Persia and Iran, and time periods explored span from the ancient past to present day. The range of material will be similarly diverse, from architecture, painting, sculpture and ceramics to tech arts, metal work, calligraphy and more. With 15 presentations over five months, there’s something on the calendar for everyone—and there’s no better way to prepare for your visit to our fall exhibition, Roads of Arabia (October 24, 2014 to January 18, 2015). This series is your chance to learn about the richness and diversity of pre-Islamic and Islamic art from some of the leading scholars in the field. Arts of the Islamic World will take place Fridays, August 22–December 5, 2014, from
18 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Conical bowl with “panel style” decoration, approx. 1200–1250. Iran; perhaps Kashan. Fritware painted with underglaze blue and black manganese. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P1893.
SOUK IT TO ME!
10:30 AM to 12:30 PM in Samsung Hall. The series is expected to sell out quickly, so please visit the Society for Asian Art’s website (www.societyforasianart.org) for ticket information and a preliminary list of lecture topics.
LOOKING TO BEGIN OR ENHANCE A COLLECTION? Join us on October 25 and 26 for the Society for Asian Art’s Souk Sale at Fort Mason in the Firehouse. It is a unique opportunity for members and the public to shop for Asian-themed treasures. We anticipate more than 3,000 items donated by fellow Asian art and culture enthusiasts. (Noon–5 PM, Fort Mason Center, Firehouse, www.societyasianart.org/souk)
MEMBERSHIP UPGRADE
THE PETERSON ROOM Opportunities for Jade Circle Members • Prix fixe lunches in an intimate space • Complimentary tea and coffee • Access to the private garden, an oasis within the cityscape • An exclusive space to host out-of-town visitors in one of San Francisco’s most significant cultural landmarks • The opportunity to reserve the room and garden for private events Perfect for dining, entertaining or simply relaxing in an intimate setting, the Richard H. and Marianne Peterson Room and Garden was built on a foundation of fraternity and collaboration. The Petersons, longtime friends and supporters of the museum, created this social space for likeminded patrons of the Asian Art Museum. This refreshing retreat is available for members who make annual gifts of $3,000 (Jade Circle level) or more to the museum.
2014 JADE CIRCLE EVENTS: JUN
19
Jade Circle Preview & Brunch celebrating Gorgeous
AUG
23
Jade Circle Tea & Tour of Gorgeous Saturday, August 23 2PM
SEPT
23
Annual Meeting & Jade Circle Reception
Tuesday, September 23 5 PM Director’s Annual Report, Samsung Hall 6 PM Reception
OCT
23
Jade Circle Preview & Reception celebrating Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thursday, October 23 6:30 PM
Want to relax in the Peterson Room? To become a Jade Circle member, contact Mariah Bozeman, Manager of Individual Giving, at mbozeman@asianart.org or 415.581.3792. For Jade Circle Members: You can reserve the Peterson room by calling our Jade Circle concierge line, 415.581.3794, or email jadecircle@asianart.org.
FALL 2014 /// 19
Thursday, June 19 10 AM
COLLECTOR PROFILE
MERRILL RANDOL SHERWIN
INTERVIEW BY FORREST MCGILL, SENIOR CURATOR OF SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN ART AND DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ASIAN ART
Merrill Randol Sherwin is a trustee of the Asian Art Museum Foundation and a former board member of the Society for Asian Art. She is a member of the Docent Class of 1997 and gave tours until 2011. She remains a passionate supporter and contributor to the museum’s collection. Merrill recently sat down with Forrest McGill to discuss her years as a collector and a few of her significant and exciting contributions to the collection. Forrest McGill: When did you first become
activity you see today. When you went to flea
interested in Asian art?
markets and collectives then, you could find
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I grew up with
some really wonderful things.
my aunt and uncle. Their son was an officer in the Navy. In the ’50s, when I was a young
Merrill Randol Sherwin: You’re not
girl, he was stationed in Yokohama, Japan,
going to find as many treasures as you once
and when he came to visit he would bring
could. People research online to find out
me geta. My first trip to Asia was to visit
what something is, or what the prices are.
that same cousin when he was stationed in
I have friends who spend quite a bit of time
Sasebo, during the Vietnam War. We went
looking on eBay or other sites, and they find
around Sasebo, and then to Korea and
some neat things. But there are still some
Honshu, Japan, seeing mingei pieces. It
sleepers out there in the markets.
was a great time to visit Japan.
Forrest McGill: It’s fascinating where
Forrest McGill: And how did that develop
20 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Forrest McGill: That’s not so true anymore?
some of these things come from. For years
into collecting?
now, you’ve let me and other curators from
Merrill Randol Sherwin: My aunt and
the museum prowl through your house to
uncle liked antiquing, though they were into
examine everything and go through your
nineteenth-century Midwestern glass, that
room full of textiles. You’ve been so generous,
kind of thing. When I was little, we used to
but it must be awkward to have a bunch of
go around on the weekends and see what
curators invading your house like that. Last
we could find. I loved Chinese ceramics, but
time, we were prowling in the bathroom,
when I got more serious as a collector I re-
finding interesting things down in the base-
alized I couldn’t really tell the fakes from the
ment and the kitchen.
originals. So I started getting interested in
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I haven’t been
textiles. So much workmanship and skill goes
bothered by it at all. I’ve been happy to give
into them, even if they are recently made.
things to the museum.
Forrest McGill: You had an antique
Forrest McGill: Let’s talk about some of
business at one time, right?
your donations. The cultural-revolution enam-
Merrill Randol Sherwin: My sister had an
el vase on display in the museum’s Chinese
antique business. I was a practicing attorney
galleries, do you remember where you got it?
at the time. I wanted to balance my life a lit-
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I bought it at
tle, so when my sister set up in Hillsborough
the Hillsborough Antique Show, from a
or San Mateo, I would sometimes go with her
dealer named Denis Crow. This was in the
and help out. It was a great time to do it, too,
late ’90s. It was just sitting there in his case.
because this was back in the ’80s and early
Forrest McGill: And you knew enough to
’90s, just before eBay and all the internet
see it was an interesting and rare piece.
COLLECTOR PROFILE
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I also liked the
time. He used to be in communication with
one of these at the market and I was in the
fact that it seemed to be a cross-cultural
a lot of Japanese dealers and I bought some
process of buying it when a man came up to
piece. I could tell there was some Russian
mid-20th century pieces from him. I actually
me and said, “You can’t buy this unless you
influence in the designs, and the enamel-
can’t say for sure.
know what this is.”
ware itself was very Western.
Forrest McGill: Every collector has
Forrest McGill: And you knew what it was!
Forrest McGill: You also provided a won-
Merrill Randol Sherwin: Yes. Studying
derful Chinese coat with medallions featuring
I know I have. Could you tell us about a
and being a docent has helped me so much
scenes from the novel Dream of the Red
mistake you made? Something that didn’t
along the way. It not only helped me identify
Chamber. Do you remember where that
go as planned?
the items, but by learning about the cultural
one came from?
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I once saw an
and historical significance of these objects,
item I thought was a Liao-dynasty mask,
I was able to give them the respect they
antiques store owned by Garry Morris on the
a death mask in gilt bronze, so I bought
deserve.
500 block of Sacramento Street. It’s been
it from a reputable dealer here in the city.
Forrest McGill: So what happened with
closed for years, but I bought it from him.
Eventually, someone from the museum
the Blood Chit?
Forrest McGill: What attracted you to it?
learned I had it and asked to see it. I was
Merrill Randol Sherwin: As a little girl in
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I passed the
happy to show it, because I thought it was
test. He let me have it, and I had it framed.
Oregon, my friend’s grandmother had gone
real. But he quickly saw that it was a fake.
Forrest McGill: Do you have any advice
to China, and I loved the Chinese coat she
I still have it up in my living room, though.
for people who might be interested in taking
had. It was very much like the one I found on
Forrest McGill: How about a triumph?
up collecting?
Sacramento Street. I saw it in the shop, and
A find you’re particularly proud of?
it resonated with that childhood memory.
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I was at the flea
Merrill Randol Sherwin: There was an
Forrest McGill: What about the fantastic
Merrill Randol Sherwin: Try to think about quality rather than quantity, which
market years ago and I spotted what I was
I haven’t always done. Become a docent.
Japanese hat?
able to identify as a Blood Chit. In World
Know your dealers well, but keep a bit of
Merrill Randol Sherwin: I think that was
War II, the flight jackets of American pilots
skepticism. I’ve enjoyed the hunt. That’s a big
from the flea market. Or it could have been
had an American and Chinese leather patch
part of it for me. If you enjoy going to the flea
from the dealer, Louis Giuliano, who made
on them with Chinese calligraphy identifying
markets on a sunny day, there’s so much fun
set designs for the de Young Museum at one
the wearer as an American pilot. So I saw
to be had, but you do have to be careful.
FALL 2014 /// 21
made a mistake or two along the way.
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
SURVEY
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
How Our Visitors Are Using the Museum What motivates a person to engage with a work of art? What are people looking at, how are they looking and why? These are only a few of the questions we consider when developing new programs and organizing the collection. To provide the best possible guest experience, audience-oriented institutions often rely on visitor feedback and observation to guide their efforts. In what may be the most comprehensive study of its kind at an art museum, the Asian Art Museum partnered with Steve Yalowitz of Audience Viewpoints Consulting to conduct an in-depth study of how visitors are using the museum. Combining visit timing and tracking with personal interviews and group surveys, Yalowitz and his team gained insight into the
83% 22 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
habits of museum visitors.
• 83% of visitors felt a personal connection with at least
one piece of art in the museum. Our goal is to bring that number up to 100%, and we’re thrilled to hear there is such a high level of personal connection occurring already between our visitors and the collection.
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
76% •
76% of visitors are visiting our collection galleries
in addition to the special exhibition. Displaying the permanent
collection is one of the museum’s primary functions, and we are delighted to learn that people are venturing upstairs to explore our extensive collection.
5%
•
Only 5% of visitors are following the suggested route through the museum—third floor to second floor to first floor. The vast majority
of visitors are creating their own paths. This type of insight into the habits and preferences of visitors will help us better organize artworks in the museum.
other mobile device while in the museum, but we were pleased to learn that a significant number of these visitors are using mobile devices to engage with the museum’s collection: using an audio tour, a museum app, scanning QR codes or looking up information related to history, background or other details about the art. In the coming months, we will continue to pore over the large quantity of data gathered by Steve Yalowitz and his team. We’re excited for the discoveries to come, and the changes and new ideas these discoveries will provoke as we work to make your art experiences here even richer.
FALL 2014 /// 23
We were not surprised to hear that a third of our visitors are using a smartphone or
Annie Hayward and guest
Ranjini Malavalli and Ush Patel
Gala Chairs Kumar and Vijaya Malavalli (below), Seetharam and Jyothi Malavalli (above)
Rosina Sun, Komal Shah, Gorretti Lui and Eliza Cash
24
Yoga Festival
Russell and Sherlyn Leong
Coomie and Vish Mishra
SCENE AT THE ASIAN Whether you were in black tie or yoga pants, we all wore smiles during the opening week of our recent exhibition, Yoga: The Art of Transformation. We brought out the finery for a stunning Gala event and our Jade Circle members snuck a peak at the show during a private preview and reception. The official Opening Night Party welcomed one and all for a feel-good time that refreshed both body and soul.
Phyllis Kempner, David Stein and Vivienne Miller
Yoga Opening Night Party
Acro-Yoga demonstration
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
Maureen Hetzel Merrill Randol Sherwin, Mary Hunt and Marsha Vargas Handley
Alex Caban, Kyra Miller and AAM Council members
Reverend Richard Fabian and Fred Levin at the Connoisseurs’ Council
Family Event Chairs Christine DeSanze and Mona Shah
Sarah Antebi boxing painting
SCENE AT THE ASIAN Director’s Council members celebrated in style for Enter the Mandala: Cosmic Centers and Mental Maps of Himalayan Buddhism (on view until October 26, 2014). Connoisseurs’ Council members toured Reverend Richard Fabian’s personal collection of Chinese furniture and paintings. For this year’s Family Event, over 125 families gathered to celebrate and paint, sometimes in boxing gloves. Once Upon a Time When There Were Yogis, Marshals and Masters blended yoga and martial arts performances with unique arts and crafts activities for children of all ages.
Lori Shigekane and daughter Alana
26 Artist Imin Yeh talking about her Paper Bag Project with Council members and guests
Artist Jeffrey Augustine Songco talking about his work Blissed Out with Council members and guests
MEMBER PROFILE
You’ve both been intimately involved with the museum for years. What motivates you to be so active and engaged? Bob: Membership provides us with wonderful social and intellectual connections.
FRED SHENG & BOB OAKS
We have taken several trips to Asia over the past few years, usually with friends we met through the museum. Suddenly, we found ourselves with two or three dozen new “best friends”!
How has being a member altered your relationship with the museum and its collection? Fred: Being a member has opened my eyes to the many services the Asian provides to our community. Before, I was unaware of all the school programs put on by volunteers in conjunction with the Education department. As a storyteller for the museum, I see firsthand the delight in discovery when I bring a class of second or third graders through our galleries, and their satisfaction when they can compare and contrast what they see. As a Jade Circle member, I know that I am significantly supporting the Asian’s efforts in education.
Would you share a fond memory of a visit to the museum? Fred: After 35 years together, Bob and I were married at City Hall last November. We had a small reception in the museum’s Peterson Room. Cafe manager Tana Saravia and her team at Cafe Asia could not have been more wonderful. It was a truly memorable event.
Interested in becoming a member?
Room and Garden. For more information about joining the Jade Circle, please Mariah Bozeman, contact Manager of Individual Giving at mbozeman@asianart.org or 415.581.3792.
FALL 2014 /// 27
Jade Circle membership starts at $3,000 annually. At this level, members enjoy concierge service for booking group visits, private tours and exclusive access to the Richard H. and Marianne Peterson
RETAIL SELECTIONS
TRANSFORMING TRADITION
In 2011, a respected Thai artisan who specializes in casting bronze Buddhas in the Sukhothai style was commissioned to create a wax carving. It would serve as the master model for a Buddha bust, cast in white porcelain and finished with a metallic gold flame emanating from the Buddha’s head. From Jingdezhen, China, Bo Jia, designer for Middle Kingdom—a producer of quality ceramics—has reinterpreted the classic Chinese vase by finishing them in bold metallic glazes, adding an arrestingly modern effect to a timeless form. These striking pieces—simultaneously classic and contemporary, familiar and remarkable—are part of the exciting new collection available from our museum store this summer. Alongside these pieces, the museum store will feature a traditional Sukhothai-style bronze Buddha, Chinese vases in more traditional monochrome glazes and an exquisite group of Nepalese sculptures in bronze and copper, including a gilded 32-inch standing Tara from Nepal, which will act as the radiant centerpiece to the store’s collection.
2
28 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
1
1. Buddha bust (porcelain), Thailand, white porcelain, 17”, $195 (member price $175); 2. Buddha, Sukhothai style, Bronze, Thailand, 15” $350 (member price $315); 3. White Tara, Nepal, copper with full goldgilt finish, 13”; $1,400 (member price $1,260); 4. ‘Lover’ Vase by Middle Kingdom in gold 14¼”; $80 (member price $72). White Tara statue and Sukhothai Buddha are one-of-a-kind pieces and subject to prior sale.
3
4
CALENDAR
FEATURED EVENTS
JUNE
25
Members Only!
Interested in becoming a member?
Members enjoy free, unlimited admission, including special exhibitions, artist demonstrations, performances and other events. For more information, call 415.581.3740 or email members@asianart.org.
JUNE
26
Gorgeous Champagne Reception
JULY
Wednesday 5:30–8 PM (Open to Sponsors, Patrons & Donors); 6–8 PM (Open to Contributors) Enjoy a private viewing of Gorgeous and celebrate with fellow members over hors d’oeuvres and our signature champagne cocktail.
Palimpsest with Ajit Chauhan Thursday 6:30–9 PM
19
Members Only!
JUNE
($5 after 5 PM) Palimpsest will be an intervention of twenty four quotations, inscribed on the Asian Art Museum’s building when it was constructed.
Preview
20
Thursday 10 AM–5 PM Open to all members. Be among the first to experience Gorgeous.
JULY
Grit & Glamour: The Gorgeous Opening Party
Friday, 7–11 PM Get Gorgeous on opening night. Tickets available at www.asianart.org/party
6& 20
JULY
11
Family Fun Day
First and Third Sundays
10:30 AM–2:30 PM
Free with museum admission
Explore art and ideas during Family Fun Day, designed for pre-school and kinder families.
A Part of First Thursdays
Thursday 6–9 PM Museum-wide, free with admission ($5 after 5 PM) Featuring Performance-art band Nicole Kidman Is F*cking Gorgeous.
In-Gallery Talk with Forrest McGill, Co-curator of Gorgeous
AUG
23
JULY
12 & AUG 30
AUG
28
AUG
2
Saturdays, August 2, 9, 16 and 23, Noon–4 PM Free with museum admission
Mugwumpin joins forces with acclaimed photographer Pak Han to bring visions of lush beauty to life.
THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT. WANT THE FULL PICTURE?
Check out our calendar at www.asianart.org/events. You’ll find talks, art activities, tours, fun for the family. Don’t miss out.
Free with museum admission
Breathe with Jung Ran Bae Part of the Artists Drawing Club
Thursday 6:30–9 PM
Artist Jung Ran Bae creates an experience where touch, sight and sound help to shift perceptions of Samsung Hall into a more sensual and sensorial space.
Japanese Tea
AsiaAlive: Luster
Saturday, August 23 1–2:30 PM
Free with museum admission ($5 after 5 PM)
Friday 3:30–4:15 PM
Saturday, July 12 1–1:45 PM & 2:30–3:15 PM Saturday, August 30 1–1:45 PM & 2:30–3:15 PM Check our website for additional tea ceremonies
Perspectives on Persian Art
Explore traditions in Persian art.
Free with museum admission
Part of the Artists Drawing Club
Free with museum admission
JUNE
10
F*ck Gorgeous
ONGOING PROGRAMS Docent Tours: Gorgeous Daily, 10:30 AM and 2 PM Free with museum admission
Kids’ Tours
Saturdays and Sundays, June 21–September 14, 11:30 AM Meet near the information desk; suggested for families with children ages 7–10; Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
Stories! The Wicked, the Wily, the Wise
Sundays, 1–1:45 PM (suggested for ages 7 and up); first Sundays stART tour, 10:30–11 AM are part of Family Fun Days (ages 3–6) and 3–3:45 PM (ages 7 and up); Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
DECEMBER
Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia October 24, 2014–January 18, 2015
Gorgeous June 20–September 14, 2014 Enter the Mandala: Cosmic Centers and Mental Maps of Himalayan Buddhism Through October 26, 2014 The Carved Brush Through July 13, 2014
NOVEMBER
Tetsuya Ishida November 14, 2014–February 22, 2015
From Two Arises Three: Creating a Third Space July 15, 2014–March 1, 2015
The Art of Adornment Through August 3, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: WWW.ASIANART.ORG
FALL 2014 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
EXHIBITIONS
Non-Profit Organization U. S . Po s t a g e P A I D Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
ASIAN ART MUSEUM Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art & Culture www.asianart.org 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94102 USA