China’s museum scene has exploded in the past 10 years with an astonishing number of new museums being built in addition to the widespread expansion and remodeling of existing museums. Join Jay Xu, the very popular former director of the Asian Art Museum, as he explains what’s driving all this museum activity and describes some […]
This rare presentation of Mongolian art explores the rich evolution of Mongolian writing and calligraphic traditions, beginning with the Old Uyghur script from the time of Genghis Khan and its development to the classical Mongolian vertical script, to the creation of the Soyombo script by the Mongolian artist and scholar Zanabazar, to the introduction of […]
Join the SAA for a private visit to the studio of artist Nick Dong, and hear curator Jeff Durham speak on Engineering Awakening: Exploring the Intersections of Art, Technology, and Buddhism in conversation with with the artist. In 2023, Nick initiated a project titled Auspicious 88, and vowed to complete 88 works by 2028. With […]
This trip is now sold out! If you would like to be put on the wait list, please register ONLY BY USING THE ONLINE LINK. Join us on this fabulous trip. We will have curator-led tours of two extraordinary exhibitions at the Honolulu Museum of Art: Divine Disruption: The Art of Tsherin Sherpa, and Toshiko […]
Put on your favorite walking shoes to join fellow SAA members in exploring Sonoma Botanical Garden in Sonoma. Our guide for this exclusive SAA tour will be Michael Wenzel, Chief Curator of Living Collections, who will focus on the garden’s famous Asian botanicals. Bring a hat, water bottle and plenty of sunscreen in addition to […]
All Society members are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and Reception. Email invitations were sent to all members in good standing on April 24. Please kindly follow the instructions in the invitation to RSVP. After a short formal meeting to elect new members of the Board of Directors, and a report from the President […]
In an age when cultural identities are increasingly fluid, Asia Reimagined invites you to explore how artists, ideas, and aesthetics have long transcended national boundaries and how the artistic soul, be it nomad or explorer, has responded with curiosity and vision. This 14-lecture series examines the ways that creative exchange has influenced both the makers […]
This talk explores Empress Wanrong’s life and image through the contrasting perspectives of East and West. The qipao, her iconic dress, functions as both an emblem of elegance and the lens through which identity, culture, and perception are refracted. Key figures in her story—the Last Emperor Puyi, her eunuch Sun Yaoting, and her English teacher […]
From the beginnings of human existence, art has had the power to transform our understanding of the world; sometimes that power is called magic. Join us for a 14-lecture series that delves into the mystical qualities of art across cultures and time. From ancient talismans to contemporary illusions, discover how artists harness symbolism, ritual, and […]
Since the dawn of human experience, there has been a search to understand the mysteries that surround us. As we contend with the unseen, the unknown, and the unknowable, beliefs in spirits, demons, gods, and other divinities have emerged to help us make sense of our time on Earth. Join us as our Instructor of […]
Registration is now closed for this lecture series. Much has changed in the last few years at the Asian Art Museum. New curators and scholars have fresh ideas about objects in our collection. Others are re-examining common assumptions and ideas about the history, provenance, and context of even our well-known artifacts and will also introduce […]
We are no longer accepting registrations for this lecture series. We encourage you to drop in to the lectures in person in Samsung Hall in the Asian Art Museum. No culture exists in a vacuum, without a context or a past. During this lecture series, we will examine the ways historical ideas, forms, and techniques […]
Late registrations for this lecture series is now closed. Please email the SAA Office if you have any questions. Please refer to the schedule of Speaker & Topics below to ascertain the location of each lecture. Precious objects from far-away places have always been treasured and collected, prompting great curiosity about their origins and the […]