Of the thousands of objects in the museum’s collection, most were created by unknown makers. Many works are unsigned, and others have lost attribution over time. For generations, such pieces were categorized as “craft” or “decorative art,” often excluded from the status granted to “fine art.” In the early twentieth century, Japanese thinker Sōetsu Yanagi […]
A lustful proposition accompanied by a gruesome threat. A violent, humiliating rejection. A retaliatory—and lascivious—kidnapping. A long search for the one kidnapped. A war of recovery. Slaughter. Victory. Glorification of the heroes. “Happily ever after”—or not. Such an encapsulation bears something like the relation to the great seven-volume epic Ramayana as the AI-generated teaser “Mad […]
Due to some recent cancellations, three spots just opened up on this trip. If you would like to join the trip, please register ONLY BY USING THE ONLINE LINK. All trip participants are Society for Asian Art members. Join the Society for Asian Art on a tour to Boston, Cambridge and Salem to enjoy an […]
Renowned artist Xiaoze Xie will share the three-decade journey of his artistic exploration of history and memory, highlighting his ambitious projects on the history of banned books in China and the dispersal and loss of the Dunhuang Library Cave’s cultural treasures. Through compelling images of paintings, sculptures, and multimedia installations, he will discuss the ideas, […]
This event is now sold out. If you would like to be put on the wait list, please email the SAA Office. You will be contacted if space opens up before the event. China’s museum scene has exploded in the past 10 years with an astonishing number of new museums being built in addition to […]
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 […]
This event is now sold out. If you would like to be placed on a wait list, please email the SAA office at officemanager@societyforasianart.org. 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 […]
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 […]