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Arts of Asia Lecture Series

Arts of Asia Fall 2025 It’s Magic: Art and the Power of Transformation

Arts of Asia Fall 2025 It's Magic: Art and the Power of Transformation
Left: Towering to Cloudy Sky, 1776, by Luo Pin (Chinese, 1733–1799), Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Ink on paper. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Museum purchase, B74D18. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Right: Theatrical headdress for the magical deer in the Ramayana (Epic of Rama) dance-drama, approx. 1950–1960. Central Thailand. Papier-mâché, glass, and mixed media. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2006.27.10.9. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

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 innovation to alter perceptions, bridge worlds, and inspire change. Instructor of Record Jeff Durham, Associate Curator of Himalayan Art at the Asian Art Museum, has invited speakers who provide enlightening new perspectives on art.

The Arts of Asia committee welcomes comments about our lecture series. Please email comments to info@societyforasianart.org.

Registration for this lecture series is now closed.

Please refer to the schedule of Speaker & Topics below to ascertain the location of each lecture.

Medieval Central Asia in Depth: Archaeological Explorations and Mapping of Newly Discovered High Elevation Cities of the 6th – 12th Centuries. No Lecture Study Guide.

Michael Frachetti

Professor of Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis

Kiln Magic: Transformation and Change through Fire and Ash

Robert Mintz

Chief Curator, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

The Buddha's Miracles and Magical Appearances

Forrest McGill

Emeritus Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

The Animated Image In Asia: Image Consecration and Desecration

James Robson

James C. Kralik and Yunli Lou Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University

Modes of Transformation in Chinese Buddhist Painting

Richard Vinograd

Christensen Fund Professor in Asian Art, Department of Art & Art History, Stanford University

Meditation Without a Meditator: How to Make a Stone Come Alive?

Eugene Wang, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Professor of Asian Art, Department of History of Art + Architecture, Harvard University

Transformation in Okinawan Rituals

Tze M. Loo

Associate Professor of History and Global Studies, Department of History, University of Richmond

The Magic of the Floating World: How A.A.Murakami Make Fantasy Reality and Reality Fantasy

Bradley Bailey

Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Curator of Asian Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Hanamichi After Dark: Demons, Shapeshifters, and Magic in Japanese Art and Performance

Kirk Kanesaka

Assistant Professor of Japanese and Asian Studies, California State University, San Bernardino

Woven Silk and the Transformation of Imperial Bodies at the Mongol Court

Yong Cho

Assistant Professor, Department of the History of Art, University of California, Riverside

Falnama: The Book of Omens

Massumeh Farhad

Senior Associate Director for Research and The Ebrahimi Family Curator of Persian, Arab, and Turkish Art, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art

Enchanting Images: Magic and Transformation in the Arts from Thailand

Nicolas Revire

Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Research Fellow, Arts of Asia & Curatorial Documentation and Research Departments, The Art Institute of Chicago

Transformation: From Magic Mirrors to Tea Bowls to Dancing Cats and Other Magical Creatures


Laura Allen

Independent Scholar and Emeritus Senior Curator for Japanese Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Registration Policies

The Society for Asian Art’s cancellation policy requires at least one week’s advance written notice in order to receive a refund of registration fees. This excludes our Travel programs, which have separate cancellation policies, as well as any programs where a specific refund policy is stated on the event page. Your fees will be returned to you through a check in the mail. To cancel, please contact us.

For programs located within the Asian Art Museum, the museum entrance fee must be paid separately and is not included with your registration fee.

Please note that by registering for a program, you are giving consent to the SAA to be photographed or videoed as a participant.

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