FALL 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FALL 2014 /// VOL. IV, ISSUE llI The Asian Art Museum Magazine MAGAZINE STAFF Tim Hallman, Editor in Chief Kate Johnson, Membership David Owens-Hill, Creative Director Amy Browne, Art Director Colin Winnette, Writer/Editor Daniel King, Copy Editor
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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
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Visit www.asianart.org for additional closings and special hours.
Cover: Funerary mask (detail), 1st century CE. Saudi Arabia; Thaj, Tell al-Zayer site. Gold. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 2061. Inside front cover: Our 6th annual Korea Day celebrated the breadth of Korean arts and culture with a day of performance, crafts and delicious food.
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FROM THE DIRECTOR JAY XU Sometimes Mother Nature sends us a reminder about our principal obligations. For the Asian Art Museum, one of those obligations is to protect the art under our roof, and Mother Nature sent the reminder this summer with a 6.0 earthquake in the Bay Area. We take the responsibility of protecting the art very seriously, and on page 14 of this issue we provide a behind-the-scenes peek at the lengths we go to in protecting our artwork (and you) from seismic activity. Of course, one of our other core obligations is to bring you great art experiences, ensuring you get the most out of your visits to the museum, and this fall we have lots to offer. Roads of Arabia (see page 6) presents a fascinating glimpse into the largely unknown past of Saudi Arabia, displaying eye-opening new discoveries (unearthing some objects more than a million years old). From Two Arises Three: The Collaborative Works of Arnold Chang and Michael Cherney (see page 17) features new hybrid works produced by an international collaboration between two contemporary artists. Tradition on Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Paul and Kathy Bissinger Collection showcases 20 of the most innovative contemporary Japanese ceramicists (see page 18). Plus, we’ve organized Tetsuya Ishida: Saving the World with a Brushstroke (see page 16), the first exhibition in the U.S. to showcase the darkly fascinating paintings by Ishida. This issue also includes museum news, information about not-to-miss programs, holiday shopping, results from a member survey and more. Please dive deeper. As always, thanks for your continued support, and see you at the museum!
ART BITES
A SEASON OF NEW BEGINNINGS
Dr. Tianlong Jiao. Courtesy of Bishop Museum.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW CURATOR OF CHINESE ART When Dr. Michael Knight—our curator of Chinese art for 18 years—retired earlier this year, we needed a new expert to fill that important position. Luckily, we found a perfect fit. Please welcome Dr. Tianlong Jiao, who joins associate curator Li He in directing advanced curatorial work, organizing special exhibitions and overseeing the care and interpretation of Chinese art belonging or lent to the museum. A specialist in Chinese archaeology and early Chinese art history, Dr. Jiao offers expertise that aligns well with the strength of the museum’s collection. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from Harvard, an M.A. in archaeology from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a B.A. in archaeology from Beijing University. He has also directed or participated in more than 30 archaeological excavations in China and authored or co-authored six books and more than 70 papers. Dr. Jiao’s relationships with institutions in China should prove invaluable in facilitat-
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ing important cultural exchanges. Stay tuned for exciting Chinese art exhibitions and programs to come.
NAME OUR RHINO! We need your help naming the museum’s beloved rhino. Be on the lookout for details at www.asianart.org later this fall, but get your list started now and be ahead of the game. Ritual vessel in the shape of a rhinoceros, probably 1100–1050 BCE. China; Shouchang, Shandong province, Shang dynasty (1600–1050 BCE). Bronze. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60B1+.
ART BITES
UNITING LEADERS IN THE FIELD More than two dozen influential museum directors and other professionals
WELCOME TO OUR NEW BOARD CHAIR
from across the U.S. and Asia gathered at the Asian Art Museum in July for
Akiko Yamazaki is the new chair of the
the second San Francisco Forum of Art Museum Directors. It was a two-day conference exploring the theme “Museums Transcending Time and Place: Classical to Contemporary / Local to Global.” The brainchild of Jay Xu, the forum launched in 2011. The goal: to bring some of the best museum minds together to consider trending issues impacting the field. After a keynote address by Lawrence Weschler, the following leaders participated in robust discussions about opportunities for global collaborations, leveraging museum collections to inspire new art and strategies for serving diverse audiences, among other topics: • Chong Hyong Min, director, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea • Douglas Druick, director, Art Institute of Chicago • Pan Gongkai, president, Central Academy of Fine Arts, China • Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, honorary director, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai • Timothy Rub, director, Philadelphia Museum of Art • Hiroyuki Shimatani, vice executive director, Tokyo National Museum • Roxana Velásquez, director, San Diego Museum of Art
Asian Art Commission and the Asian Art Museum Foundation, the museum’s dual governing boards. Yamazaki, who most recently served as vice chair of the commission and president of the foundation, succeeds Anthony Sun, who recently completed his second two-year term as chair. Sun successfully shepherded the museum through the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, the development of strategic and business plans and the launch of the museum’s refreshed brand in 2011. “I’m delighted to follow in Tony’s footsteps in guiding the board through the next stages of the museum’s growth and development,” says Yamazaki. “As Asia’s world influence grows, the museum is uniquely positioned to guide an international audience’s understanding and knowledge of this diverse region. We have the
• Julián Zugazagoitia, director, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
right people and programming in place and a
Directors and curators from the Asian Art Museum and other Bay Area muse-
time to serve as chair.”
ums also participated. After two fruitful and stimulating iterations, a third forum is tentatively scheduled for 2016 to coincide with the museum’s 50th anniversary.
plan to engage that audience. It’s an exciting During her four years as a commissioner (governing the city’s collection of Asian art held by the museum) and 15 years as a trustee of the foundation (private fundraising arm of the museum), Yamazaki has played major leadership roles in developing the museum’s strategic priorities. She and her husband, Bay Area entrepreneur Jerry Yang, are longtime lectors of Chinese calligraphy. To support her in her new role, Timothy F. Kahn succeeds Yamazaki as vice chair of the commission and president of the foundation. A former president and CEO of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc., Kahn most recently served as vice chair and treasurer of the commission, and vice president and treasurer of the foundation.
The San Francisco Forum of Art Museum Directors at the Asian Art Museum is made possible by the major support of the Asia Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Mrs. Brayton Wilbur, Jr., and Christie’s. Additional support is provided by the Williams and Wilbur Fellowships at the Asia Foundation, Lucy Sun and Warren Felson, and David and Linda Lei.
His wife, Anne Kahn, is a dedicated museum docent.
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supporters of the museum and significant col-
ART & PROGRAMS
GETTING TO KNOW PEDRO MOURA CARVALHO
Dr. Pedro Moura Carvalho joined the museum in March as deputy director, art and programs. His last position was in Singapore, where he served as chief curator and deputy director for curatorial, collections and exhibitions at the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum, since 2011. Today, he is a very busy man, directing some of the Asian Art Museum’s most exciting and essential elements, including managing and presenting the collection, overseeing interpretive initiatives and developing special exhibitions and public programs. Now that he’s had time to roll up his sleeves and settle into his new role, Asian magazine invited him to sit down for a chat.
Why the Asian Art Museum? The collection and the opportunity to play a role in the evolution of the museum were the main motives, but Jay Xu’s vision for the future also contributed to my decision. Then, last October, when—during three long days of interviews—I met the trustees, commissioners, curators and staff, I knew San Francisco would be the right place for me.
Pedro's thoughts on a favorite
artwork, currently on view in
Gallery 6:
"Finely carved in white nephrite, this tiny and exquisite Timurid cup was owned by Jahangir, who reigned from 1605 to 1627, and was known as the greatest art connoisseur of all Mughal rulers."
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Cup, approx. 1450. Probably Samarkand (present-day Uzbekistan), Timurid period (approx. 1370–1506). Nephrite. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60J619.
ART & PROGRAMS
How do you view the role of contemporary art, both from an acquisition and an exhibition perspective?
It’s been suggested that Western museums put more effort into education and programming than museums in Asia. Have you found that to be true and what's your
I cannot think of a single reason that would justify the exclusion of
philosophy regarding educational programs?
contemporary art from our work. It is our obligation to collect, study and display art produced in earlier periods as well as what artists are
Perhaps in general terms, but the panorama in museums across
doing at present. We cannot afford works by well-established artists
Asia is changing fast. In Singapore, for example, what we did there
but we should endeavour every effort to acquire key pieces by promising names. Our trustees, commissioners and many other donors fully support this vision, and I thank them. The collection is growing and some of our recent acquisitions will be on display next summer, including paintings, sculptures, prints and videos. Later this year, in addition to the exciting Bissinger Collection of Japanese ceramics (see page 18), we’ll exhibit eight paintings by Tetsuya Ishida (see page 16), whose idiosyncratic work is intrinsically linked to issues that affect contemporary societies, particularly in Japan. Then, in
was similar to what we’re doing here. The same may be said about museums in Macau, Seoul and across Japan. I have no doubt that countries with fewer resources also understand that education is the way to move forward. Educational programs are essential to our mission. Without our teams of educators, docents and storytellers we would be incapable of instilling and satisfying curiosity in larger audiences. I am here to support their work.
the summer of 2015, we will present 28 Chinese, an exhibition of recent work by 28 of China’s most influential contemporary artists, borrowed from the extraordinary Rubell Family Collection in Miami.
An exhibition's concept culminates in the design of the galleries. What are the keys to successful exhibition design? What are you striving for?
What excites you most about developing a two- to three-year lineup of exhibitions?
We live in a multicultural society and attract tourists from all over, so we do our best to cater to different publics and their different ambitions. We want to inform, to instill and satisfy curiosity in our audiences, to underscore a sense of belonging and pride in visitors of Asian descent and, above all, to spread knowledge. We aim to do all of this in an engaging environment, where academic values are nurtured and where scholarship is accessible. With such ideas in mind, we are developing a dynamic calendar of exhibitions for the
The importance of design in a temporary exhibition cannot be underestimated; it greatly influences visitor experience and ultimately determines the exhibition’s success. That is why curators, designers, preparators and technicians spend so much time discussing the right placement of each artwork, how it relates to other objects, as well as the colors, materials, type of cases, fonts used in text panels, adequate lighting, etc. I favor exhibitions that surprise visitors, where objects are displayed in a less obvious manner, where drama is suggested (e.g., a small object is presented within a large space), where masterpieces
next several years.
are treated as such and where different intensities are observed in
What can we look forward to?
ever, should again arouse the visitor’s excitement. In Gorgeous, we
In the next two years, other than the exhibitions already mentioned,
theme of Imperfection, featuring de Kooning and an armless Han-
continuous areas. If an exhibition begins loudly, the following space
achieved something interesting. The second gallery opened with the
we will be focusing on pan-Asian themes: the Buddha, the Ramayana
dynasty terracotta, then went on to Fantasy with Miró, and the Thai
and a show on a material intrinsically linked to San Francisco’s his-
bird-man, then Danger with Paglen and a Dakini and finally, through
tory—gold; courtly arts of Mughal India, Safavid Iran and Ottoman
the Gonzalez-Torres curtain, the gallery ended in a peaceful space
Turkey, as well as from the National Palace Museum in Taipei; and
dominated by an Ellsworth Kelly sculpture. I hope many visitors
Japanese art’s influence on Western artists, in addition to an exhibi-
noticed the spiritual passage, with references to life, imaginary
tion from the John C. Weber Collection. We want to ensure that we
worlds, hell and heaven.
offer exhibitions that appeal to all types of audiences.
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should be more contained and introspective. The final area, how-
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ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA OCTOBER 24, 2014–JANUARY 18, 2015
In the shifting sands of Saudi Arabia, outside the city of Thaj, archaeologists discovered the tomb of a young royal girl buried about 2,000 years ago. Within the tomb they found exquisite jewelry, a haunting mask, a glove and other funerary objects—all made of gold. These treasures are just a few of the surprising discoveries archaeologists have unearthed in the peninsula over the past 40 years. Site by site, piece by piece, new evidence of Saudi Arabia’s rich and ancient history has changed the way we look at the Arabian Peninsula. For the first time on the West Coast, these new discoveries can be seen in the fascinating exhibition Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on view October 24, 2014 through January 18, 2015 at the Asian Art Museum. The exhibition includes more than 200 objects, such as mysterious stone steles, monumental statues, finely forged bronze figures and a set of gilded doors that once graced the entrance to the Ka‘ba, Islam’s holiest sanctuary. Starting with fascinating evidence left by our prehistoric ancestors, Dany Chan, the museum’s assistant curator for exhibition projects, provides an overview of the full scope of this eye-opening exhibition.
Journey along the Roads of Arabia BY DANY CHAN
CURATOR
Funerary mask (detail), 1st century CE. Saudi Arabia; Thaj, Tell al-Zayer site. Gold. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 2061.
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Until recently, little was known of the Arabian Peninsula’s ancient history, especially the period before the rise of Islam in the 7th century. However, new archaeological discoveries have revealed the role early Arabia played as an important cultural crossroads for thousands of years. Roads of Arabia features four thematic “roads”—the proposed migratory routes of some of our earliest ancestors, early incense roads, pilgrimage routes to Mecca and Medina and the “road” to unification, culminating in the establishment of the present-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Roads of Arabia takes visitors on a journey across the Arabian Peninsula from prehistory to the 20th century.
Prehistoric Arabia
Anthropomorphic stele, 4000–3000 BCE. Saudi Arabia; Qaryat al-Kaafa site, El-Maakir. Sandstone. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 996.
Some two million years ago, our ancestors, Homo erectus, migrated out of Africa before evolving into early humans. Ancient artifacts from Arabia include stone tools dating to that period. These tools, examples of which are included in the exhibition, represent one of many recent discoveries that have changed our understanding of the region, sparking debate about Arabia’s role as a possible route for the migration of these early humans. Human settlements and artifacts have also been discovered throughout the Arabian Peninsula. The exhibition features three human-shaped stone steles from the 4th millennium BCE, probably associated with religious or burial practices. A highlight of the show is a much-discussed find from the southwestern site of al-Magar. A large stone sculpture on display, resembling a bridled horse, likely dates to the 7th millennium BCE. Its discovery has put Arabia in the center of a scholarly debate around the domestication of the horse, which was thought to have occurred in 3500 BCE in Central Asia. While archaeologists are still determining the full significance of these finds, Roads of Arabia is your opportunity to see the objects firsthand.
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Incense Roads
Part of a horse, possibly 7000 BCE. Saudi Arabia; Al-Magar site, Neolithic period (approx. 8000–3000 BCE). Stone. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 3172.
The next set of “roads” in the exhibition comprises a network of routes originating in the peninsula’s southern region. They crisscrossed the area to accommodate the transport of the valuable commodity of incense for trade within the peninsula and beyond. Frankincense and myrrh were particularly sought-after, used in cooking, religious ceremonies and a variety of other ways, including masking odors. Egyptians used them as insect repellent and perfume, as well as in embalming. Greeks and Romans also used them to treat ailments such as indigestion, hemorrhoids and halitosis.
In Arabia, the southern regions grew and cultivated incense and largely controlled its trade. Cities along the trade roads provided shelter and levied taxes on caravans, bringing in tremendous wealth. The objects discovered in these cities testify not only to economic prosperity but also to cultural interactions with the distant civilizations connected to this trade network, including Mesopotamia, the Nile River Valley and the Mediterranean world. A limestone statue of a male figure discovered on Tarut island, a site along the incense routes in the northeast, possesses features resembling Mesopotamian sculptures. A group of chlorite vessels confirms the island’s connections with southeastern Iran. At Tayma, a site in the northwest, a stone pedestal was discovered with decoration that confirms the integration of multicultural motifs—Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Persian—into local religious practices. A set of colossal stone statues once stood at the northwestern oasis of al-Ula. Similarities in pose, musculature and painted surface recall sculptural traditions of Egypt and Sudan. Yet certain markers indicate the person represented was a noble or member of the region’s ruling class. The sites of Qaryat al-Faw and Thaj, two of the most prosperous stops on the incense roads, enjoyed cultural exchange with the Mediterranean world. The exhibition’s bronze statuette of the Greek hero Heracles represents the kind of luxury items imported to these cities, while the cast bronze head was apparently produced locally, but with an awareness of Greco-Roman models. Mediterranean influence also extended into Thaj’s burial customs, evidenced by the gold funerary mask and glove, common in Greek and Macedonian burials.
Statue of a man, 400–200 BCE. Saudi Arabia; Al-Ula site. Sandstone. Courtesy of Department of Archaeology Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, 137D4, 136D4.
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Cylindrical vessel with palm tree, approx. 2250– 2000 BCE. Saudi Arabia; Tarut island, al-Rufayah village. Chlorite. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 3171.
Pedestal or altar, 500–300 BCE. Saudi Arabia; Tayma. Sandstone. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 1021. Statuette of Heracles, 1st–3rd century CE. Saudi Arabia; Qaryat al-Faw site. Bronze. Courtesy of Department of Archaeology Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, 214F7.
Pilgrimage Roads
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Doors of the Ka’ba, 1635–1636 CE. Turkey; Ottoman dynasty (1299–1922). Gilded silver on wood. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 1355/1–2.
Incense burner, 1649. Turkey; Ottoman dynasty (1299–1922). Iron, gold and silver. Courtesy of National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 2999.
With the establishment of Islam in 622, the Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina became the spiritual centers of an expanding Muslim community. The hajj (annual pilgrimage) to Mecca constitutes one of the five pillars of Islam. It is considered a principal duty for all Muslims to fulfill at least once in their lifetime. Mecca’s main religious site is the cube-shaped Ka’ba. It is the “house of God” and the direction of prayer for Muslims, and it is part of an essential ritual of the hajj. Roads of Arabia features several exquisite gifts brought by pilgrims to Mecca and other holy sites, including a massive pair of silver-gilded wooden doors that once graced the entrance to the Ka’ba, presented by the Ottoman sultan Murad IV (reigned 1623–1640), as well as an exquisitely designed incense burner commissioned by his mother. Despite its physical and financial hardships, the hajj was and has remained a critical aspiration for Muslims, as it underscores the significance of the larger Islamic community and the equality of all believers before God. To accommodate the multitudes of visitors to Mecca, especially during the annual pilgrimage, an elaborate network of roads had to be developed. Roads that once transported incense out of Arabia were quickly supplanted by new ones that brought pilgrims into Arabia. Four principal roads connected travelers to the holy cities before the advent of modern transportation. The Yemeni Road led from southern Arabia and was also used by travelers from the Horn of Africa. A second road originated in Damascus and followed the coast down to Mecca. Due to dangerous conditions in crossing the Red Sea, pilgrims from Egypt, North Africa and Spain traveled by land, taking the Egyptian Road that passed through the Sinai. The most famous pilgrimage road was Darb (“path”) Zubayda, named after the wife of the 8th-century caliph of One Thousand and One Nights fame. The main road extended from Baghdad to Kufa and down to Mecca. It was used by pilgrims from Iraq, Iran and Central Asia. In the early 20th century, a new railway from Damascus, known as the Hijaz Railroad, and safer sea travel reduced the dangers and difficulties of the journey.
Roads of Arabia features objects excavated from a famous site along the Darb Zubayda, dating from the 7th to 10th centuries. Earthenware and glass vessels represent the type of modest, everyday items used by traveling pilgrims and merchants on their journey to Mecca. However, the objects also attest to the complex ways that imported objects and techniques shaped the Arabian Peninsula. Earthenware vessels on display exhibit lustre painting, a technique that originated in Iraq, involving painting with metal oxides that, when fired in a reduction kiln and polished, leave the surface with a radiant sheen. Blown and molded glass from Egypt was used to hold all manner of liquids and powders. The remains of kilns at the site suggest that lustre wares and glass vessels may also have been produced locally using these imported techniques and materials.
Roads of Arabia is accompanied by an impressive 608-page hardcover catalogue—a musthave for the art lover’s library. Featuring 690 full-color illustrations showcasing many items on display in the exhibition, this publication also includes a wealth of fascinating scholarship introducing the ancient past of the Arabian Peninsula—a land that was once a major crossroads for several early civilizations, including Mesopotamia, India, Greece and Rome.
Formation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Pick up a copy at the museum store or online at www.asianart. org/visit/museum-store.
The final thematic “road” in the exhibition is the road to the unification of the peninsula and the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The struggle for unification dates back to the mid-18th century, and with the establishment of the kingdom in 1932, for the first time in more than a millennium, the custodians of Mecca and Medina were from the Arabian Peninsula. Objects like a gold-and-silver sword, a 20th-century falcon perch and falconry glove and a gilded Qur’an offer insight into the personal life of King Abdulaziz, the founder of the present-day kingdom. Since the country’s founding, interest in understanding and preserving Saudi Arabia’s ancient and Islamic past has grown steadily. As archaeologists continue to unearth important finds beneath the sands of the desert, Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers a timely glimpse into the art and artifacts that have radically transformed our understanding of the region.
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. ExxonMobil 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 Chevron Corporation, Saudi Aramco, The Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Fund for Excellence in Exhibitions and Presentations, ExxonMobil, and ATEL Capital Group. Media sponsors: ABC7, Examiner, San Francisco magazine. National Tour Co-sponsors:
Lead Local Sponsor:
Media Sponsors:
Additional Generous Support:
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
The recently excavated art and artifacts displayed in Roads of Arabia have radically changed our understanding of the history of the Arabian Peninsula. While archaeologists continue to debate the full significance of these finds, visitors to the Asian Art Museum will have the opportunity to see firsthand what all the fuss is about. Building on this revelatory exhibition, our fall programs will drive conversations about the ancient past of the Arabian Peninsula, present-day Saudi Arabia and Arabs living in diaspora. The opening weekend celebration (October 25) traces the history of arts from the Arabian Peninsula that influenced the development of contemporary Khaliji music. A highlight is the Bay Area’s ASWAT Ensemble, leading a performance of early sacred songs, Qur’anic recitation (tajweed), instrumental improvisations (taqaseem) and poetry, spanning the pre-Islamic period through the 20th century. In the following weeks, renowned pianist Lara Downes’s Artist Sessions an12 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
swer the call of the traditional with a modern response. On Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, December 14, Downes leads Crossroads: Music of Pilgrimage and Transformation, a mini-festival featuring contemporary performers and composers— including critically acclaimed musician Mohammed Fairouz. Attendees will enjoy a mix of classical and contemporary music inspired by historical voyages of pilgrimage, cultural exchange and migration. Following Top: ASWAT performance. Bottom: Mohammed Fairouz. Right: Lara Downes.
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
each performance, Downes will host an artist-to-artist conversation about the pieces performed and their cultural lineage. For those looking to dig a little more into contemporary issues, our Contemporary Perspectives panel, moderated by community activist Suzanne El Gamal, brings together three experts to discuss the historic and religious traditions of the veil (hijab, chador or burqa) through the lens of present-day concerns, such as Islamophobia, gender politics and stereotypes and the role of women in the present-day Islamic world. On December 13, filmmaker Michael Wolfe offers an intimate portrait of the Arabian Peninsula, recounting his 1997 hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, a highly spiritual journey that inspired his award-winning documentary program, aired on ABC’s Nightline. A brief Q&A will follow Wolfe’s talk. This season’s programming is incredibly varied, covering a wide range of topics and time periods. There’s something for everyone. Our goal is for each event to act as a new entry point to the exhibition, deepening your experience and inspiring new responses and ideas. Wherever you start, we hope you’ll share your ideas with other members and engage in the spirited discussions triggered by these new discoveries—rare glimpses into the legacy of one of the world’s most
OCT 25
NOV 1
AsiaAlive: Khaliji
After the Revels
1:30 PM Free with museum admission Starting with Arabic poetry of the preIslamic period to the 20th century, and interspersed with instrumental improvisations, this event culminates with a selection of sacred songs performed by the ASWAT Sacred Music Ensemble.
2 PM
New concert works inspired by ancient Arabic texts, by composers Mohammed Fairouz and Behzad Ranjbaran, with pianist Lara Downes, baritone Zachary Gordin and cellist Jennifer Kloetzel.
significant cultural crossroads.
DEC 13
DEC 14
Contemporary Perspectives: Deconstructing the Veil
Travelogue with Michael Wolfe
A Dream on a Train to Marrakesh
Suzanne El Gamal moderates a panel discussion investigating the veil as part of larger historic and religious traditions, and as a lens to explore Islamophobia, gender politics and stereotypes.
Poet, author and filmmaker Michael Wolfe shares personal stories from his journeys to the Arabian Peninsula.
World fusion music of the Arabian Peninsula with a modern-day twist, with Ancient Future featuring Georges Lammam and the Musical Art Quintet.
2 PM Free with museum admission
1 PM Free with museum admission
2 PM
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NOV 9
BEHIND THE SCENES
ALL SHOOK UP
REMEMBERING AND LEARNING FROM LOMA PRIETA
October 17, 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, the natural disaster devastated Northern California, claiming more than 60 lives and causing an estimated $6 billion in damage. The trembler also shook up the Bay Area museum world. Art lovers will remember that the quake brought about the end of the de Young Museum’s former home in Golden Gate Park. In 2000, after years of temporary solutions for the seismically unstable structure, the museum closed to reopen a modern facility (to great acclaim) in 2005. At the time of Loma Prieta, the Asian Art Museum occupied a wing of the de Young, but was ready to relocate. With the quake’s legacy as a spur, the museum received overwhelming voter approval in 1994 for a bond initiative providing $41.7 million to seismically retrofit the city’s former Main Public Library, the museum’s future home. Considering the museum’s precious holdings—acknowledged among the City of San Francisco’s most valuable assets—the retrofit helped update the structure, originally constructed in 1916, to withstand a quake as mighty as the great quake of 1906, with less than one percent damage. But reengineering the building was only one part of a seismic safety plan. A second essential part was to employ an expert mountmaker who would not only secure every artwork in the galleries, but also adapt to developing technologies and turn earthquake mitigation into
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Mountmaker Vincent Avalos in his workshop.
an ongoing process.
BEHIND THE SCENES
“We remounted the collection and in-
of diverse mediums and scale—bring a new
“They’re big in the shoulders and narrow in
stalled a base isolation system underneath
set of challenges to our galleries throughout
the base, and they’re extremely heavy. So
the building,” says Vincent Avalos, mount-
the year. Preparing for these keeps Avalos
they’re very problematic.”
maker at the museum for the past 24 years.
and his team on their toes to come up with
At previous venues, the colossi were dis-
“Each of its bearing walls or columns now
new, technologically up-to-date systems for
played using large steel mounts, but those
has a base isolator underneath it that sep-
protecting the parade of prized artworks.
mounts weren’t designed to protect against
arates the building from the ground. So
Roads of Arabia is a great example,
seismic activity—they were for display only.
the ground will shake and the building will
featuring more than 200 irreplaceable an-
For the quake-prone West Coast venue,
move slightly but a lot of the energy from an
tiquities—some of which date back millions of
Avalos and his team had to try something new.
earthquake will be dissipated because the
years. Keeping these rare items safe will re-
“The colossi will be some of the larg-
building is dislocated from the quake.”
quire a massive number of display alterations,
est sculptures we’ve ever dealt with,” says
It was a big step, but there’s always
seven completely new mounts, plus three new,
Avalos. “That presents a very specific chal-
more to be done. Earthquake mitigation is
smaller base isolators crafted specifically for
lenge. The building and every object in it
a year-round, full-time job here on the San
artworks in the exhibition. But the rarity and
has a specific frequency—a level at which
Andreas Fault, and retrofitting the building
fragility of these objects aren’t the only chal-
it vibrates. The larger the object, the closer
was only the beginning. With the building and
lenges—some of them are simply massive.
it gets to the building’s frequency. During
our permanent collection out of harm’s way,
“The exhibition features 2,000-pound,
an earthquake, if these massive sculptures
our special exhibitions—featuring artworks
nine-foot-tall stone colossi,” says Avalos.
shake, or ‘resonate,’ with the same frequency as the building, we’re in trouble. When two frequencies resonate, that multiplies the forces on those objects, which can mean toppling and breaking. So we’re installing isolation pedestals that the colossi mount to directly. In principle, these pedestals work similarly to the isolators beneath the building—the colossi will be dislocated from the building, preventing the two from moving at the same frequency. The colossi will move and slide around, but won’t resonate with the building. “It took some convincing. We had to tell the institutions lending the artworks that it’s best to put their sculpture on a pedestal and let it slide around during a seismic event... which sounds counterintuitive and a bit scary.” serves as a helpful reminder for the museum to be ever diligent in keeping the artworks, and our visitors, safe. It’s like the Boy Scout motto—“Be prepared!” “We’ve been working on Roads of Arabia for over a year now,” says Avalos, “planning and making templates and researching. We’ve really had to evolve for this one. It’s going to be something special.”
FALL 2014 /// 15
The 25th anniversary of Loma Prieta
IN THE GALLERIES
TETSUYA ISHIDA
SAVING THE WORLD WITH A BRUSHSTROKE
During his brief, decade-long career as a painter Tetsuya Ishida honed a distinctive artistic style that employs surreal imagery and bleak humor to express the pressures and discontents of modern life. Tetsuya Ishida: Saving the World with a Brushstroke, on view November 14, 2014–February 22, 2015, in the museum’s Tateuchi Gallery, is the first U.S. exhibition of Ishida’s work. The show’s eight paintings represent the spectrum of the artist’s key themes, including workplace and academic anxieties, the search for identity,
NOVEMBER 14, 2014 – FEBRUARY 22, 2015
social dislocation and death. Unsettling as Ishida’s images may be, the work is not without humor. And as alienated and alienating as his subjects might be, his work touches a chord in many viewers. The juxtapositions presented—young and old, male and female, human and machine, everyday life and dreamlike realities—trigger a range of emotions. A recognizable face (possibly a self-portrait), repeated in multiple contexts—in a baby stroller, atop a backhoe serving beer—adds a giddy, surreal note to seemingly mundane settings. Sandwiched in a school building or kneeling to form a strange bathroom sink, his figures exude anxiety and social unease. As Ishida once said, he wanted his paintings to “depict the world as [he felt] it and let other people feel it freely.” While these are deeply personal paintings, many draw a connection between Ishida’s body of work and the troubles of Japan in the mid-’90s. In the wake of an economic recession, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake and a series of terrifying sarin gas attacks by the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo, Ishida’s generation was faced with a grim reality, worsened by the development of ecologically devastating technological advances. Still, Ishida noted being drawn to artists who “feel the pain of all mankind” and who “truly believe that the world is saved a little with each brushstroke.” Whether Ishida believed his own works offer any salvation is left for each viewer to consider. But whether by means of humor or pain, Ishida’s paintings force us to confront— and perhaps empathize with—his vulnerable, solitary subjects. Ishida's life ended when he was struck by a train in May 2005. At the time of his death he left behind some 180 complete paintings—an impressive body of work that has posthu-
16 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
mously achieved a level of popular acclaim that eluded the artist in life.
Tetsuya Ishida: Saving the World with a Brushstroke was organized by the Asian Art Museum. Image: Autonomy, approx. 2004, by Tetsuya Ishida (Japanese, 1973–2005). Acrylic on board. Courtesy of private collection.
IN THE GALLERIES
FROM TWO ARISES THREE
THE COLLABORATIVE WORKS OF ARNOLD CHANG AND MICHAEL CHERNEY BY JOSEPH CHANG, CURATOR THROUGH MARCH 1, 2015
Presentation of From Two Arises Three at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of The Shau-Wai & Marie Lam Family Foundation. After Huang Gongwang 2, 2009, by Michael Cherney (American, b. 1969) and Arnold Chang (American, b. 1954). Photographic inkjet print and ink on paper, Lent from the Collection of Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, R2014.3.2.
between FedEx and digitized images.”
It started with a special type of paper. What
painting is such that it always takes change
would become a five-year, transcontinental
into account. It’s a matter of preserving
collaboration—culminating in From Two
certain elements and updating others on an
details, developing the edges of an excerpt
Arises Three: The Collaborative Works of
ongoing basis, forever.”
into a landscape, more often than not
Chang
would
embellish
Cherney’s
Arnold Chang and Michael Cherney (on view
Chang and Cherney first met in 2007.
without ever seeing the original picture or
in Gallery 18, through March 1, 2015)—
Cherney’s photographs were repeatedly
site. Thirteen of the resulting collaborations,
began with a simple but essential choice.
grouped in shows with Chang’s paintings,
plus a handful of individual artworks from
“Michael’s photos have the feel of
though the artists had not known one another
each artist, are on view in From Two Arises
traditional Chinese paintings,” said Chang,
personally. After seeing one another’s
Three.
“and we wanted to keep that feel. One thing
work, they began to notice similarities
he does to enhance that is to print on xuan
between Chang’s personal brushstrokes
“but
paper, Chinese paper, which is different
and Cherney’s granular photographs. They
imagination. Landscapes represent the
than photographic paper. It has a different
spotted potential.
pure potential of nature, but a photograph
“These are real sites,” said Cherney, Chang
extends
them
with
his
texture and feel and a fuzzier quality. There
The idea to begin a collaboration
is something completely realized. There’s
are lots of different kinds of xuan papers, so
that might explore these similarities was,
no real negative space in natural photos, no
we had to do a lot of tests to get it right.”
initially, a casual one.
true void. Chinese paintings are supposed
Arnold Chang is a Chinese-American
“We
didn’t
necessarily
have
to be somewhere in the middle. The
ink painter, an art historian and the founder
expectations,” said Cherney. “We thought
landforms aren’t completely real; you can
of the Chinese painting department at
we would just try it, because we noticed
take a journey in them. They should feel
Sotheby’s. He’s detailed-oriented and he
that when you look at very small excerpts,
timeless. By joining that kind of brushwork
knows his stuff. And while his practice is
microscopic-level stuff, the works seem to
with a photo, or an excerpt of a photo, we’re
deeply tied to the longstanding tradition
talk to one another.”
freezing these two things together and
of Chinese landscape painting, for Chang
Over the last five years, Cherney, a Beijing
finding that space where the two meet. The
and his recent collaborator, photographer
resident, photographed historical sites in
photographic excerpt is the actual light as it
Michael Cherney, evolution is an integral
China and sent enlarged excerpts, or details,
existed—it’s nature’s painting. We’ve added
part of any tradition.
overseas to Chang’s studio in New Jersey.
to that a painting from the imagination. It’s
“Tradition is by definition ongoing,” said
“It was a really 21st-century experience,”
Chang. “The nature of Chinese landscape
said Chang, “working across email and
something that could not exist without the contributions of both.”
FALL 2014 /// 17
high
IN THE GALLERIES
TRADITION ON FIRE
CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE PAUL AND KATHY BISSINGER COLLECTION BY YUKI MORISHIMA, CURATOR THROUGH APRIL 5, 2015
If you’ve been by the museum lately, you’ve probably noticed the recent transformation of our second-floor Japanese painting gallery. Our beloved collection of Japanese paintings has been temporarily replaced by an exhibition featuring the vibrant shapes and enigmatic textures of contemporary Japanese ceramics. Tradition on Fire (through April 5, 2015) is our first large contemporary Japanese ceramics exhibition. With 22 works in all, these selections from the Paul and Kathy Bissinger Collection represent 20 of the most original artists working in the medium. “Contemporary Japanese ceramic art has exerted a special appeal to us for many years,” said the Bissingers. “We are living today in what is arguably a Golden Age of Japanese ceramics. The Asian Art Museum’s selection of 22 examples from our collection illustrates some of the diverse ways in which Japan’s most talented and innovative artists are exploring the potential of clay.” Since around the 12th century, the primary producers of ceramics in Japan were the “Six Old Kilns” (the towns of Bizen, Echizen, Seto, Shigaraki, Tanba and Tokoname). These ceramics were primarily produced for daily use. In the mid-20th century, some potters began to challenge the assumption that clay objects should be utilitarian. Talented artists started to draw upon the long and revered traditions of Japanese ceramics in search of something new. The artists included in Tradition on Fire represent the late 20th-century generation of contemporary ceramicists. Most of them received formal art education from academic institutions, and some hold teaching positions. These highly educated potters fire avant-garde ceramics, incorporating traditional techniques and methods into bold statements of personal expression.
Tradition on Fire was organized by the Asian Art Museum. Image below: Kathy and Paul Bissinger with Nancy Brennan, chief philanthropy officer at the Asian Art Museum. Image right: Cornucopia 03-III, 2003, by Tashima Etsuko (Japanese, b. 1959). Stoneware, pigments, glass. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, Gift of Paul and Kathy Bissinger, 2014.57.
While not a comprehensive survey of contemporary Japanese ceramics, Tradition on Fire will certainly introduce visitors to the striking diversity of the art form by demonstrating major accomplishments by a new generation of ceramicists. Featured artists include Akiyama Yō, whose works are cracked and non-functional and take a form similar to cooling volcanic magma; Fukami Sueharu, who often employs the slip-casting method to create his work, using a compressor to inject liquid clay into a mold under high pressure; and Kondō Takahiro, who applies glass and precious metals such as silver and gold on his porcelain works to create a
18 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
beaded water-like surface. In addition to lending the works in Tradition on Fire, the Bissingers have generously donated a major piece by Tashima Etsuko (Cornucopia 03-III, 2003) to the museum. This colorful, captivating object is an excellent example of Tashima’s recent works, an intriguing biomorphic form sculpted from opaque white stoneware and vivid, translucent blue glass. We are delighted and grateful for this gift, which will enable us to better tell the story of contemporary Japanese art to our visitors.
FALL 2014 /// 19
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
THE BEATING OF DRUMS, THE RINGING OF BELLS
The holidays. Every year the leaves start to turn and there’s a sudden swirl of planning, traveling, shopping, cooking, family and friends. In the midst of the whirlwind, the museum offers fun and hassle-free ways to celebrate. Our holiday plans begin with a heaping helping of thanks to our members. Thanksgiving week (November 25–30), bring an unlimited number of guests to the museum for free. That’s right. Friends, family, you name it—our doors are open to you and yours. This year marks our 29th annual Japanese New Year’s Bell-Ringing Ceremony (December 31), led by Reverend Gengo Akiba. This longstanding tradition not only gives visitors the chance to take a swing at a 2,100-pound, 16th-century Japanese temple bell, but it also provides an opportunity to leave behind any unfortunate experiences, regrettable deeds and ill luck from the previous year. Rooted in a daily Buddhist temple practice, the custom in present-day Japan is to gather on New Year’s Eve and ring the bell 108 times, corresponding to the number of mortal desires (bonno) that are said to torment humankind, with the last toll arriving at the strike of midnight to welcome the New Year. At the museum, we’ll do it a bit earlier in the day, with a special ceremony for members beginning at 9:30 AM, followed by a public ringing at 11:30 AM. In addition to literally ringing in the New Year, events include a purification ritual, Heart Sutra chanting and, of course, the opportunity to spend a contemplative moment
20 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
with family and friends during the busy holiday season.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
On January 10, museum visitors are invited to continue celebrating the Japanese New Year by taking part in our annual mochi-pounding party—organized and led by acclaimed mochitsuki group Kagami Kai. Mochi is a tasty rice treat often made to commemorate special occasions, most notably the Japanese New Year. But families from anywhere in the world will enjoy the raucous good time and delicious sweet rice prepared with the help of Kagami Kai. Festivities begin at noon when Samsung Hall fills with the beating of drums, the ringing of bells, the happy sounds of voices chanting and the delicious smell of fresh cooked rice being pounded into tasty treats. Visitors are encouraged to help Kagami Kai prepare the mochi by pounding it with a wooden mallet and mortar. What’s not to like about that? Especially when, at the end of the day, everyone in attendance shares in a feast of delicious, sticky, nutty mochi. Speaking of raucous good times, the Lunar New Year celebration (February 8) is sure to put mountmaker Vincent Avalos’s earthquake-resistant mounts to the test (see page 14). The Chinese American International School will join us once again to present music and dance from China in celebration of the Year of the Sheep. The program ends, as tradition states, with a student-arranged version of the lion dance, believed to scare away evil spirits and ensure a bright beginning for the year.
Reverend Gengo Akiba and his wife Yoshie Akiba—co-founder of Yoshi’s restaurant and jazz club—have long been friends of the museum and have overseen our bell-ringing ceremonies since 2004. They’ve been active members of the Zen Buddhist community for even longer, going so far as to build a Zen Buddhist temple beside their home in Oakland. Since its opening in 1994, the temple has served as an oasis for Zen Buddhists, weary travelers, the architecturally curious and, occasionally, an observant passerby.
FALL 2014 /// 21
LECTURE SERIES
MASTERPIECES AND ICONIC ARTWORKS OF THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM
ARTS OF ASIA SPRING 2015 LECTURE SERIES
Masterpieces and Iconic Artworks of the Asian Art Museum lectures will take place Fridays, January 23–May 1, 2015. For ticket information and a list of lecture topics, please visit the Society for Asian Art’s website, www.societyforasianart.org. For more about our masterpieces, visit www.asianart.org/masterpieces.
Ever wonder what makes a work of art a “masterpiece”? What makes it stand out from other artworks of its time—even when they are well crafted, aesthetically appealing and culturally significant? At the Society for Asian Art’s Spring 2015 lecture series, Masterpieces and Iconic Artworks of the Asian Art Museum, the museum’s curators and other preeminent scholars, including Robert Mowry, Susan Huntington and Samuel Morse, will address questions like these and offer insight into what distinguishes great pieces from masterpieces. The series begins with an overview of how the museum’s collection was assembled, from assistant curator Dany Chan. Subsequent lectures focus on a single object or pair of objects that have been designated masterpieces or “iconic” by the museum’s experts. Lecturers will discuss each object’s aesthetic qualities, historical and artistic context, production techniques, use and other pertinent factors. You may recognize some of the works, such as the Chinese Shang-dynasty rhino and the Japanese Bonten and Taishakuten sculptures, as they’ve long been favorites of museum visitors. Other works, like the early Chinese hanging scroll Travelers Among Valleys and Peaks, are less known—perhaps owing to their fragility or light sensitivity, which restrict the length of time they can be displayed. Each lecture offers an insider’s look at how art is studied and the diverse elements that curators take into account when singling out a work as “iconic.” As the museum approaches its 50th anniversary celebration in 2016, this series will better acquaint you with some of the museum’s most treasured objects and the team that presents our internationally renowned collection.
22 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
The Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati (details), 1000–1100. Cambodia, former kingdom of Angkor. Sandstone. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B66S2 and B66S3.
UPCOMING
SEDUCTION: JAPAN’S FLOATING WORLD THE JOHN C. WEBER COLLECTION THE PRINTER’S EYE: UKIYO-E FROM THE GRABHORN COLLECTION FEBRUARY 20–MAY 10, 2015 Visit www.asianart.org for details.
FALL 2014 /// 23 Seduction and The Printer’s Eye are organized by the Asian Art Museum. Presentation of Seduction at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of Hiro Ogawa and The Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Fund for Excellence in Exhibitions and Presentations. Image: Courtesan in her boudoir (detail), approx. 1818–1825, by Utagawa Toyokuni (Japanese, 1769–1825). Hanging scroll; ink and colors on silk. Courtesy of John C. Weber Collection.
MEMBERSHIP
2014 BY THE NUMBERS 1,600 274 1,300 184,281
HERE’S A PROJECTED—BY NO MEANS COMPREHENSIVE—YEAR IN REVIEW, BY THE NUMBERS:
6,980
light bulbs replaced works conserved in our conservation lab
32,000 180
docent-led tours
800,000
miles our collection artworks traveled while on loan
NOVEMBER MEMBER APPRECIATION
24
cups of tea served in Cafe Asia schoolchildren on tours gallons of paint to cover gallery walls website visits couples married at the museum
Our Thanks to You!
Bring some friends for free
November is a month to give thanks.
Thanksgiving week (November 25–30),
We’ve planned extra member benefits
bring an unlimited number of guests for
for you to show our gratitude. Thanks for
free. It’s a great time to share your love
your enthusiasm, support and friendship.
of the museum with your nearest and
We are so lucky to have members like you.
dearest. Please note that the museum is
Double your discount
closed on Monday (November 24) and Thanksgiving Day (November 27).
Take 20% off your purchases at the museum store on Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16.
24 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
3 WAYS TO GIVE
Your support makes what we do possible. Sponsor the Asian Art Museum in the year to come with a fully tax-deductible Annual Fund donation. A gift of any amount truly makes a difference!
• • •
Visit www.asianart.org/donate Call us at 415.581.3740 Mail a check made payable to “Asian Art Museum Foundation” to: Membership Department Asian Art Museum 200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
MEMBERSHIP
1,400 OF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SHARE FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR MEMBER BENEFITS IN A RECENT ONLINE SURVEY. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENING RESULTS.
• 67 percent of you joined because you value opportunities to learn about art. That’s our passion too, and we’re building educational components into your future members’ events. See the following page for what we’ve got in
WE ASKED AND YOU RESPONDED: MEMBER BENEFITS SURVEY
store for the rest of 2014.
• 70 percent of you are interested in weekend morning viewing hours
(with bagels and coffee). Our members have spoken! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 7, 2015.
• 89 percent of you appreciate the members’ magazine (perhaps you’re even reading it right now…). Many of you wrote in to say that you’d be interested in an online version. Did you know you can peruse past editions at www. issuu.com/asianartmuseum?
• 23 percent of members are interested in family benefits. The most popular proposed benefit? Grandparent passes, which we will launch soon.
• 96 percent of current members plan to renew. We love you, too.
Have additional input? Please share your ideas with us. We love hearing from you, and your feedback allows us to make your membership experience even richer. Drop us a line: members@asianart.org.
FALL 2014 /// 25
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERS, MARK YOUR CALENDARS
UPCOMING MEMBER AND JADE CIRCLE EVENTS
OCT 23
Roads of Arabia Preview Day 10 AM–5 PM
Questions?
Contact the Membership Department at 415.581.3740
Jade Circle Roads of Arabia Opening Reception 6:30–9 PM
Let the aesthetic, culinary and acoustic treasures of Saudi Arabia delight your senses at our Jade Circle opening for Roads of Arabia. Take a docent-led tour or a complimentary audio tour. Open to Jade Circle members and above. RSVP or upgrade by contacting 415.581.3794 or jadecircle@asianart.org.
NOV 1
NOV 5
Multiple morning departures (Pier 33)
6–8 PM
Tour, Talk and Tea: West Asia / Silk Road
A series of seven site-specific installations by artist Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz Island. Discuss the broader social implications of incarceration and the possibilities of art as an act of conscience. Open to Jade Circle and Connoisseurs’ Council members. Contact council@asianart.org or 415.581.3794 for more information.
Toast Roads of Arabia during this celebration, featuring an introduction to the exhibition by curator Dany Chan. Then join one of our engaging docent tours in the galleries. Open to members at the Donor level and above. RSVP to 415.581.3740 or members@asianart.org.
Your journey begins with a docent-led tour of Roads of Arabia and concludes with tea, treats and lively discussion about the exhibition in the Fisher Room. Open to all members, but sign up early— space is limited. RSVP to 415.581.3740 or members@asianart.org.
DEC 3
DEC 13
@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz
26 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
Discover the largely unknown past of the Arabian Peninsula by going back in time and traveling ancient trade routes and pilgrimage roads. The preview day is a members’ open house—your chance to experience the exhibition first, before it opens to the public. Open to all members.
OCT 30
Roads of Arabia Celebration
NOV 15 11 AM–1 PM
DEC 31
Annual Connoisseurs’ Council and Jade Circle Holiday Reception
Tour, Talk and Tea: Bissinger Ceramics
Japanese New Year’s BellRinging Ceremony (see page 20)
Kick off your holiday season with fellow museum supporters at an offsite soiree. Soak in the holiday ambiance and mingle over refreshments. Open to Connoisseurs’ Council and Jade Circle members and above. Please call 415.581.3794 for more details.
Paul and Kathy Bissinger join us to discuss their collection, which features contemporary works by leading Japanese potters. Following your tour, enjoy tea, treats and an engaging discussion with your docent and fellow members in the Fisher Room. Open to all members, but sign up early—space is limited. RSVP to 415.581.3740 or members@asianart.org.
Strike the giant temple bell at the museum’s 29th annual Japanese New Year’s Bell-Ringing Ceremony. From 10 AM to 12:30 PM, Jade Circle members and above are invited to continue the festivities in the Peterson Room with a delicious breakfast spread.
6–8:30 PM
11 AM–1 PM
9:30 AM Members’ Ceremony 11:30 AM Public Ceremony
Bright lights and big smiles at Grit & Glamour.
Gala co-chairs Elizabeth Pang Fullerton and Nanci E. Nishimura.
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus serenaded Gala guests.
Director Jay Xu and a model dressed as the Dakini welcome everyone to the Gala.
Members and museum lovers dressed up to get down this summer at the Gorgeous Opening Night Gala and Opening Party: Grit & Glamour.
Vogue dancers strike a pose at Grit & Glamour.
RETAIL SELECTIONS
’TIS…NEARLY THE SEASON MEMBERS’ DAYS, NOVEMBER 14–15. FOR TWO DAYS ONLY, MEMBERS RECEIVE 20 PERCENT OFF MOST ITEMS IN THE MUSEUM STORE.
As our holiday programming kicks off (see pages 20–21), it’s becoming strikingly clear just how close the holidays really are! This year, have some fun with your holiday shopping. Take a tour of our fall exhibition Roads of Arabia, then stop by the museum store for an impressive array of unique gifts from West Asia. Holiday ornaments are both timely and personal. At the museum store, choose from a variety of elegant blown-glass ornaments from Egypt. Or consider a one-of-a-kind blownglass perfume bottle as a sophisticated and intimate option. If you’d like something especially unique, consider a pair of small, silver earrings featuring a mother-of-pearl inlay—perfectly accompanied by one of our subtle but arresting beechwood boxes. These also feature arabesque designs in mother of pearl. Other gift ideas include exquisite West Asian textiles and embroidery, za’atar and olive oil from Palestine, colorful ceramics from Tunisia and frankincense from the Arabian Peninsula. If you can’t make it to the museum store, we’ll bring our shopping experience to you. Enjoy our new online store and shop from the comfort of your home or wherever you’re spending the holiday season. Visit www.asianart.org/store. And remember, your purchase directly supports the exhibitions and education programs of the Asian Art Museum. 1. Blown-glass ornaments, individually boxed, $10–$25, (member price $9–$22.50). 2. Beechwood box with arabesque designs inlaid in mother of pearl, oblong 5 x 8 in., $70 (member price $63). 3. Beechwood box with arabesque designs inlaid in mother of pearl, square, 4 x 4 in., $25 (member price $22.50). 4. Beechwood box with arabesque designs inlaid in mother of pearl, extra fine, round, 4.5 in. diameter, $135 (member price $121.50).
4
28 /// ASIAN ART MUSEUM
1
3 2
THE PERFECT PRESENT THIS HOLIDAY:
ASIAN ART MUSEUM GIFT MEMBERSHIP
This holiday season, give a gift that keeps on giving—an Asian Art Museum membership. Your recipient will enjoy a year of benefits, including unlimited free admission. For an additional $15, include a special gift pack with the membership, which comes with a stylish reusable bag, notebook, postcards, graphite pencil and a copy of our magazine. Gift memberships at any level are available for purchase online, at the member desk or by calling 415.581.3740.
CALENDAR
FEATURED EVENTS
OCT
25
AsiaAlive: Khaliji
NOV
Traditional music performance by ASWAT
1:30–3:30 PM
9
For more information, call 415.581.3740 or email members@asianart.org.
OCT
23
Members Only!
OCT
24
OCT
30 Members Only!
Roads of Arabia Preview Day
10 AM–5 PM Open to all members. Be among the first to enjoy Roads of Arabia.
NOV
Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opens to the public.
2& 16
Jade Circle Roads of Arabia Opening Reception
6:30–9 PM Enjoy a private viewing of Roads of Arabia with a docent-led tour or a complimentary audio tour. Open to Jade Circle members and above. RSVP or upgrade at jadecircle@asianart.org.
Family Fun Days
First and Third Sundays
Deconstructing the Veil
2–3:30 PM
10
NOV
15
Perspectives on Persian Art: Carried between Cathay and Khita’i
Omochitsuki! Mochi-Pounding Ceremony Noon–1 PM
Free with museum admission
Suzanne El Gamal moderates a panel discussion investigating the veil as a lens to explore Islamophobia, gender politics and stereotypes.
Higlighting three categories of Arabic music and recitation practice: poetry, Quranic recitation and instrumental improvisations.
Members enjoy free, unlimited admission. See the members-only calendar on page 26.
JAN
Free with museum admission
Free with museum admission
Interested in becoming a member?
Contemporary Perspectives:
Celebrate the Japanese New Year with Kagami Kai, an acclaimed mochi group, as they present the colorful and exciting tradition of mochi pounding.
JAN
24
Teacher Workshop:
Lunar New Year Celebrations
9:30 AM–12:30 PM
A Case Study of the Chinoiserie Aesthetic in
$10, Pre-registration required. Visit http://education.asianart.org for more details.
Iran and Central Asia, with Dr. Ladan Akbarnia
1–2:30 PM
Free with museum admission
DEC
31
10:30 AM–2:30 PM
The 29th Annual Japanese New Year’s Bell-Ringing Ceremony 9:30 AM (for members) 11:30 (for everyone)
Free with museum admission
Explore art and ideas during Family Fun Day, designed for pre-school and kinder families.
Free with museum admission
Take your turn ringing the 16th-century bronze temple bell.
ONGOING PROGRAMS Docent Tours: Roads of Arabia Daily, 10:30 AM and 2 PM Free with museum admission
Kids’ Tours Saturdays and Sundays, Oct 25–Jan 18, 2:30 PM Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
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.
Suggested for families with children ages 7–10 Stories! The Wicked, the Wily, the Wise Sundays, 1–1:45 PM Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
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)
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia October 24, 2014–January 18, 2015 Enter the Mandala Through October 26, 2014
Tetsuya Ishida: Saving the World with a Brushstroke November 14, 2014–February 22, 2015 From Two Arises Three: The Collaborative Works of Arnold Chang and Michael Cherney Through March 1, 2015
Tradition on Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Paul and Kathy Bissinger Collection Through April 5, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: WWW.ASIANART.ORG
FEBRUARY Seduction February 20–May 10, 2015
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