Nastaliq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2014-09-12 | The short video presents calligrapher Manzar Moghbeli demonstrating the nasta‘liq script. Notice the measured and deliberate pace of writing, the slow twisting and turning of the pen to modulate each stroke from right to left, and the arrangement of letters and words in relation to the baseline and to each other.NASTA‛LIQ: THE GENIUS OF PERSIAN CALLIGRAPHYSeptember 13, 2014–March 22, 2015Arthur M. Sackler GalleryNasta‛liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy is the first exhibition of its kind to focus on nasta‛liq, a calligraphic script that developed in the fourteenth century in Iran and remains one of the most expressive forms of aesthetic refinement in Persian culture to this day. More than twenty works ranging in date from 1400 to 1600, the height of nasta‛liq’s development, tell the story of the script’s transformation from a simple conveyer of the written word to an artistic form of its own. The narrative thread emphasizes the achievements of four of the greatest master calligraphers—Mir Ali Tabrizi, Sultan Ali Mashhadi, Mir Ali Haravi, and Mir Imad Hasani—whose manuscripts and individual folios are still appreciated not only for their content but also for their technical virtuosity and visual quality.Video by Hutomo Wicaksono
Sneak Peek | Exhibiting a Book like No Other: The Great Mongol Shahnama Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-10-20 | Dating from the early fourteenth century, the so-called Great Mongol Shahnama is one of the grandest Persian illustrated manuscripts. For the first time, an exhibition that has been years in the making is entirely devoted to this work, thought to be the first imperial copy of Firdawsi’s literary monument. Curator Simon Rettig gave an overview of the museum's exhibition An Epic of Kings, which includes twenty-five folios of this now dismantled manuscript. Rettig also introduced the intricate text-image relationship in this copy of Iran’s national epic, probably created for the Mongol Ilkhanid ruler Abu Sa‘id around 1330.An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnamahttps://asia.si.edu/whats-on/exhibitions/mongol-shahnama/This talk is part of the online lunchtime series Sneak Peek: New Research from the National Museum of Asian Art, where staff members present brief, personal perspectives and ongoing research, followed by discussion. This year, the series focuses on the theme of word and image—including calligraphy, seals, inscriptions, manuals, narratives, and poetry—in the collections of the National Museum of Asian Art.Dr. Simon Rettig is the associate curator for the arts of the Islamic World at NMAA. Since he joined the museum in 2012, Rettig has curated several exhibitions, including Nasta‘liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy (2014), The Prince and the Shah: Royal Portraits from Qajar Iran (2018), and the upcoming An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama (September 21, 2024–January 12, 2025). His current projects include a major exhibition on the history of Persian painting and a monograph on the Freer Gallery of Art Collection's celebrated manuscript of Nizami’s Khusraw u Shirin from the Jalayirid period.
2024 Chuseok Family Festival | Event Highlights Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-10-02 | Recorded on September 21, 2024.Highlights from #Chuseok, when we welcomed 7K visitors to the museum. Thanks to your support, we made important Korean cultural traditions--performances, workshops, demos, and more--free and accessible to all. Learn how you can support here: https://asia.si.edu/support/This event was copresented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC. Generous support provided by the National Museum of Korea.The National Museum of Asian Art gratefully acknowledges Dr. Young Yang Chung's support for the 2024 Chuseok festival.
Repatriation: More than just a Shift in an Object’s Location Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-09-25 | Recorded on Nov 2, 2023.Repatriation: More than just a Shift in an Object’s LocationNaman Ahuja, Professor of Indian Art and Architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.Keynote LectureProvenance and Asian Art: A Collaborative Workshop and SymposiumBuilding on the momentum established by the webinar series, Hidden Networks: The Trade of Asian Art (2020-22) the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation’s Asian Art Museum and Central Archive hosted an in-person symposium from Wednesday, November 1, through Saturday, November 4, 2023, in Washington, DC. For the first time, a global community of Asian art provenance researchers gathered to explore the complexities of the translocation of Asian Art and discussed how best to research, share, and debate these histories. The symposium highlighted provenance studies focused on East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian art.A keynote lecture was given by Naman Ahuja, professor of Indian art and architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru University. This lecture was generously supported by the Macaulay Family Foundation.This event was part of a larger collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) that seeks to cultivate the global network of provenance researchers and promote the exchange of information.
Muslim Imam Dr. Shareef on Interfaith Dialogues and Perspectives Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-06-18 | Imam Dr. Shareef talks about Islam’s emphasis on connection and how the Islamic god encourages people to be creators. He explains how interfaith dialogue helps us understand ourselves better. He also describes a mihrab panel (https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_F1909.319/) in the NMAA's collections and the importance of prayer in Islam daily life.
Buddhist Rev. Poncē-Barger on Interfaith Dialogues and Perspectives Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-06-18 | Rev. Poncē-Barger explains how she arrived at Zen Buddhism and the role of impermanence in her religious practice. She uses a Medicine Buddha statue (https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_S2015.25/) from the NMAA's collections as an example of how art represents teachings for both current and future generations. She also considers how museums reveal historic interfaith coexistence and her hopes for sharing Buddhism with the world.
Hindu Chaplain Kowsik on Interfaith Dialogues and Perspectives Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-06-18 | Chaplain Kowsik discusses how Hinduism encourages us to see all art, across faiths, as a demonstration of love and devotion. She talks about how Hindu deities allow one to focus one’s relationship with god and how art brings people together and invites curiosity. She also describes sacred objects of worship in the collections of the National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA), including a goddess Uma statue (https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_F1929.84/), a Nandi statue (https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_F1985.30/), and a seated Ganesha sculpture (https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_S1987.960/).
IlluminAsia: Arts and Culture Festival | Event Highlights Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-05-31 | From May 10–12 the National Museum of Asian Art hosted the annual IlluminAsia Festival to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate, convene, learn, reflect, and foster connections through Asian arts and cultures!IlluminAsia created dialogue around and shed light on often-overlooked issues of mental health and well-being in the Asian, Asian American, and diasporic community. Programs drew on art and culture resources, mindfulness practices, and the museum’s role as a space of gathering, learning, healing, and contemplation.Bank of America is the Founding Sponsor of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art “IlluminAsia” Arts and Culture Festival.IlluminAsia also received federal funding from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.To learn more about the programs, visit our website at https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/event-series/illuminasia-arts-and-culture-festival/
Book to Screen: Viet Thanh Nguyen on Adapting The Sympathizer Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-05-24 | Recorded on May 1, 2024Author Viet Thanh Nguyen discussed about adapting his Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Sympathizer, for the screen. Through clips from the series and readings from the novel, Nguyen talked about the difficulties and rewards of adapting his work for the screen, among other topics. Like the novel, the HBO series is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren't over. Its showrunner is the acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave), and the cast includes Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. The conversation was moderated by Dr. Sylvia Chong, associate professor of American Studies and English at the University of Virginia, and author of The Oriental Obscene: Violence and Racial Fantasies in the Vietnam Era. This event was copresented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Vietnam Society.Image credit: The Sympathizer courtesy of HBO.
Protecting Cultural Heritage under Siege Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-05-24 | Recorded on April 24, 2024.This panel and a forthcoming report from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art were designed to help understand the pressing issues facing the cultural heritage field, especially in protecting and preserving tangible cultural heritage and those who steward it in zones of armed conflict and violence.The challenge is hardly new, but the catalyst for this discussion is the continuing and widespread destruction and looting of heritage in recent decades. The obvious need to identify and comprehend the nature of the responses and nonresponses and of successful and unsuccessful efforts was evident after a thwarted effort in August 2021 to protect works of art and museum professionals in the National Museum of Afghanistan. The pertinence of these challenges became even more obvious with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.The panelists examined the linked political, economic, humanitarian, philanthropic, military, and administrative challenges of protecting our shared cultural heritage.This program was generously supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York.Read the report here: https://asia.si.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Report_Protecting-International-Cultural-Heritage_Problems-and-Prospects-for-US-Organizations.pdf-----Participants:Thomas G. Weiss (moderator) is Presidential Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the CUNY Graduate Center; Distinguished Fellow, Global Governance, at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and Global Eminence Scholar, Kyung Hee University, Korea. He was co-chair of the J. Paul Getty Trust’s Heritage at Risk Project and coeditor of the resulting Cultural Heritage and Mass Atrocities.Irina Bokova was director-general of UNESCO from 2009 to 2017. As a Bulgarian politician, she was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs; Coordinator of Bulgaria-European Union relations; Ambassador of Bulgaria to France, Monaco, and UNESCO; and Personal Representative of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.Valéry Freland is the executive director of the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH). A French career diplomat with experience in numerous posts linked to cultural heritage, he has been responsible for the strategic implementation and management of ALIPH since its founding in 2018.Gil J. Stein is professor of Near Eastern archaeology at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation. His research investigates ancient colonialism, the development of early urban civilizations in Mesopotamia, and cultural heritage preservation. He has directed archaeological excavations in Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.Jennifer M. Welsh is the Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University. She was previously chair in international relations at the European University Institute and professor in international relations at the University of Oxford, where she cofounded the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict. From 2013 to 2016, she served as the UN special adviser on the Responsibility to Protect.Image credit: Sebastian Meyer for the Smithsonian Institution
The Living Tradition of Japanese Scroll Mounting Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2024-01-09 | Experience the living tradition of Japanese scroll mounting by watching NMAA conservators Jiro Ueda and Akiko Niwa rescue an ink painting of a plum tree by renowned Rinpa artist Sakai Hōitsu (1761–1828). With meticulous care, they remove the painting from its previous, poor-quality mounting, which damaged the artwork and visually overwhelmed the image. Working closely with curator Frank Feltens, they choose suitable fabrics, colors, and patterns to remount the painting, bringing it back to life and safeguarding it for the future. This video is part of the exhibition A Journey of Taste: Freer and Japanese Scroll Mounting (April 15, 2023–March 3, 2024), on view at the National Museum of Asian Art. Visit asia.si.edu/journey-of-taste to learn more. #SmithsonianAsianArt #TheNext100
Curators Cut | Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-12-16 | On view through April 28, 2024Arthur M. Sackler Gallery | Galleries 23 and 24https://asia.si.edu/exhibitions/anyang-chinas-ancient-city-of-kings/Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings is the first major exhibition in the United States dedicated to Anyang, the capital of China’s Shang dynasty (occupied ca. 1250 BCE–ca. 1050 BCE). The source of China’s earliest surviving written records and the birthplace of Chinese archaeology, Anyang holds a special connection with the National Museum of Asian Art. In 1929, one year after Academia Sinica began archaeological work at the Bronze Age site, Li Chi assumed leadership of the excavations. At the time, he was also a staff member of the Freer Gallery of Art (1925–30). To promote archaeological practice in China, the Freer supported Li Chi and his first two seasons of work at Anyang. This collaboration, predicated on the advancement of scientific knowledge and the protection of cultural patrimony, marks an important chapter in the history of Sino-American relations.Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings features over two hundred remarkable artifacts—including jade ornaments, ceremonial weapons, ritual bronze vessels, bells, and chariot fittings—drawn exclusively from the museum’s permanent collection. Explore the early development of Chinese writing, enduring ritual practices, innovations in weaponry and warfare, advances in design and manufacturing, and the highly personal spaces of tombs, including objects chosen for the afterlife. The exhibition includes a series of digital activations developed in partnership with award-winning production studio UNIT9 that allows visitors to dig deeper into the life of the city.
Reclaiming Cambodia’s Cultural Heritage: Provenance Research in Action Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-12-04 | Recorded on November 4, 2023.This program introduces audiences to the real-world impact and relevance of provenance research by highlighting the current efforts of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to identify and reclaim cultural heritage that was wrongfully taken and sold abroad to Western collectors and museums. The program explores how researchers in Cambodia did—and continue to—conduct research, tracking down antiquities that rightfully belong in their nation. Presenters from the Cambodian Restitution Team, including senior researcher Kunthea Chhoun and Bradley Gordon, the head of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Art’s investigative team and chief legal counsel, will illuminate their process, including its challenges and successes. The National Museum of Asian Art’s director, Chase Robinson, will moderate the conversation, which will explore how we can better protect Cambodian cultural heritage in the future. This program was made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. Bios:Bradley J. Gordon Founder, Edenbridge Asia; Head of Investigative Team/Chief Legal Counsel on Repatriations, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts Bradley J. Gordon is the founder of Edenbridge Asia, a legal advisory firm in Cambodia. His practice includes advising on corporate transactions, conducting due diligence, and advising on criminal cases. Brad has a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Brown University. He has been advising clients for over twenty-eight years with more than twenty-three years of experience in Asia. A United States citizen and a member of the Bar of the State of New York, Brad has worked for several international law firms (Linklaters, Freshfields, and Shearman & Sterling) in New York, London, Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong. He worked with Cambodian refugees in Thailand in 1989. He has lived in Cambodia for sixteen years and has had a law practice in Cambodia for the past fourteen years. In 2012, Brad worked as a consultant for the Southern District of New York on an antiquities case relating to a Khmer statue known as the Duryodhana. His assignment was to track the smuggling network in Cambodia. In 2018, he was appointed as legal advisor to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia on repatriations and continues to act in this role, coordinating the ongoing investigation into the theft of Cambodian antiquities. ---------------------------------------Ms. CHHOUN Kunthea Senior Researcher, Edenbridge Asia Kunthea is a senior researcher who for the past three years has worked with the restitution team at Edenbridge Asia to collect information from former looters. In addition to collecting these testimonies, she is also a senior wildlife guide in Cambodia. She has worked with wildlife conservation projects for many years in the country. ---------------------------------------Chase F. Robinson Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art Chase F. Robinson has been the Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, since December 2018. A highly regarded scholar of Middle Eastern history and culture, he previously held senior leadership roles at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, serving first as provost and then as president from 2008 to 2018. From 1993 to 2008, Robinson taught Islamic history and culture at the University of Oxford, chairing its Faculty Board of Oriental Studies from 2003 to 2005. He has authored or edited nine books and more than forty articles that span the geographical and chronological breadth of the pre- and early modern Islamic Middle East. Robinson earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University and his doctorate from Harvard University’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. He is the general editor of Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization and a member of the editorial board of Past & Present. His editorials and commentaries have appeared in several magazines and newspapers.
Sufi Music Festival - Burdah Ensemble Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-11-27 | Recorded on October 1, 2023The Sufi inspired vocal group, the Burdah Ensemble was founded in 2009 in Montreal. The group is lead by Qari ( Solo Hymnodist) Sidi Anwar Barrada from Morroco & a group of Muhibeen of The Naqshbandi Sufi Center of Montreal who hail from a plethora of backgrounds, giving the ensemble a unique flavor and style in the world of Sacred sufi music.The Sufi Music Festival is co-presented by the National Museum of Asian Art and the Reed Society of Sacred Arts.
Sufi Music Festival - Bilal Chishty and The National Sufi Ensemble Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-11-27 | Recorded on October 1, 2023Dhruv Sangari, aka Bilal Chishty, is a Sufi qawwal and classical Indian vocalist, composer, teacher and scholar based in New Delhi, India and Konya, Turkiye. Drawn to Sufism and its music from an early age, Dhruv began visiting the courtyard of the shrine of Saint Nizamuddin Auliya. An eventual meeting with the legendary maestro late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and his brother the late Ustad Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan, led Dhruv to become their disciple as well, and solidified his bond with qawwali and Sufi music.Chishty's repertoire includes Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi verses from the works of famed poets and saints. In addition to stage concerts at major festivals and international collaborations with artists in more than 15 countries, he has recorded for a number of private albums, the Bombay film industry, and most recently, Coke Studio.Bilal Chishty will be joined by the multi-faith National Sufi Ensemble.The Sufi Music Festival is co-presented by the National Museum of Asian Art and the Reed Society of Sacred Arts.
Freer Medal Lecture and Award Ceremony: Honoring Gülru Necipoğlu Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-11-01 | The Freer Medal is a lifetime achievement award that honors individuals who have made substantial contributions to the understanding of the arts of Asia throughout their career. This fall, the honor will go to Gülru Necipoğlu, the Aga Khan Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University’s History of Art and Architecture Department, for her lifetime work in the arts of the Islamic world. The lecture and award ceremony will be held in the Meyer Auditorium. A reception in the Freer courtyard will follow.Gülru Necipoğlu earned her doctorate from Harvard University in 1986 and has served there as the Aga Khan Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture since 1993. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Wesleyan University and a master of arts degree from Harvard University. Necipoğlu specializes in the arts and architecture of the pre-modern Islamic lands, with a focus on the Mediterranean world and the cross-cultural and artistic exchanges between the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Grounded in rigorous archival research, her multidisciplinary studies have addressed the aesthetic interconnections of Byzantium and Renaissance Europe, pre-modern architectural practices, and the role and function of ornament in the Islamic world and beyond, offering new and highly original perspectives on the arts and architecture of the region. Throughout her illustrious career, Necipoğlu has also trained and mentored numerous students who have continued to transform the field. Since 1993, Necipoğlu has also served as editor of Muqarnas: An Annual on the Visual Cultures of the Islamic World and its supplements, the preeminent publication in the field, which has transformed the study of the arts and architecture of the Islamic world. Her own publications comprise a range of subjects, from studies in monumental architecture to intricate designs on portable objects, and have changed the understanding of the arts of the Islamic world. They include Architecture, Ceremonial, and Power: The Topkapı Palace (1991), The Topkapı Scroll–Geometry and Ornament in Islamic Architecture (1995), The Age of Sinan: Architectural Culture in the Ottoman Empire (2005, 2011), Treasures of Knowledge: An Inventory of the Ottoman Palace Library (1502/3–1503/4) (2 vols, coedited by Cemal Kafadar and Cornell H. Fleischer, 2019), The Arts of Ornamental Geometry: A Persian Compendium on Similar and Complementary Interlocking Figures (2017), A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture, in the Wiley-Blackwell Companions to Art History (coedited by F. Barry Flood, 2017), and Histories of Ornament: From Global to Local (coedited by Alina Payne, 2016). In recognition of her distinguished scholarly career, Necipoğlu is an elected member of the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio in Vicenza, Italy.Friday, October 27, 6 p.m.Freer Gallery of Art
Artists Reflect Conversation with sāgar kāmath and Adriel Luis Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-10-11 | Watch interdisciplinary artist and Maryland Institute College of Art Master of Fine Arts graduate sāgar kāmath in conversation with APAC Curator of Digital & Emerging Media Adriel Luis. The discussion will explore sāgar’s process of the construction of his pieces, his chosen material's relationship with identity and his background in environmental sciences, and the passage of time while the piece was on display as part of our Centennial Celebration in May 2023. About sāgar:sāgar kāmath is an interdisciplinary artist working between mediums of painting, sculpture, installation, sound, video, collage, public art, and dance. his practice investigates the multiplicities of his identities as an Indian-born American through narrative building, materiality, line, space, and movement. his research-based methodology simultaneously interrogates his body, the surrounding landscape, and colonial histories through the engagement of non-linear time. sāgar’s art education began at a young age with his father and continued through his time at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12. sāgar received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh and his Master of Fine Arts in Multidisciplinary Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Mount Royal School of Art. sāgar has had exhibitions and performances in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, and Washington, DC. About Adriel:Adriel Luis is a community organizer, artist, writer, and curator who believes that collective liberation can happen in poetic ways. His life’s work is focused on the mutual thriving of artistic integrity and social vigilance. He is a part of the iLL-Literacy arts collective, which creates music and media to strengthen Black and Asian coalitions, and is creative director of Bombshelltoe, a collaborative of artists and leaders from frontline communities responding to nuclear histories. Adriel is the Curator of Digital and Emerging Practice at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, where he advocates for equitable practices in museums and institutions. His ancestors are rooted in Toisan, China, and migrated through Hong Kong, Mexico, and the United States. Adriel was born on Ohlone land. Adriel has curated projects in a range of venues including several museums across the Smithsonian in Washington, DC; MoMA and Pearl River Mart in New York City; Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia; Silo Park in Auckland, Aotearoa; Atom Bar in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and an abandoned Foodland in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. His writing has appeared in Poetry Magazine, the Asian American Literary Review, and Smithsonian Magazine. He has spoken at the Tate Modern, Yale University, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the China Academy of Fine Arts. His performance venues include the Brooklyn Academy of Music, SXSW, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the American University of Paris. He has a degree in human ecologies from UC Davis in Community and Regional Development and a minor in Asian American Studies. Artist-in-residence and community member programs received federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.
Min Xiao-Fen and River Guerguerian Accompany Silent Chinese Classics Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-09-07 | In celebration of the Freer Centennial, we commissioned Min Xiao-Fen to compose original scores for two Chinese silent films, Romance of the Fruit Peddler (Dir.: Zhang Shichuan, 1922, 24 min.) and Romance of the Western Chamber (Dir.: Hou Yao, 1927, 43 min.). Min is known for her innovative approach to traditional music and her ability to seamlessly integrate diverse musical styles. She will perform with master percussionist River Guerguerian, a renowned multi-percussionist and composer and a leading figure in classical, jazz, and world music. Together, they bring a unique cross-cultural expression and artistic vision to the stage for an evening treat for cinephiles and music aficionados alike. Instrumentation:Min Xiao-Fen: Chinese plucked instruments, including pipa, ruan, sanxian, guqin, and finger piano, sound effects, and voice. River Guerguerian: Middle Eastern and Indian frame drums, hand drums, kanjira talking drums, Chinese gongs, hand-pan, marimba, and voice.
In Our Hands: Chinese Painting Conservators in US Museums Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-07-19 | Whether carefully reinforcing the cracks in an ancient handscroll or remounting the portrait of an imperial ancestor, traditional Chinese painting restorers have cared for Chinese artworks in United States museums for over thirty years. Now focused on passing along their knowledge and skills, these dedicated artisans are training the next generation of art conservators to take on these responsibilities. Through in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of conservation studios in US museums, In Our Hands captures the generational, cultural, and educational shift taking place in the field of Chinese painting conservation. Produced by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art under the direction of Eros Zhao for Templux Films, this unprecedented documentary reveals the personal stories of nine conservators dedicated to preserving their traditional craft while advancing the field, an undertaking that is vital to the future of Chinese cultural heritage in the West. Filmed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, this project was made possible through the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and through the efforts of people from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, the University of Michigan's Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (Dir.: Eros Zhao, United States, 2022, 50 min., English and Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles)
Del Sol Quartet: Angel Island Oratorio for Voices and String Quartet Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-07-04 | Angel Island, a performance by the Del Sol Quartet accompanied by The US Air Force Band Singing Sergeants.Between 1910 and 1940, as new immigrants flowed through the immigration station on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, Chinese immigrants faced massive discrimination due to the United States' earliest racist immigration legislation: the Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. They are the first—and only—laws to have been implemented to prevent all members of a specific ethnic or national group from immigrating to the United States. Facing imprisonment—sometimes for years—in brutal conditions at Angel Island, many of these immigrants searched for solace by inscribing poetry onto the walls of the detention center. Composed by Huang Ruo—acclaimed by The New Yorker as “one of the world's leading young composers,” and whose recent operas have premiered with the Washington National Opera—ANGEL ISLAND, an oratorio for chamber choir and string quartet, is inspired by these poems, weaving a story of immigration, discrimination, and confinement, and bringing history into the reality of our current lives.Co-presented in partnership with Washington Performing Arts and the United States Air Force Band.Recorded on May 2, 2023Meyer Auditorium
Ancient Yemen: Incense, Art, and Trade Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-12 | Nestled in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen became a major hub for the trade of incense during the first millennium BCE. This trade reached its climax between the first century BCE and the second century CE. Incense was traded by land and also by sea, reaching the Mediterranean world as well as ancient Iran and South Asia. This lucrative trade resulted in tremendous wealth and encouraged the patronage of elaborate architecture and distinctive works of art. The fine alabaster statues and metalworks display the masterful skills of artists from ancient Yemen, who blended local ideas and Greek and Roman inspirations into new creations, underscoring the region’s remarkable artistic and cultural cosmopolitanism.
Sneak Peek | When Stones Move: Journeys of the Tamil Yoginis Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-08 | What happens to stone sculptures in India when they are separated from their original context? Follow the multiple journeys of a group of goddesses called yoginis from their temple, which no longer exists, to a bustling South Indian city and onward to museum collections on three continents. In this richly illustrated talk, Emma Natalya Stein, assistant curator of South Asian and Southeast Asian art, will reveal a recently discovered yogini—not in a museum but in a local Tamil shrine—and give a sneak peek into plans for an exhibition that seeks to reunite this important group of goddesses. This talk is part of the monthly lunchtime series Sneak Peek: New Research from the National Museum of Asian Art, where staff members present brief, personal perspectives and ongoing research, followed by discussion. This year, the series focuses on the theme of journeys—those that works of art depict and those they have undergone—in the collections of the National Museum of Asian Art. Emma Natalya Stein (PhD, Yale) joined the National Museum of Asian Art’s curatorial staff in 2019. Her exhibitions include Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain, Prehistoric Spirals: Earthenware from Thailand, Power in Southeast Asia, and The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas. Emma has published articles on topics including yoginis, temple networks, and water’s edge urbanism, and her monograph, Constructing Kanchi: City of Infinite Temples, was featured on the New Books in Indian Religions podcast (May 2022). Emma’s research is grounded in fieldwork in South Asia and Southeast Asia, where she documents and maps monuments in diverse landscapes.
Meditation & Mindfulness: Ewer Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on February 10, 2023Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Sultan Murad and a Consort Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on February 24, 2023 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Pigeons at Sensōji (Asakusa Kannon Temple) Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on January 13, 2023Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Courtesan Dreaming on the New Year Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on January 6, 2023 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Square dish with design of Twelfth Month Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on December 16, 2022Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in the Chitrakuta forest, folio from a Ramayana Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on December 9, 2022 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Maharana Amar Singh II in Udaipur during a monsoon downpour Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on December 2, 2022 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: The Palace in the Lake Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on November 18, 2022 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Silkroad Ensemble: Musical Postcards Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on October 21, 2022Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Screen with Scattered Fans Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on October 14, 2022 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Sumo-wrestling toads Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on October 7, 2022 Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Meditation & Mindfulness: Krishna Holding Mount Govardhan Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-06-05 | Recorded on September 9, 2022Meditation helps us build a relationship to a place of inner quietude. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled practitioner, join us for free 30-minute online meditation sessions three times each week led by DC-based meditation teachers. The practice of meditation is rooted in a variety of Asian spiritual traditions. Each month, we will use a different theme as a lens through which to explore these traditions. Friday sessions include inspiration from art in the museum collections, as well as appearances by special guest teachers and artists. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Meet our meditation teachers: Aparna Sadananda and Philip Bender
Verona Quartet Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-05-31 | Recorded on March 9, 2023Hear the world premiere of Cheng Jin Koh's "Mountain of Echoing Hills" for yangqin, string quartet, and dance and the East Coast premier of Texu Kim's "Ritus Sanitatem" for string quartet. These pieces will be paired with Bacewicz's "String Quartet No. 4" and Bartok's "String Quartet No. 3 in C-sharp major."Cheng Jin Koh took inspiration from the limestone sculptures of the Xiangtangshan Caves to create a piece that the composer explains "offers a bird-eye's view of what a direct experience in the caves might entail." It will be played alongside Bacewicz's "String Quartet No. 4," which takes inspiration from the composer's favorite Polish dance, the Oberek.Texu Kim takes inspiration from the Korean shamanic healing ritual, Byung-gut, explaining that "Ritus Sanitatem" is "a journey through several Korean folk-healing traditions in three movements." Paired with Bartok's "String Quartet No. 3 in C-sharp major," which takes inspiration from Hungarian folk music, this program will help us continue to celebrate our centennial year.With members from Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the Verona Quartet is in residence at the Oberlin Conservatory and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, and Melbourne Recital Hall, in addition to appearances at La Jolla Summerfest, Chamber Music Northwest, and Bravo! Vail.This event is part of the 29th season of the Bill and Mary Meyer Concert Series.
In Our Hands: Chinese Painting Conservators in US Museums - Trailer Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-05-15 | Whether carefully reinforcing the cracks in an ancient handscroll or remounting the portrait of an imperial ancestor, traditional Chinese painting restorers have cared for Chinese artworks in United States museums for over thirty years. Now focused on passing along their knowledge and skills, these dedicated artisans are training the next generation of art conservators to take on these responsibilities. Through in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of conservation studios in United States museums, In Our Hands captures the generational, cultural, and educational shift taking place in the field of Chinese painting conservation. Produced by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art under the direction of Eros Zhao for Templux Films, this unprecedented documentary reveals the personal stories of nine conservators dedicated to preserving their traditional craft while advancing the field, an undertaking that is vital to the future of Chinese cultural heritage in the West. (Dir.: Eros Zhao, United States, 2022, 50 min., English and Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles)
Soundscape 6 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-05-10 | How to capture the moods of palace nights? The painter Shambhu “unfolds” the walls of an elegant courtyard to take us inside a gleaming white palace. We see the king worshiping in the upper right corner. Below him, we can easily find his two favorite dancers, brightly dressed in orange and red robes. Shambhu depicts tall candles that light up the performance—and his self-portrait! He places himself below the dancers, just to the right of the central pool. The rolled-up sheet of paper in his hand suggests that he came to the palace to observe and sketch the evening’s events. Immerse yourself in the palace nightlife, through an ambient soundscape created by Amit Dutta exclusively for this exhibition. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Maharana Ari Singh II at worship in the City Palace, Shambhu, 1765, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 67 × 53 cm / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1986.7 It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Soundscape 5 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-05-10 | How do we remember a perfect day? In the 1700s and 1800s, painters in Udaipur (the capital of an Indian kingdom) captured the emotions of perfect days in wonderful places. They evoked memories of arriving at unexpectedly beautiful forests, watching clouds drift above a gleaming palace, and glimpsing deer gamboling across open fields. Immerse yourself in a perfect day, through an ambient soundscape created by Amit Dutta exclusively for this exhibition. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in the Chitrakuta forest, folio from a Ramayana, Attributed to the Master of the Jagged Water’s Edge, ca. 1680–90, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 25.4 × 40.5 cm / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection—funds provided by the Friends of the Freer and Sackler Galleries, S2018.1.73; Maharana Jawan Singh at a religious ceremony in the City Palace, Attributed to Ghasi, ca. 1835, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 141.6 × 93.3 cm, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2011.18.0033; Sunrise in Udaipur, Udaipur, ca. 1722–23, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 80.8 × 156.9 cm, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2012.20.0015 It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Soundscape 4 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-05-10 | How is the goddess worshiped in Udaipur? After darkness falls, music fills the air, fireworks light the night sky, and phosphorous lamps glow. On a jasmine-draped boat, the king circles Lake Pichola, admiring the city, chatting with his nobleman, and enjoying a dance performance. By the shore, women immerse images of the goddess Gauri into the lake. In doing so, they ask the goddess to ensure marital fidelity, good harvests, and blessings in childbirth. Immerse yourself in the celebration, through an ambient soundscape created by Amit Dutta exclusively for this exhibition. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Maharana Sangram Singh II at the Gangaur boat procession, Udaipur, ca. 1715–18, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 79.2 × 77.9 cm, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2012.19.0014I It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Curators Cut | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-04-26 | Open through May 14, 2023Arthur M. Sackler Gallery | Gallery 28Around 1700, artists in Udaipur (a court in northwest India) began creating immersive paintings that express the moods (bhava) of the city’s palaces, lakes, and mountains. These large works and their emphasis on lived experience constituted a new direction in Indian painting.With dazzling paintings on paper and cloth—many on public view for the first time—the exhibition reveals the environmental, political, and emotional contexts in which the new genre emerged. A Splendid Land explores the unique visual strategies that artists developed to communicate emotions, depict places, and celebrate water resources.The exhibition is organized as a journey that begins at Udaipur’s center and continues outward: first its lakes and lake palaces, then to the city, onward to the surrounding countryside, and finally to the cosmos. A side trip immerses visitors in the emotions surrounding the monsoon, the annual rains so crucial to Mewar’s prosperity. Throughout, a soundscape by the renowned filmmaker Amit Dutta invites audiences to fully sense—and not just see—the moods of these extraordinary places and paintings.A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will also be on view at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Summer 2023.A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur is part of the 2023 programming marking the 100th anniversary of the National Museum of Asian Art’s founding. Learn more about our centennial celebrations. #TheNext100
Anna Sato x Toshiyuki Sasaki Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-04-15 | Recorded on March 24, 2023 as part of Special National Cherry Blossom Festival Event.Anna Sato: shimauta, sanshin, harp Toshiyuki Sasaki: drumsThe traditional island songs of Amami Ōshima are usually performed by a singer accompanied by a drum called a chijin. While maintaining and cherishing this fundamental arrangement, Anna Sato and Toshiyuki Sasaki perform using nontraditional instruments, including the shimauta, sanshin, harp, and Western drums. They have succeeded in creating an original music that is uniquely their own.For this concert, attendees will get to experience firsthand the traditional island songs of Amami Ōshima (Sato’s hometown), which have been passed down for generations. Attendees will not only have the rare opportunity to hear these beautiful songs; they will also learn the history and characteristics of the instruments Sato plays. Starting in a traditional style, this concert will progress to showcase the duo’s modern arrangements while also demonstrating the forms and charms of the island songs. This event is co-organized by the Japan Foundation and the National Museum of Asian Art.
Soundscape 3 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-03-24 | What does a painting sound like? When a tiger comes dangerously close to Udaipur, the king and his companions track the man-eater to a scrub-covered mountain, just south of the City Palace. With drums, horns and sticks, musicians and “beaters” flush the tiger toward the hunters. They build a percussive din as they slowly move inwards to corral the beast. Painters Pyara and Naga capture the mood of the hunt, depicting the lone tiger multiple times as it frantically twists, turns, and reverses course to escape the clamor of the hunting party. For a closer look, see "Tiger's Din," a digital feature by NYU graduate student Isla Stewart: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-curatorial-conversations-tigers-din/ A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Maharana Jagat Singh II hunting tiger at Tikhliya Magra, Pyara and Naga, son of Bhagwan, ca. 1735, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2012.20.0011 It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Conversation with Aditya Bhattacharya Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-01-25 | Recorded conversation with Aditya Bhattacharya after the screening of Dubai Return in the Meyer Auditorium on December 2, 2022.
Satook: A Screening and Conversation Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-01-25 | Recorded on September 10, 2022.Join us in the Meyer Auditorium for a special screening of the film Satook, directed by praCh Ly. Created for the exhibition Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain, this short documentary examines the transformation of religious traditions through the ruptures of the Khmer Rouge genocide and immigration. Titled Satook, a word of blessing spoken at the end of Cambodian Buddhist prayers, the film centers on four intimate conversations with Loung Ung, Bonieta Lach, Mea Lath, and Pon Carvi Ly, who share their personal experiences, memories of their parents, and reflections on their communities, journeys, and beliefs. The screening will be followed by a conversation between praCh Ly and writer Loung Ung. Afterward, join us for a reception featuring Cambodian-inspired refreshments at 3pm and a Cambodian dance performance at 4pm.praCh Ly is a critically acclaimed and award-winning artist. He was first known as a musician, and his debut album was the first number one rap album in Cambodia. His involvement in film has ranged from scoring and creating original music to producing and directing projects, including Enemies of the People and In the Life of Music. He is also the co-founder and co-director of the Cambodia Town Film Festival in Long Beach, California, and is currently writing a symphony for the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra.Loung Ung is a Cambodian-born American human rights activist and lecturer. She is the national spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine-Free World. Her first novel, First They Killed My Father, was turned into a feature film by Netflix that was directed by Angelina Jolie.
Shanghai Quartet – Lunar New Year 2023 Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2023-01-23 | Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and it is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant overseas Chinese population. While the official dates encompassing the holiday vary by culture, those celebrating consider it the time of the year to reunite with immediate and extended family.In keeping with tradition, join us as the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 59, No. 2, and Béla Bartók’s Quartet No.1, Op. 7. This YouTube release will be the Shanghai Quartet’s twenty-eighth performance with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.Over the past forty years the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. The quartet's elegant style, impressive technique, and emotional breadth allows the group to move seamlessly between masterpieces of Western music, traditional Chinese folk music, and cutting-edge contemporary works. Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, soon after the end of China’s harrowing Cultural Revolution, the group came to the United States to complete its studies. The quartet has been based in the U.S. for more than thirty-five years while maintaining a robust touring schedule at leading chamber music series throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In September 2020, the Shanghai Quartet moved back to China to join the resident faculty of The Tianjin Juilliard School, becoming one of the only Asia based internationally touring string quartets. In addition to their teaching duties at Tianjin Juilliard, the members of the quartet maintain a busy performance schedule throughout China and together serve as the ensemble-in-residence with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. They are also visiting guest professors at the Shanghai Conservatory and Central Conservatory in Beijing, all while maintaining a robust touring presence in North America and around the world. This program is part of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art’s Lunar New Year 2023 Celebration.Photo credit: Sophie Zhai
Soundscape 2 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-12-19 | What is a monsoon mood? Golden lightning ripples across the sky as a king and his companions inspect their realm’s extensive waterways during a storm. The day is hot, the clouds thick. Rain cools their skin, the emerald hills are lush, the sluices are working, and Udaipur prospers. Immerse yourself in the rainy season, through an ambient soundscape created by Amit Dutta exclusively for this exhibition. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Maharana Shambhu Singh on a monsoon excursion, 1868, Shivalal, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2012.19.0040. It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial https://asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Soundscape 1 | A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-11-17 | What makes a place splendid? As the sun rises in Udaipur, gold-lined clouds of white, blue, and scarlet billow and swirl. White palaces, hills, and valleys stir to life. A resplendent king and his boon companions set out on the red ship of state, to hunt a tiger which has strayed dangerously close to his capital city. In the lotus-filled lake, smiling fish cavort. On its shores, women collect water, commoners wash clothes, herons pursue fish, and boars linger near ponds. Immerse yourself in this world at dawn, through an ambient soundscape created by Amit Dutta exclusively for this exhibition. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur will be on view at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art from November 19, 2022 through May 14, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/ Video directed and edited by Amit Dutta. Animation by Vatsal. Image: Sunrise in Udaipur, ca. 1722–23, Udaipur, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, 2012.20.0015. It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial https://asia.si.edu/#SmithsonianAsianArt
Underdogs and Antiheroes: Japanese Prints from the Moskowitz Collection | Trailer Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-11-15 | Expect the unexpected. Underdogs and Antiheroes: Japanese Prints from the Moskowitz Collection focuses on the captivating stories and urban legends of individuals living on the fringes of society in early modern Japan. Key subjects in theater, literature, and visual arts reveal antiheroes and underdogs whose virtues are often embodied by their rejection of societal norms, making them misfits and moral exemplars at the same time. The exhibition follows virtuous bandits, tattooed firemen who love to fight, rogues from the kabuki theater, and others. Highlighting the transformative gift of the Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection to the National Museum of Asian Art, Underdogs and Antiheroes features subjects that are not commonly associated with traditional Japanese print culture but were nevertheless central to the interests of an early modern public. The exhibition explores new visual and thematic ground, further strengthening the museum’s trailblazing role in reconsidering presentations of Asian cultures. Underdogs and Antiheroes is on view at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art through January 29, 2023. For more information, visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/underdogs-and-antiheroes-japanese-prints-from-the-moskowitz-collection/ All works are part of the Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection, gifted to the museum by Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz. This exhibition is made possible by their support. Generous support for this exhibition and the museum's Japanese art program is provided by Mitsubishi Corporation. Music: Instrument samples used in this recording are from the Sonica Instruments Kabuki and Noh Percussion 96k Master Edition. "Ignition" by Yuhshi MOMOSE. © 2018 Yuhshi MOMOSE and Sonica Inc. All Rights Reserved. It's our centennial year! Join us and be part of #TheNext100. To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit: https://asia.si.edu/centennial https://asia.si.edu #SmithsonianAsianArt
Centennial Celebrations at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art | Trailer Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-10-24 | In 1923, we became the Smithsonian’s first art museum on Washington, DC’s, National Mall. Since then, we’ve grown our collections, expanded our buildings, and earned a reputation for excellence through a century of exhibitions, research, conservation, and cultural exchange. Our centennial year is both a milestone and a springboard for a transformative vision for our next 100 years: to become a global resource for learning, research, and cultural connection.To mark this historic moment, we’re inviting visitors from around the globe to embark on journeys across centuries and continents through a vibrant program of exhibitions, performances, conversations, learning opportunities, and more.Join us and be part of #TheNext100.To learn more about the museum’s centennial celebrations, visit https://asia.si.edu/centennial-countdown/asia.si.edu#SmithsonianAsianArt
Journey to Korea’s Ancient Silla Kingdom Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-10-05 | What can we learn by visiting the sites of ancient civilizations? Is it possible to recreate the architecture of the past today? Reflect on these questions as you travel to Korea in this online program inspired by the current exhibition Once Upon a Roof: Vanished Korean Architecture. The journey takes you from the galleries of the National Museum of Asian Art to the ancient city of Gyeongju in southeastern Korea. Once the capital of the ancient Silla kingdom that lasted one thousand years (57 BCE–935 CE), the city is a well-known tourist destination rich with history and culture. Yoon Sangdeok, an expert in art and archaeology, leads this tour through temples and royal tombs that have endured to this day and through treasures discovered in and around the city in order to understand the surviving legacy of the ancient kingdom. Visit the royal garden built for crown princes of the Silla kingdom, where more than thirty-three thousand artifacts were unearthed in 1975, including the ornamented roof tiles featured in the exhibition Once Upon a Roof, currently on view at the museum. This tour will give you a chance to imagine the ancient city as it was more than one thousand years ago. Yoon Sangdeok is senior curator and the head of the Exhibition Division at the National Museum of Korea. A specialist in Silla archaeology, Yoon conducted excavations of Silla remains and organized exhibitions on related subjects while he worked at the Gyeongju National Museum for five years beginning in 2007. He also served as a Korean co-organizer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom in 2013. Keith Wilson is curator of ancient Chinese art at the National Museum of Asian Art. Also interested in Korean art, Wilson organized Sacred Dedication: A Korean Buddhist Masterpiece in 2019 and the digital catalogue Goryeo Buddhist Paintings: A Closer Look, dedicated to the sixteen examples of such paintings in US museum collections.(https://publications.asia.si.edu/publications/goryeo/) Sunwoo Hwang joined the National Museum of Asian Art in 2018 as Korean program associate and is responsible for coordinating Korean programs, including exhibitions, public programs, and scholarly events.Image: ⓒ 2019. Gyeongju Tourguide. All rights reserved
Satook Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art 2022-09-18 | “Satook,” directed by award-winning Cambodian American rapper and film maker praCh Ly, examines the transformation of religious traditions in Cambodian American communities through the ruptures of war and immigration. The film centers on four intimate conversations with survivors and the diaspora of the Khmer Rouge genocide, who share their personal experiences and memories of their parents, and reflect on their communities and journeys of belief. The film also examines the contemporary meanings of ancient sacred sites in Cambodia and considers more broadly the diversity and complexities of religion in four different locations in the United States.Satook was featured as part of the exhibition “Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain”, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asin Art from April 30–September 18, 2022.A special thanks to the individuals in Satook: Sam Chhon, Bonieta Lach, Mea Lath, Pon “Carvi” Ly, and Loung Ung.“Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain” is part of The Arts of Devotion, a five-year initiative dedicated to furthering civic discourse and the understanding of religion made possible by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
