10/30/2023
Get a new perspective on our collections with the Sketch & Discover tour!
Join us every first Sunday of the month to sketch the unique expressions of Asian artists from various traditions yourself: https://s.si.edu/3PXVUYf
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Our collections feature ancient to contemporary masterpieces from Japan, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, and the Near East. In addition, we have an important collection of 19th-century American art, punctuated by James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room. Please feel free to share thoughts about our posts, ask us questions, or tell us about your visit. We hope you’ll contribute to this interactiv
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The National Museum of Asian Art staff does not identify, authenticate, or appraise objects or works of art that do not belong to the museum; nor do they offer advice about the care and conservation of objects. Staff members cannot make statements regarding authenticity or monetary value. The curators’ primary responsibility is to research, publish, and exhibit the collections that belong to the museum.
10/28/2023
10/27/2023
Take a "Sneak Peek" into our collections.
Join us as we present personal perspectives and ongoing research, followed by lively discussions on works of art such as this: https://s.si.edu/3t3uc4w
10/26/2023
In case you missed it, our Lunder Curator of American Art Diana Greenwold moderated a panel to discuss artist James McNeill Whistler’s urban imagery in the context of Washington DC and Waterville, Maine, the two cities hosting the exhibition "Whistler: Streetscapes, Urban Change."
Watch the full program here. Presented with The Colby College Museum of Art. https://s.si.edu/3s5trrw
The Colby College Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art present Whistler’s Cities, Our Cities. This program considers ...
10/25/2023
Join us November 8 for “Monthly Matinees: Japanese Classics.”
Watch “Zatoichi on the Road,” where the famed blind swordsman catapults himself between two warring yakuza clans as he tries to es**rt a young woman back to her family in Edo.
Get free passes here: https://s.si.edu/3s4mCq4
Photo courtesy of Janus Films
10/24/2023
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 Friday, 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, who will be honored for her lifetime work in the arts of the Islamic world.
Tickets are still available! Please register here, and join us October 27th at 6pm for a lecture, award ceremony and reception: https://s.si.edu/3EvO2rF
Image courtesy of Gülru Necipoğlu
10/23/2023
Discover our collections in a deeper, more meaningful way, with our free tours!
This weekend, join us for family-friendly stories, scavenger hunts, sketching, and more: https://s.si.edu/3pBhyb9
10/20/2023
Peasant uprising.
Featured in upcoming exhibition, “Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints,” which examines noh and kabuki theater traditions, the play in these images is based on a real man named Sakura Sōgo." After his lord taxed his village into starvation, Sōgo went directly to the sh**un to beg for help, knowing he would be executed for his insubordination. His ghost returned to torment the wicked lord as revenge for his own death and those of his wife and children, who were also executed as punishment.
As this was a politically sensitive story, the characters’ names were changed for the theatrical version to avoid government censorship. The name of the real Lord Hotta Masanobu (1631–1680) was changed to “Lord Horikoshi” or “Orikoshi,” and Sakura Sōgo was changed to “Asakura Tōgo.” However, the references were still quite obvious, so some publishers were also careful in how they marketed these prints.
The print published by Enshūya Hikobei (in image 2) is marked with an oval seal reading sh*ta-uri, or “under sale,” which suggests it was sold discreetly and was not prominently advertised.
To learn more about this work and other spooky prints in the collection, please visit Gallery 25 when “Staging the Supernatural” opens November 2023. https://s.si.edu/3Q1RAqS
Part of our collection.
Images: Ichikawa Kodanji IV as the Ghost (Rei) of Kozakura Tōgo and as the Tea Server (Chadō) Inba, Actually the Ghost of Tōgo (R), Bandō Hikosaburō IV as Orikoshi Tairyō, Iwai Kumesaburō III as the Secret Mistress (Myō) Katsuragi, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Koshimoto Sakuragi, Actually the Ghost of Tōgo (L), Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861), Publisher: Kazusaya Iwazō (ca. 1842–1855), Japan, Edo period, 1851, 7th month, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection, S2021.5.553a–b
Scene from the play "Higashiyama sakura no sōshi," at the Nakamura Theater, Edo, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861), Publisher: Enshūya Hikobei (act. 1847–1852), Japan, Edo period, 1851, 8th month, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection, S2021.5.585a–b
10/18/2023
Meet Seoul-based director Park Chan-kyong October 22nd, who will screen and discuss his short film "Night Fishing":
A fisherman feels a tug on his line, and much to his surprise, pulls a woman (K-pop star Lee Jung-hyun) out of the water who's revealed to be a shaman priestess.
Shot on an iPhone, this surreal short was co-directed with his brother Park Chan-wook, and won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Get free passes here: https://s.si.edu/3sZNaJt
His exhibition, "Park Chan-kyong: Gathering," now on view: https://s.si.edu/3LuBIMa
10/17/2023
Take a closer look at the tools and materials used in formats!
Join us Thursday in Gallery 13 as Chinese painting conservator Grace Jan leads a lively discussion. Part of our monthly talks. Free and open to the public: https://s.si.edu/4863wjw
10/16/2023
"'Bats often appear in Chinese art in the color red, which is associated with vitality,' says Jan Stuart, curator of Chinese art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
'In longstanding traditional lore in China, immortal beings are said to live in caves and so do bats, so the two became closely associated.'"— Well+Good
Spiritually, bats symbolize transformation and mystery. And seeing a bat is an invitation to uncover something hiding beneath the surface of your life.
10/13/2023
It's the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest Japanese horror films ever made.
Join us night, October 31st at 7 p.m. for "Ringu" ("The Ring"), digitally restored in 4K terrifying glory.
Come in costume and enjoy free giveaways, candy and more. Get free passes here: https://s.si.edu/3EbFkPi
10/11/2023
We hope you were able to join us!
10/11/2023
Ellison S. Onizuka was the first Asian American in space and the first person of Asian-Pacific heritage to be selected into the astronaut corps.
Before joining NASA, Onizuka was a Colonel with a distinguished career in the United States Air Force, where he served as a flight test engineer and test pilot. Onizuka’s time at Hawaiian public schools helped steer him towards a career as an astronaut.
He died serving as a mission specialist in the Challenger launch accident in 1986 before reaching space a second time.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/ellison-onizuka-first-asian-american-space/ (Photo Courtesy of NASA)
10/10/2023
Did we see you for Chuseok this past weekend? What did you enjoy?
10/06/2023
What is the real-world impact of provenance research?
Join us to learn how researchers in Cambodia continue to conduct research, tracking down antiquities that rightfully belong in their nation.
Our director Chase Robinson will moderate this important conversation on protecting Cambodian cultural heritage November 4th. Free and open to the public.
Register here: https://s.si.edu/4697BlS
10/05/2023
The sounds of formal rituals reveal how people practice their religious traditions. Here Buddhist monks chant during a worship service at the Wat Buddha Samakidham Temple in Columbus, OH. Explore vibrant soundscapes in our free poster exhibition "Sounds of Religion:" https://s.si.edu/3kwuZXr
explores how rituals and gatherings of religious communities create a complex soundtrack of religions in America that teaches us how people behave, how they’re different, and how they’re alike. Through QR codes, viewers are invited to listen to eight contemporary recordings that serve as an audio portrait of the rich and dynamic differences that make religious life in the U.S. unique.
10/05/2023
Thank you to Washingtonian, which says, "As part of its centennial celebrations, the NMAA is dedicating new exhibit space to modern and contemporary work.
Seoul artist Park Chan-kyong inaugurates it with pieces such as a multi-channel video that employs state-of-the-art technology in the form of a massive scroll painting."
Don't miss "Park Chan-kyong: Gathering," opening Saturday, October 7th.
Taylor Lorenz book talk, Jessie Ware concert, and NMWA re-opening
10/04/2023
If you can't make it to the museum, you can still journey to the Republican-era of "Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings " from anywhere in the world, with a 360° immersive video experience of Academia Sinica’s excavations of Anyang, site of the 3,000-year-old capital of the Shang dynasty!
Follow archaeologists as their search for Shang oracle bones leads them to sensational discoveries that transformed our understanding of the origins of Chinese civilization: https://s.si.edu/3ri0vw3
10/04/2023
10/03/2023
Happy Release Day to No-No Boy. 🕊️ His third album, Empire Electric, is a sweeping musical journey through narratives of imperialism, identity, and spirituality, made vibrant and profound through a rich congregation of instrumental, environmental, and electronically manipulated sounds from Asia and America.
“Empire Electric is a wandering; a letting go. A search party. For sounds, for history, and for self. It is a coming back,” No-No Boy shares. “If you find this music to your liking, I invite you to settle in with good headphones or a stereo and listen closely to all the sounds present, to unravel them, to take time, to breathe, and hopefully to listen beyond even the music, to yourself, to the world around you, to history, to your community, to nature.”
Available now on CD, LP, and digital. Stream + order your copy here: orcd.co/no-no-boy-empire-electric
Cover art by Emilia Halvorsen Saporiti
10/02/2023
Join a global community of Asian art provenance researchers November 1-4 to explore the complexities of the translocation of Asian Art and how best to research, share, and debate these histories.
Co-hosted by Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz's Museum of Asian Art and Central Archives. https://s.si.edu/48zZ6BH
10/02/2023
On view in our upcoming exhibition Park Chan-kyong: Gathering, “Belated Bosal” is a single-channel video based on stories of the death of the Buddha and woven together with observations of our nuclear age.
These three stills from the video offer glimpses of two women trekking through the mountains: the first one in search of a shipping container, the others measuring radiation.
Inverted black and white imagery transforms the landscape into an otherworldly (or perhaps highly contaminated) place, mostly silent but for the sound of breathing and the occasional, ominous beep of a Geiger counter. Parallel narratives merge at the shipping container, where characters gather to mourn.
Seoul-based artist Park Chan-kyong has reinterpreted this familiar scene from the story of the Buddha’s life, expanding it vividly in time and space to reflect on the persistence of tradition in the face of a profoundly unsettling future.
See the work in person, when Park Chan-kyong: Gathering opens October 7, 2023. https://s.si.edu/3LuBIMa
Images: Stills from “Belated Bosal,” Park Chan-kyong, 2019, HD film, black and white, 5.1 channel sound (55 min), Courtesy of the artist and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, ELS2023.8.1
09/29/2023
Official website of the Smithsonian, the world's largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums, 9 research centers, and affiliates around the world.
09/29/2023
Here's a preview of next weekend's festival!
A charye table like this one, created in partnership with Onjium, is used to display a traditional feast to honor and offer to family ancestors. Come be the first to see it through October 1st in our ImaginAsia studio.
Then make plans to visit for Chuseok October 7th: https://s.si.edu/45Qd2W9
09/29/2023
Take a "Sneak Peek" into our collections.
Join us as we present personal perspectives and ongoing research, followed by lively discussions on works of art such as this: https://s.si.edu/3t3uc4w
Image: Krishna as Sri Nath-ji, Nathdwara, Rajasthan state, Mewar, India, 20th century, opaque watercolor on cotton on stretcher, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Karl B. Mann, S1992.17
09/27/2023
Cosponsored by NMAA and the Colby College Museum of Art, don't miss the opportunity Friday, September 29th to consider artist James McNeill Whistler’s urban imagery in the context of Washington D.C. and Waterville, Maine, the two cities hosting the exhibition "Whistler: Streetscapes, Urban Change": https://s.si.edu/3Z5hOgt
What parallels exist between the European metropoles Whistler pictured in the late nineteenth century and these places today? What lessons from Whistler’s time can we take to build inclusive and sustainable cities?
Register for the webinar here: https://s.si.edu/45RxPZm
Image: Flower Market: Dieppe, James McNeill Whistler, 1888, Watercolor on paper, 5 1/16 x 8 ¼ in (12.8 x 21 cm), National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1907.171a-b
09/25/2023
Join us Sunday, October 1st for the Sufi Music Festival–a Mawlid celebration!
Bring the entire family for this important Islamic holiday, and enjoy Indian, Moroccan, and American Sufi music, food, special programs, and more.
Seating is limited. Register for free here: https://s.si.edu/3L1URoD
Co-presented by the Reed Society for Sacred Arts.
Images:
[1] Bilal Chishty and The National Sufi Ensemble, photo courtesy of Harpreet Kaur
[2] Listening While Muslim
[3] Aisha Grey Henry and Demi
[4] Burdah Ensemble
09/22/2023
Join us this weekend!
At the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Vahagn Hambardzumyan introduced visitors of all ages to Armenian ceramic arts—traditions that nearly faded away due to rapid industrialization and urbanization in the Soviet era.
This month, Hambardzumyan returns to Washington, D.C., as our next artisan in residence at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Next week, he presents multiple free, public programs at the museum:
Friday, September 22, 1–2:30 p.m.
Demonstration: Pottery Techniques
Register: s.si.edu/PotteryDemo
Saturday, September 23, 1–2:30 p.m.
Talk: Pottery and Ornaments
More information: s.si.edu/PotteryTalk
Sunday, September 24, 1–3 p.m.
Workshop: Armenian Pottery
Register: s.si.edu/PotteryWorkshop
09/22/2023
He often said that every human being shares a similar mission: helping to create world peace.
09/22/2023
Charles Lang Freer died on September 25, 1919, and was buried in Kingston, New York.
Images from his memorial service held at Koetsu-ji Temple in Kyoto in 1930 include a monument to Freer, with an inscription celebrating his friendship and promotion of Asian art. It was dedicated with ceremonial offerings of tea and champagne, and speeches by Japanese and American officials. His photograph was placed in a tearoom at the temple.
To commemorate our centennial, we refreshed the gateway to the Charles Lang Freer Papers, a treasure trove of personal letters, diaries, inventories and purchase vouchers, including one of his last letters to Agnes Meyer, as seen here, which give an inside look into his life, collecting, and thought process, preserved in our Archives.
Explore the new online content, including three newly-digitized key series with transcriptions, plus four new essays including an introduction by our director, Chase Robinson. https://s.si.edu/3rjs4oQ
09/19/2023
In honor of our centennial year, join us this Sunday, September 24th for a multimedia performance inspired by the life of Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904)! Part chamber music, part media art, part film and theater, this shape-shifting work owns as many haunting identities as its host-muse, Lafcadio Hearn.
Hearn’s great-great-grand niece, Jean Laurenz, and multimedia sound artist Maria Finkelmeier will explore the turbulent undertones and uncanny narratives of his celebrated nineteenth-century Japanese stories.
Come create your own sensory entrance into life’s deepest questions, questions whose fibers weave into every ghost story, spiritual mantra, and subliminal experience.
Get free tickets here! https://s.si.edu/3ssIPOm
09/18/2023
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, who will be honored 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. Please register here, and join us October 27th at 6pm: https://s.si.edu/3EvO2rF
Image courtesy of Gülru Necipoğlu
09/18/2023
Take a look at this inscription on the bottom of an ancient Chinese wine container from our collections featured on the cover of this month's edition of Orientations Magazine.
Learn more about this object and others like it in our exhibition "Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings." https://s.si.edu/44S6jtP
09/16/2023
Sharing important stories like this one for :
Ralph Lazo was a Mexican American teenager who was voluntarily sent to a concentration camp in solidarity with his Japanese American friends.
Ralph was born in Los Angeles in 1924. When his Japanese American friends were being rounded up and sent to concentration camps during WWII, he knew that what was happening to them was wrong and that their incarceration was unconstitutional. He decided to give up his freedom and go with them.
"Passing" as Japanese American, Ralph was incarcerated at Manzanar when he was seventeen and stayed there until he was drafted in 1944. He remained a loyal friend and supporter of his Japanese American peers until his death in 1992. When asked, "Why did you go to camp? You didn't have to go," he would reply, simply, "None of us should have had to go."
📷: Photo of Ralph with his friends, Shibu and Rabbit, taken at Manzanar concentration camp. Japanese American National Museum, Gift of Bruce and Frances Kaji, 2008.81.3
Smithsonian Smithsonian Affiliations Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
09/15/2023
ICYMI, we were honored as a finalist in Washington City Paper's "Best Museum on the Mall" category.
Thanks to everyone who voted, and to each of you for contributing to the community that makes our museum one of the best! https://s.si.edu/3PcRKeJ
09/14/2023
We want to recognize the efforts of colleagues at The Victoria and Albert Museum, who yesterday announced a partnership with the Republic of Yemen Government to care for looted ancient Yemen objects found in the UK. We were pleased to cooperate in this V&A initiative.
We've been working closely with Yemen Embassy D.C this year, and look forward to showcasing a selected number of the ancient Yemen repatriated objects in our care with a display opening Jan 13, 2024: https://s.si.edu/3sKsTHs
09/12/2023
Cosponsored by NMAA and the Colby College Museum of Art, don't miss the opportunity to consider artist James McNeill Whistler’s urban imagery in the context of Washington D.C. and Waterville, Maine, the two cities hosting the exhibition "Whistler: Streetscapes, Urban Change": https://s.si.edu/3Z5hOgt
What parallels exist between the European metropoles Whistler pictured in the late nineteenth century and these places today? What lessons from Whistler’s time can we take to build inclusive and sustainable cities?
Register for the webinar here: https://s.si.edu/45RxPZm
Image: Flower Market: Dieppe, James McNeill Whistler, 1888, Watercolor on paper, 5 1/16 x 8 ¼ in (12.8 x 21 cm), National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1907.171a-b
09/08/2023
The cat pictured here was once Ay-Ō's pet, a Russian Blue named "Jirō." Despite the bright and implausible colors, Ay-Ō has perfectly captured the familiar look of a yawning cat, making the image remarkably lifelike.
Ay-Ō's artwork pops with rainbow colors for many viewers—but everyone sees the world differently. About 4.5 percent of the world’s population experiences a form of color blindness, or color vision deficiency (CVD). Exploring how someone else sees an artwork can open us up to new perspectives and interpretations.
According to Zeki Mokhtarzada, who experiences CVD, "I was asked what colors I saw in this picture and I said, 'Of course, it's a rainbow.' I might not see all the colors someone else sees, but I can still recognize a rainbow when I see it. Once you see a rainbow, all the cultural associations come in—a pot of gold, a waterfall on a remote island, the psychedelic aesthetic of the '70s—all of that is invoked regardless of how you 'see' the original subject."
To simulate different forms of CVD, we created graphics—swipe to view—on display in the gallery. You can visit Ay-Ō's Happy Rainbow Hell in person one last time before it closes this Sunday, September 10 , 2023. https://s.si.edu/42Ie59c
Image: “Yawn,” Ay-Ō (b. 1931), Japan, 1978, silkscreen; ink on paper / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection, S2021.5.18, ©Ay-Ō
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Videos
Edo Avant Garde Trailer
Educators, introduce your students to Japan’s Edo Period while connecting with the natural world. Join award-winning director and film producer Linda Hoaglund Dec. 7th for "Investigating Japan’s Edo Avant Garde," inspired by her film "Edo Avant Garde." Our upcoming image-driven, K-12 educational website features an innovative approach to teaching art, culture, biodiversity, history and religions by exploring Edo art. Register free to join live or stream, here: https://bit.ly/3NOedgY Trailer courtesy of Linda Hoaglund
Peacock Room Shutters Opening
Experience what visitors call "a spiritual and moving experience," as the Peacock Room shutters open Thursday, Nov. 17th. https://s.si.edu/3M7rzny
Poupelle of Chimney Town
THIS WEEKEND: We've teamed up with the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan for an exciting anime series of films, including the award-winning, visually-dazzling "Poupelle of Chimney Town," the story of lonely Lubicchi who lives in a thick, smoky town, yearning for adventure. Bring the whole family--tickets are FREE: https://s.si.edu/3SYLrw3 Video courtesy of Eleven Arts
Witness 1979, Hengameh Golestan
Hengameh Golestan (born 1952, Tehran) captured these street protests in Tehran, Iran, focusing especially on women during and immediately following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. A documentary photographer, she is a pioneer among Iranian women photographers. She began photographing at age 18 and developed her skills alongside her husband, renowned photojournalist Kaveh Golestan. Denied the possibility of going to the front lines of the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980's, she turned to village life in Kurdistan. See more prints here: https://s.si.edu/3TiLwKC Images: Untitled, from the series, Witness 1979, Hengameh Golestan / Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC: Purchase -- Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar Endowment for Contemporary Iranian Art, S2015.17, S2015.18, S2015.22
Fortune (Dipalakshmi) Oil Lamps
Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, marks the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Its name is derived from the word deepavali, meaning “row of lamps.” Families eagerly welcome the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. They light oil lamps at home and decorate their doorways with rangolis (patterned designs in different colors, made of rice, sand, minerals and other powdered materials). Celebrations also include bursting firecrackers, gifts of sweets and more. Here, an affluent couple commissioned their portraits in the form of oil lamps. In accordance with tradition, when placed near an image of a deity and lit, the lamps convey the enduring piety of this husband and wife. Wishing a Happy #Diwali to all--how will you be celebrating? Pair of fortune (dipalakshmi) oil lamps, India, Tamil Nadu, Nayak Dynasty, 17th century, Bronze, H x W x D (each): 86.4 x 27.9 x 27.9 cm. Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, S2000.9.1-2
Ornamented Tiles at the Seventh-century Buddhist Temple Mireuksa
A must-see for architecture buffs. This is your last chance to see elements of traditional Korean architecture never before exhibited outside the country, including three "chimi" unearthed from sites dating to the Three Kingdoms (Baekje) and Unified Silla periods. "Once Upon a Roof: Vanished Korean Architecture" is on view through October 30, 2022. https://s.si.edu/3yio1ZZ Thanks to the National Museum of Korea for sharing their research and facilitating this exhibition.
Opening the Peacock Room Shutters
Don't miss the beauty, detail and radiance only natural light can bring to Charles Lang Freer's ceramics collections, and James McNeill Whistler's decorative masterpiece. The Peacock Room shutters will re-open every 3rd Thursday, starting Oct. 20th: https://s.si.edu/3SWpwFf
Afterhours @ NMAA: Summer Festival
It's the end of summer. Did we see you at our Afterhours @ NMAA: Summer Festival? What was your favorite part?
#MadAboutHokusai: Young Man
Fashion is just one of the many ways we express ourselves and we've been doing it for generations. In #Edo-period Japan, the kimono worn by the figure in this painting was traditionally meant for young women. Listen as curator Frank Feltens explains how this artwork, one of the oldest by Hokusai in our collection, touches on ideas of gender fluidity and modernity. Get a closer look at one of this #InkPainting by Katsushika #Hokusai in our #JapaneseArt collection: https://asia.si.edu/object/F1903.130/ #SmithsonianAsianArt #SmithsonianPride
Fashioning An Empire: Safavid Carpets
Many of the artworks featured in #FashioningAnEmpire: Safavid Textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), are exemplary in their execution and were costly to create. But, the object featured in this final close look is one we might have an example of in our own homes! . Look and listen as Dr. Massumeh Farhad explains how Safavid weavers helped popularize Persian carpets, which became ubiquitous after they gained popularity in the 17th century. . The exhibition closes tomorrow, Sunday, May 15. Plan your visit or explore online: asia.si.edu/fashioninganempire . . . #SmithsonianAsianArt #SafavidIran #PersianCarpets #Weaving #Patterns #Textiles #Carpets
Fashioning An Empire: Silver Cloth
#FashionFriday: ✨🧵 Imagine receiving a gift of exquisite fabric in intricate patterns made of silver- and gold-wrapped threads! If you lived in 17th century Europe or Safavid Iran, it might have happened! . Learn more about these delicate and well-preserved textiles with Dr. Massumeh Farhad. They are currently on view in the exhibition #FashioningAnEmpire: Safavid Textiles from Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), closing this Sunday, May 15. . Be sure to visit the exhibition in person this weekend before it closes. If you can't make it, stay tuned for one more close look tomorrow, and explore the show online at asia.si.edu/fashioninganempire. . . . #SmithsonianAsianArt #Textiles #SafavidIran #Zari #Silk
Fashioning an Empire: To the Hunt
#Wingsday: If you're a fan of our ongoing "Falcons: The Art of the Hunt" exhibition, you might be surprised to learn these birds of prey are hiding in artworks throughout our galleries! . In #FashioningAnEmpire: Safavid Textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), there's a falcon in the hunting scene depicted on this extraordinary brocaded velvet. Learn more with Chief Curator Dr. Massumeh Farhad! . Be sure to visit the exhibition before it closes this Sunday, May 15: asia.si.edu/fashioninganempire. If you can't make it, stay tuned for more close looks at objects on view. . . . #SmithsonianAsianArt #Textiles #Brocade #Velvet #Hunting #Falconry #SafavidIran
We are @NatAsianArt
Our story as your National Museum of Asian Art began nearly a century ago. Starting today, you’ll find us at @NatAsianArt. Join us as we continue to celebrate the art, cultures, and experiences that shape who we are. #SmithsonianAsianArt
2021 Year in Review
2021 was a homecoming for us all. At long last, first-time visitors had the opportunity to discover our collections, and loyal museum supporters returned to enjoy the objects they most cherish. Now, with the entire museum open to the public, there is a new energy in the air. Opening our doors at exactly 10:00 a.m.—a daily ritual once taken for granted—has become a profound gesture of hope. Here’s a look back at 2021 in the museum and beyond. With your help, we can accomplish so much more in 2022. Give today and double your impact with a $1:$1 match! https://s.si.edu/3mAEP8V
Want to turn your love of museums into a career? We're hiring! Join our talented team and help advance our mission as we prepare for our next century. https://asia.si.edu/about/contact/staff/join-our-team/
Objects We Love: Seated Ganesha
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to our friends celebrating in India and Hindu communities around the world! 🐘 🕉 In honor of the festival this year, let’s take a closer look at a stone sculpture of the beloved elephant-headed god in our collections with help from one of our docents. Sushmita compares how she sees the object in the museum and how she and other people have experienced similar objects of significance in Hindu culture over the centuries until today. . “It is incredible how much I have learned about Ganesha in my 22 years of study and experience giving tours as a docent here at the museum. When I told my mom, who lives in Mumbai, about making this video, we were both surprised. Turns out she sings the Marathi “bhajan” (devotional song) I share in the video at her home shrine where Ganesha has always shared space with other deities, and I had no idea! And she didn’t know how the tradition of the present-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebration had started so that was new to her. It was a wonderful way we connected and both learned something new about this beloved deity! When I lived in Mumbai we always visited various celebrations happening all over the city—the festival is a joyous time."—Sushmita Mazumdar . Learn more about this artwork in our #SouthAsianAndHimalayanArt collection on the museum’s website: https://asia.si.edu/object/S1987.960/ . . . #Smithsonian #FreerSackler #AsianArt #IndianArt #HinduArt #Ganesha #GaneshChaturthi #HinduFestivals #Sculpture #Elephant #Vinayaka #ObjectsWeLove
Illuminasia Projection Mapping
Objects We Love: Box for Korean archaeological objects
Objects We Love: Preparatory Drawing of the Bodhisattva Maitreya
Objects We Love: Freer Beaker
Sakura On Screen: Part 3
Sakura On Screen: Part 2
Sakura On Screen: Part 1
Objects We Love: Kōetsu Utaibon
Objects We Love: Folding screens mounted with poems from the anthology, Shin kokinshu
Objects We Love: Royal Pen Case with Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar enthroned
Matsushima: Remembering the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Objects We Love: Harvesting knife with mask and felines
Objects We Love: Round covered box with design of three flowers
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We're thrilled to announce a visionary gift that will support five paid graduate student annually over 5 years to prepare for various museum professions. The inaugural Cheng-Harrell Graduate Intern cohort will join our community later this year. https://s.si.edu/3IkUt0I
The National Museum of Asian Art will be open Thursdays-Sundays, 10 am-5:30 pm. We will be closed on Tuesday, January 18.
We are always open online at http://asia.si.edu.
https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-announces-modified-schedule-museums-and-national-zoo-starting-tuesday
We are always open online at http://asia.si.edu.
https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-announces-modified-schedule-museums-and-national-zoo-starting-tuesday
If you're planning to visit us this weekend, you'll be one of the first to see "Falcons: Art of the Hunt"! A selection of paintings and objects from ancient Egypt to China offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of falcons.
Learn a bit more and safely plan your visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/falcons-art-of-the-hunt/
Learn a bit more and safely plan your visit: https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/falcons-art-of-the-hunt/
Our story as your National Museum of Asian Art began nearly a century ago. Starting today, you’ll find us at . Join us as we continue to celebrate the art, cultures, and experiences that shape who we are.
This weekend is your last opportunity to experience "Hokusai: Mad about Painting" in person! The exhibition closes Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022.
Safely plan an in-person visit: asia.si.edu/visit.
Explore online anytime at asia.si.edu/hokusai.
Safely plan an in-person visit: asia.si.edu/visit.
Explore online anytime at asia.si.edu/hokusai.
By popular demand, our long-running exhibition "Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice across Asia" has been extended! Enjoy this groundbreaking show of from our collections, in-person or online through February 6, 2022. https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/encountering-the-buddha-art-and-practice-across-asia/
The National Museum of Asian Art is scheduled to be open again on Saturday, Jan. 8. Visit us online anytime at asia.si.edu
Check the status of our fellow museums at si.edu/visit/hours
Check the status of our fellow museums at si.edu/visit/hours
Due to yesterday's snow, Smithsonian museums in the D.C. area will delay opening by 3 hours today, Jan. 4.
We're revisiting a weather and -appropriate installment of on this snowy day!
Watch and listen as Japan Foundation Assistant Curator Kit Brooks shares why they love this screen in our collection & offers insights on its layers of symbolism.
Watch and listen as Japan Foundation Assistant Curator Kit Brooks shares why they love this screen in our collection & offers insights on its layers of symbolism.
Due to inclement weather, all Smithsonian museums in the D.C. area are closed today, Jan. 3.
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