Damion Matthews
Bold new art, along with objects from the Asian Art Museum’s own renowned collection in San Francisco, is featured in the new exhibit “Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past,” which explores spirits, spirituality, cosmic order, and the afterlife.
The museum’s first large scale exhibition of contemporary art provides a provocative interplay of 150 artworks from past and present, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, site-specific creations, and more by artists from all over Asia, including Adeela Suleman, Adrian Wong, Fuyuko Matsui, Hyon Gyon, Raqib Shaw, Motohiko Odani and others.
At the exhibit’s opening, one of the most important events of the Spring social season, Gala chairs Komal Shah and Eliza Cash welcomed museum board members, major donors, civic, corporate and social leaders, artists featured in the exhibition, and art enthusiasts from around the world.
Komal Shah, Sara Abbasi -Dean Cash, Eliza Cash
A unique evening of art and artists began with a cocktail reception in the museum’s Samsung Hall with exhibition viewing throughout the museum. The evening included a seated dinner in a specially designed adjacent tent, a sumptuous four course dinner catered by McCall Associates, and colorful performance by Quixotic, an ensemble of artists from various disciplines including aerial acrobatics and dance. This special fundraising event raised more than $850,000 in support of the exhibition and its related programs.
Phantoms of Asia, which runs through September 2, 2012, explores the spiritual and supernatural roots of Asian art and culture through a compelling interplay of more than 60 contemporary artworks in dialogue with 80 historical objects. Spread over 40,000 square feet throughout and even outside the museum, the exhibition encourages visitors to view traditional objects not simply as relics of the past, but as vibrant and insightful connections to the present.
Allison Speer, Barbara Brown, Carolyn Chang -Boaz Mazor, Sally Debenham
Fuyuko Matsui, Naruyama Matsihuko -Daru Kawalkowski, Robert Fountain
Dan Dieguez, Carolyne Zinko -Chloe Harris Frankeny, Darius Himes, Jodi Nakatsuka
Beatrice Pang, Christine Suppes – Vinati Mishra, Deepa Pakianathan
Gorretti Lui, Jerry Yang, Akiko Yamazaki – Steve Westly, Anita Westly
Noosheen Hashemi, Anita Westly – Bill Fisher, Sako Fisher
The Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture is one of San Francisco’s premier arts institutions and home to a world-renown collection of more than 18,000 Asian Art treasures spanning 6000 years of history. Through rich art experiences, centered on historic and contemporary artworks, the Asian Art Museum unlocks the past for visitors, bringing it to life, while serving as a catalyst for new art, new creativity and new thinking.
Location: 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.
Information: 415.581.3500 or www.asianart.org.