Rubin Museum — “Project Himalayan Art”
Online and Various Locations
Project Himalayan Art is an interdisciplinary resource for learning about Himalayan, Tibetan, and Inner Asian art and cultures. This three part-initiative is designed to support the inclusion of these cultures into undergraduate teaching on Asia and presents Himalayan art to the general public. The project focuses on cross-cultural exchange with Tibet at the center and Buddhism as the thread that connects the diverse cultural regions. The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art presents exhibitions, projects, and collaborative initiatives that deepen awareness of Himalayan art and cultures.
V&A — “Cartier”
V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, United Kingdom
Featuring more than 350 objects, the exhibition will chart the evolution of the house’s legacy of art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century. The exhibition will include precious jewels and showstopping objects, historic gemstones, iconic watches and clocks from the V&A and Cartier Collection, as well as previously unseen drawings from the V&A and Cartier archives, together with works lent from the Royal Collection, major UK and international museums, and private collections. Highlights will include the Williamson Diamond brooch commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 featuring the rare 23.6 carat pink Williamson diamond; the Scroll Tiara commissioned in 1902 and worn to the coronation of Elizabeth II, among others.
HKMoA — “The Pride of Hong Kong: Three Preeminent Collections of Ancient Paintings and Calligraphies”
Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Political turmoil during the mid-20th century flooded Hong Kong with an influx of paintings, calligraphies and other artefacts. It was during this period that Low Chuck-tiew’s (1911–1993) Xubaizhai, Ho Iu-kwong’s (1907 – 2006) Chih Lo Lou and Lee Jung-sen’s (1915 – 2007) Bei Shan Tang were built out of either a passion for painting and calligraphy or a self-imposed mission to preserve and promote Chinese heritage by their masters. This exhibition brings together these three collections of Xubaizhai, Chih Lo Lou and Bei Shan Tang, featuring 93 sets of classics. The show explores the significant role that the city has played in the preservation of traditional Chinese art and salutes the altruism of the Hong Kong collectors who donated their prized possessions to public institutions.
UMAG, HKU — “Bamboo Baskets Chinese Origins, Japanese Innovations”
University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
This exhibition, comprising over 200 objects, offers an overview of the finest achievements of bamboo art in East Asia, reassessing the central role played by continental prototypes, or karamono (Chinese things), in the development of Japanese basketry over the past 150 years. The displays, with loans from both the Naej Collection (Germany) and the Muwen Tang Collection (Hong Kong), illustrate a wide range of weaving techniques, tracing the evolution of Ming and Qing dynasty vessels to their influence on Edo period artefacts and the innovative development of contemporary kogei, as well as the cultural context of the traditional tea ceremony and the related art of ikebana flower arrangement.
MUSEC — “Spirit of Simplicity. The Martin Kurer Collection”
Riva Antonio Caccia 5, 6900, Lugano, Switzerland
This exhibition presents an unprecedented dialogue between one of the world’s most important collections of traditional sculptures from the Philippine Cordillera and works of contemporary Asian art gathered by the Swiss collector Martin Kurer. The unique collection, capable of transcending space, time, and cultures, offers a profound reflection on the aesthetic and conceptual value of simplicity. On display are works from the Ifugao, Kalinga and Bontok peoples of the Cordillera (a mountainous region in the north of Luzon Island), and contemporary artworks by artists Li Shirui, Lao Lianben, Endo Toshikatsu, Zhang Lin Hai, Somboon Hormtientong and Francisco Pellicer Viri.
HK Palace Museum — “Treasures of the Mughal Court from the Victoria and Albert Museum”
Hong Kong Palace Museum, 8 Museum Drive, Hong Kong
Between the 1560s and the 1660s, the Mughal dynasty (1526–1857) in South Asia experienced its “golden age” as one of the world’s most powerful imperial families at the time. This century witnessed the reigns of three remarkable emperors: Akbar (r. 1556–1605), his son Jahangir (r. 1605–1627), and his grandson Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658). Part of the “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series”, this exhibition, jointly organised by the V&A and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, celebrates the extraordinary artistic achievements of the Mughal dynasty, focusing on the roles of the three emperors in shaping and developing the rich and diverse artistic traditions of the court, where cultural elements from South Asia, China, Iran, Europe, and beyond converged.
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia — “More than a Day as a Tiger: The Legacy of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore”
Jalan Lembah Perdana 50480, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This landmark exhibition, the largest ever held, displays prized works from one of India’s most remarkable dynasties, from 1761 to 1799, when Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore, becoming the most persistent obstacle to British empire-building. In the words of Tipu Sultan, “it is better to live as a tiger for a day than as a sheep for a hundred years”. He died fighting against the East India Company in 1799, but his legacy lives on in the artefacts created during this short dynasty. The exhibition delves into the symbolism, ideology and historical legacy that turned Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali into heroes of anti-colonial resistance who were later sidelined in their homeland.
HKMoA — “Engaging Past Wisdom: Min Chiu Society at Sixty-five”
Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
The distinguished members of the Min Chiu Society have long upheld the aspiration to “revere antiquity while diligently seeking knowledge”. Their practice transcends mere collecting, embracing instead a tradition of meticulous study and has gained international acclaim. In celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Society, this exhibition features over 400 sets of precious Chinese artefacts from their collections, including Chinese painting and calligraphy, ceramics, bronzes, lacquerware, jades, bamboo carvings, furniture and snuff bottles, for the enjoyment, appreciation and enlightenment for all.