Hidden Gems from the Asian Art Museum
Selections from the museum's collection of more than 20,000 artworks
River (2005-2006) by Liu Xiaodong (Chinese, born 1963)Asian Art Museum
River (2005-2006) by Liu Xiaodong
This thirty-foot scroll functions as a compendium of Liu Xiaodong's artistic career. The painting depicts a cast of characters from his previous oil paintings, going back to his art school days and moving forward through time.
We see a vision of an unsettled world through 92 figures, including farmers, artists, workers, intellectuals, businessmen, and politicians.
The Night of Perpetual Day (2013) by Yang Yongliang (Chinese, born 1980)Asian Art Museum
The Night of Perpetual Day (2013) by Yang Yongliang
The Night of Perpetual Day combines Chinese painting traditions with new media techniques to construct an animated landscape exploring China’s rapid urban development.
Yang's images document the tensions of urbanization: progress and destruction, the grayness of the metropolis and the beauty of nature. The artist digitally collages different photographs together and animates them to construct a landscape simultaneously futuristic and historic.
Bowl with handle (1700/1743) by Ogata Kenzan (1663 - 1743)Asian Art Museum
Bowl with handle (1700/1743) by Ogata Kenzan
This bowl was made for serving food during tea gatherings, where its striking design would have enhanced the delicacies on offer.
Camellias, a winter flower, brighten the interior; ten white, yellow, and eggplant-colored blossoms with colorful, dotted anthers stand out against a deep green background.
A Pair (2007) by Kim Jeeun (Korean, b. 1965)Asian Art Museum
A Pair (2007) by Kim Jeeun
"These are a form of traditional Korean shoes for men and women. I placed these two shoes next to each other but facing opposite direction. I am questioning the definition of 'pair.'" (Kim Jeeun)
The shoes are made of hanji, a Korean paper made of fibers from the bark of mulberry trees that is known for its toughness and durability. The papermaking process involves soaking and clubbing the mulberry fiber, after which the pulp is evenly distributed and strengthened.
Farmers working and resting (1955) by Fernando Amorsolo (Filipino, 1892 - 1972)Asian Art Museum
Farmers working and resting (1955) by Fernando Amorsolo
In this scene of rural life, farmers harvest rice in the background while villagers rest under the shade of a mango tree in the foreground. Pastoral themes such as this one were a favorite of the artist Fernando Amorsolo, the most popular Filipino painter of the 20th century.
Some scholars attribute the great appeal of his works to the nostalgia for simpler times during the period of rapid urbanization and cultural change under the American colonial regime.
Set of Twelve Incense Containers (Taisho period (1912-1926)) by January: Embroidered Ball by Koda Shuetsu (Japanese, 1881–1933) February: Jewel by Uehara Shunko (Japanese, 1877–1948) March: Willow by Yuasa Kagyo I (Japanese, 1875–1952) April: Cherry Blossom by Domoto Gosaburo (Japanese, 1889–1964) May: Saxifrage by Uono Jisei (Japanese, 1883–after 1953) June: Thunder by Inai Gyokuho I (Japanese, 1876–1930) July: Star Festival by Koda Katei (Japanese, 1886–1961) August: Eggplant by Yamada Rakuzen I (Japanese, 1874–1939) September: Wave by Miki Gyokushin (Japanese, 1881–1944) October: Rice Plant by Okamoto Shoho (Japanese, active approx. 1910s) November: Autumn Leaves by Kamisaka Yukichi (Japanese, 1886–1938) December: Maianthemum Japonicum by Toshima Kofu (Japanese, 1882–1956)Asian Art Museum
Set of Twelve Incense Containers (1912-1926)
In this unique project, Suzuki Hyosaku I (1874–1943), a leading lacquer artist, collaborated with twelve lacquer decorators to create a set of twelve incense containers (kogo).
Each artist chose a motif to symbolize a specific month of the year. For example, the container for January simulates a toy ball called temari, which was made from a cotton core wrapped decoratively with silk thread.
