Jeffrey Durham, Associate Curator of Himalayan Art, discusses a painting of the Buddha Vairochana in the exhibition, Enter the Mandala.

A lecture series by renowned scholars on the arts of Asia—explore temples, palaces, and sometimes forgotten places of power, religion, and art. Visit world wonders not simply as tourists today, but as monks, monarchs, artisans and artistocrats, traders and explorers experienced them over the centuries.

This lecture series, organized by the Society for Asian Art, explores narrative using Asian art—how myths, legends, histories and moral precepts have been transmitted through visual means. Topics range from sculptural reliefs and murals used to educate pilgrims at famous religious sites to works created primarily for entertainment. Contemporary storytelling is also addressed via lectures on Bollywood and manga produced by San Francisco's Henry Yoshitaka Kiama.

Part two of the introductory film about the special exhibition, The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Art of Bhutan on view at the Asian Art Museum fron February 20–May 10, 2009. Film and exhibition produced by the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

View the conservation and installation of the large Cosmological Painting in the Asian Art Museum's collection for the Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past exhibition.

Renowned scholars discuss the impact of personalities and patronage on the arts of Asia.

Simhavaktra means "lion faced" or "lion headed," and a dakini is a "sky-walker"—an inhabitant of the realm of the sky in the mind. Simhavaktra balances deftly, despite her apparently awkward posture. To successfully create a sculpture of this type, extremely high levels of artistic skill were necessary. Indeed, Simhavaktra is one of only two comparable sculptures still extant in the world.

The sponsorship of art by monarchs, merchants, and devotees throughout Asia will be explored. Lectures will focus on topics spanning Chinese patronage from ancient times through several of the most famous imperial dynasties (Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing) to Jayavarman VII (Angkor Wat), the Safavids in Persia, Jahanara Begum (Shah Jahan's daughter), and even contemporary patrons like the Samsung family. 

A lecture series with renowned scholars on the arts of Southeast Asia and the Himalayas.

Jeffrey Durham, Associate Curator of Himalayan Art at the Asian Art Museum, discusses the secrets of the stupa in the museum's collection modeled on the famous pilgrimage Swayambhu Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.

View short videos, talks, and listen to an audio tour on the sacred arts of Bhutan. East of Mount Everest and bordered by India and Tibet, Bhutan is a remote and mystical kingdom, considered by many as “The Last Shangri-La.” A sovereign nation that has maintained its cultural, artistic, and religious traditions intact, it is one of the few countries in Asia never colonized by its neighbors or Western powers. The first exhibition of its kind, The Dragon's Gift provided an exceptionally rare opportunity to view some of the most sacred and beloved Buddhist arts in Bhutan. (On view at the Asian Art Museum from February 20–May 10, 2009).

A visual tour of important sites in Tibet.