Looking at Art

The lessons below increase in the level of analytical thinking required of the students, with Lesson 1 being accessible to all grade levels and the final lesson, Lesson 5, being more appropriate for Grades 9-12+.

Creating opportunities for youth involvement at the Asian Art Museum, Art Speak engages young artists ages fourteen to eighteen who are interested in Asian art and culture, enjoy exploring new and different ideas, are self-motivated and independent but work well with others, and feel comfortable interacting with the public. From manga to Ming to samurai, Art Speak is a dynamic program that grows from year to year with each season offering new and exciting opportunities for creation and collaboration.

Note: This video does not include audio.
The exhibition, “Emperors’ Treasures: Chinese Art from the National Palace Museum, Taipei” at the Asian Art Museum (from 6/17-9/18/16) focuses on Chinese imperial taste over more than 1,000 years, during which Chinese political borders changed dramatically. This video highlights some of those changes.

Jeffrey Durham, Assistant Curator of Himalayan Art at the Asian Art Museum discusses the secrets of the Svayambhu Stupa in the Asian Art Museum’s collection.

Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Jeff Byers, tells a story about a monk and a samurai in the Asian Art Museum’s Japan galleries.

Hear the origin story of the Hindu deity Ganesha and learn how to identify depictions of Ganesha with the use of artworks in the Asian Art Museum’s collection.

Monica Desai tells a story about Narasimha, an incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu.

Asian Art Museum Storyteller Leta Bushyhead tells a scene from from the Rama epic (Ramayana) with the use of artworks in the museum’s collection.

A batik lower garment can be wrapped in many ways. People of varying ages, diverse regional backgrounds, or different marital statuses might wrap their long cloths (kain panjang) in different manners. These textiles often are pleated more intricately for ceremonial occasions. The sarong or tube skirt is a less formal mode of dress, which can be worn by both men and women. In this video Alice Adeboi, with the assistance of Peggy Adeboi, demonstrates a formal and less formal way of wearing a kain panjang, methods taught to her by her Javanese mother. Michael Ogi shows how a kain panjang would be worn by a man on a formal occasion and how a sarong is worn informally.