Arts of Asia Fall 2025 It's Magic: Art and the Power of Transformation
Society for Asian Art and Asian Art Museum are separate non-profit organizations with separate memberships. Please use the appropriate registration buttons to register for Society programs.
From the beginnings of human existence, art has had the power to transform our understanding of the world; sometimes that power is called magic.
Join us for a 14-lecture series that delves into the mystical qualities of art across cultures and time. From ancient talismans to contemporary illusions, discover how artists harness symbolism, ritual, and innovation to alter perceptions, bridge worlds, and inspire change. Instructor of Record Jeff Durham, Associate Curator of Himalayan Art at the Asian Art Museum, has invited speakers who provide enlightening new perspectives on art.
The Arts of Asia committee welcomes comments about our lecture series. Please email comments to info@societyforasianart.org.
Please refer to the schedule of Speaker & Topics below to ascertain the location of each lecture.
Speakers & Topics (Subject to Change)
Aug. 29, 2025
TBD
Sept. 5, 2025
Medieval Central Asia in Depth: Archaeological Explorations and Mapping of Newly Discovered High Elevation Cities of the 6th – 12th Centuries
Michael Frachetti, Professor of Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
Sept. 12, 2025
The Other Murakamis
Bradley Bailey, Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Curator of Asian Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Sept. 19, 2025
TBD
Oct. 3, 2025
The Animated Image In Asia: Image Consecration and Desecration
James Robeson, James C. Kralik and Yunli Lou Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
Oct. 10, 2025
Forbidden City Exhibit
Richard Vinograd, Christensen Fund Professor in Asian Art, Department of Art & Art History, Stanford University
Oct. 17, 2025
The Never-Never Land: The Private Theatre of the Qianlong Emperor (1711–1799)
Eugene Wang, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Professor of Asian Art, Department of History of Art + Architecture, Harvard University
Oct. 24, 2025
Transformation in Okinawan Rituals
Tze M. Loo, Associate Professor of History and Global Studies, Department of History, University of Richmond
Oct. 31, 2025
Falnama: The Book of Omens
Massumeh Farhad, Senior Associate Director for Research and The Ebrahimi Family Curator of Persian, Arab, and Turkish Art, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
Nov. 7, 2025
Ghosts in Japanese Art and in Kabuki Theatre
Kirk Kanesaka, Assistant Professor of Japanese and Asian Studies, California State University, San Bernardino
Nov. 14, 2025
The Art of Terrestrial Diagrams in Early China
Michelle H. Wang, Associate Professor of Art History and Humanities, Reed College
Nov. 21, 2025
TBD
Dec. 5, 2025
Transformation: From Magic Mirrors to Tea Bowls to Dancing Cats and Other Magical Creatures
Laura Allen, Independent Scholar and Emeritus Senior Curator for Japanese Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Dec. 12, 2025
The Buddha's Miracles and Magical Appearances
Forrest McGill, Emeritus Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Photo Credits:
Left: Towering to Cloudy Sky, 1776, by Luo Pin (Chinese, 1733–1799), Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Ink on paper. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Museum purchase, B74D18. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Right: Theatrical headdress for the magical deer in the Ramayana (Epic of Rama) dance-drama, approx. 1950–1960. Central Thailand. Papier-mâché, glass, and mixed media. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2006.27.10.9. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Registered attendees of the lecture series are encouraged to attend in-person in Samsung Hall. Otherwise, registered attendees can attend via Zoom. Drop-ins for individual lectures are only available in-person in Samsung Hall on a space available basis. Drop-ins for individual lectures are not available on Zoom. The lecture series is organized as 14 separate Zoom webinars. A Zoom webinar confirmation email with information on how to join each week's webinar will be sent to all registered attendees 2 or 3 days before each lecture. Even though it is not required by Zoom, we recommend that you download and install Zoom on your computer or mobile device in advance, and set yourself up with a free account. Attendees will have a chance to participate in the Q&A via Zoom Q&A. Read Arts of Asia Zoom Webinar FAQs.
Registration Policies
The Society for Asian Art's cancellation policy requires at least one week's advance written notice in order to receive a refund of registration fees. This excludes our Travel programs, which have separate cancellation policies, as well as any programs where a specific refund policy is stated on the event page. Your fees will be returned to you through a check in the mail. To cancel, please contact us.
For programs located within the Asian Art Museum, the museum entrance fee must be paid separately and is not included with your registration fee.
Please note that by registering for a program, you are giving consent to the SAA to be photographed or videoed as a participant.