Photos: Asia Society Members Celebrate and Discover 'Secrets of the Sea'

Adriana Proser, the John H. Foster Senior Curator for Traditional Asian Art at Asia Society (right) and famed architect I.M. Pei (middle, seated) view an ewer artifact at Asia Society New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Adriana Proser (right), leads VIP guests through the exhibition in New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

An attendee examines an artifact in the exhibition “Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia” at Asia Society New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Exhibition opening attendees welcome special guest and 2016 Asia Society Game Changer, architect I.M. Pei in New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Asia Society trustees and exhibition chairs Oscar Tang and Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang attend exhibition opening festivities at Asia Society New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Kennie Ting, director of the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, addresses attendees during the exhibition opening at Asia Society New York on March 7, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

(L–R) Kennie Ting, director of the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore; Loh Lik Peng, chairman of the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore; Boon Hui Tan, Asia Society Museum Director and Vice President for Arts & Cultural Programs; Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore to the United States; Josette Sheeran, President and CEO of Asia Society; Zarina Varukatty, Partner at Siksal Private Placement Advisors, and her husband Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the U

President and CEO of Asia Society Josette Sheeran welcomes a VIP crowd to the dinner celebrating the opening of Asia Society Museum’s spring exhibition “Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia” in New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri gives remarks during the dinner celebrating “Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia” in New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Loh Lik Peng, chairman of the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, gives a short speech during the dinner in celebration of the exhibition “Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia” in New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Boon Hui Tan, Asia Society Museum Director and Vice President for Arts & Cultural Programs, welcomes audiences to Asia Society New York on March 6, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Chef Malcolm Lee of Candlenut, the world’s first and only Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant in Singapore, designed special hors d’oeuvres for the exhibition opening. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

Asia Society trustee and exhibition chair Oscar Tang addresses the audience during the dinner in celebration of the exhibition opening at Asia Society New York on March 7, 2017. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)

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Asia Society Museum hosted a special evening last month for Asia Society members and VIP guests to preview its spring exhibition Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia. Members mingled and enjoyed conversation, wine, and Peranakan hors d’oeuvres by Michelin star chef Malcolm Lee, who traveled from Singapore for the opening. The exhibition brings the precious contents of a shipwreck discovered off Belitung Island in the Java Sea to American audiences for the first time.

The exhibition is on view at Asia Society Museum through June 4, 2017.

Secrets of the Sea: A Tang Shipwreck and Early Trade in Asia is co-organized by Asia Society and the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore. The reception was co-presented by Asia Society Museum and the Singapore Tourism Board.