Asia Society New York's Best Moments of 2019
Our Year in Review
December 16th, 2019
by
Ami Li
This year, Asia Society New York played host to acclaimed artists, authors, historians, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and defense ministers. Our stage accommodated MacArthur Genius Grant recipients, Tony Award-winning playwrights, and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors. We honored a thrilling lineup of female Asia Game Changers, showcased the expanding influence of Asians and Asian Americans in New York and beyond, and welcomed members, visitors, families, and neighbors to our many multidisciplinary programs, exhibitions, lectures, and discussions.
In 2020, we're especially looking forward to the inaugural Asia Society Triennial . A festival of arts, ideas, and innovation, the Triennial takes place at multiple locations around New York City from June 5—August 9, 2020. Stay tuned for more!
Take a look at some of our favorite shots from throughout the year:
Ringing in the Year of the Pig at our beloved Lunar New Year Family Day. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Installation view of 'Lightning,' part of 'M.F. Husain: Art and the Nation,' on view at Asia Society New York from March 20—August 4, 2019. (Bruce M. White/Asia Society)
Master artisan Junichi Mitsubori shows off a completed example of wagashi, the Japanese discipline of sculptural pastry made from bean and glutinous rice paste. (Brian Ach/Asia Society)
Percussionist Susie Ibarra and the DreamTime Ensemble performed 'Fragility: A Game of Polyrhythms' at Governors Island, July 13, 2019. Commissioned by Asia Society as part of the Creative Common Ground Initiative, Ibarra and the DreamTime Ensemble played the debut performances of 'Fragility' at Asia Society in 2018. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Rapper Bohan Phoenix makes his Asia Society debut during the Chinosity Xperience, an evening of music and conversations with the next generation of Asian and Asian American creators, produced by Asia Society's China Learning Initiatives. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Mahal Kita from Bubble_T performs as a part of Asia in America: Next Generation. The celebration recognizes Asian and Asian American creatives who have played a transformative role in the arts, and funds those initiatives at Asia Society. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Guests admire the artwork of Xiaoze Xie at the opening for 'Objects of Evidence,' a show of the China-born, California-based painter, installation, and multimedia artist. The exhibition is on view through January 5, 2020. (Maria Baranova/Asia Society)
Artist Karl Orozco leads guests in an interactive art project, 'Endless Scroll,' at a free First Friday Leo Bar at Asia Society. Participants chose mahjong tiles, hand carved by Orozco, based on the month and day of their birth and "signed" the scroll, serving as a living record of event guests. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran poses with the 2019 Asia Game Changer Award honorees, an all-women slate that included Sharjah Art Foundation founder Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koiko, the Kung Fu Nuns of Drukpa Lineage, international cricketer Sana Mir, Cravath managing partner Faiza Saeed, Delhi Deputy Police Commissioner Chhaya Sharma, and Trip.com CEO Jane Jie Sun. The awards ceremony and dinner honoring the recipients took place at Cipriani 25 Broadway on October 24, 2019. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Asia Game Changers the Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa Lineage dazzle audiences with a demonstration of martial arts prowess during the public Meet the Asia Game Changers program held at Asia Society New York on October 24, 2019. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
In conjunction with the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Asia Society hosted high level conversations between our leadership and the heads of various foreign governments. Here, President and CEO Josette Sheeran talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the 74th Session, we also hosted addresses by ministers of Afghanistan, Thailand, the Philippines, India, and more. (Elsa Ruiz/Asia Society)
The 2019 President's Forum welcomed decorated Career Ambassador William Burns to our stage in conversation with Josette Sheeran. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Indonesian performance artist Melati Suryodarmo premiered a new commissioned work, the durational performance piece 'IF WE WERE XYZ' at Asia Society on October 17-18, 2019. 'IF WE WERE XYZ' incorporates Suryodarmo's ongoing research and fascination with the nature of sleep and dreams. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Soprano Stefanie Quintin sings the title role in 'Mila,' a chamber opera exploring the complex relationships between domestic helpers and their employers in contemporary Hong Kong. Co-produced by Asia Society New York and Asia Society Hong Kong, 'Mila' has a score by composer Eli Marshall and libretto by playwright Candace Chong. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Artist Vibha Galhotra asks 'Who Owns the Water?' In the performance piece, Galhotra uses availability of resources, food, and visual art to navigate the relationship between humans and our environment. (Ellen Wallop/Asia Society)
Thank you for your support and see you in 2020! (Maggie Parvaresh/Pardis)