The Artsy Voyager: ArtBeat#2: A Taste of Asia In The Big Apple

By Jacquelin Carnegie - (New York, NY)

Asia Week New York www.asiaweekny.com
(Download a map & guide.)
Every year in March, Asian art lovers get a special treat. International dealers come to New York City and exhibit masterpieces of Asian art along with about 50 galleries, 20 museums, and Asian cultural institutions. Asia Week highlights include work by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian artists. Especially terrific: Antiques and contemporary art pieces are often on view together, establishing a link between the discipline of the past with the fluidity of the future. Even after the week of special exhibitions is over, several galleries and museums continue to display spectacular Asian art, from ancient through contemporary. Here are some highpoints:
International Dealers:

Kidera Yuko, Dancing Girl (Lesley Kehoe)

Lesley Kehoe Galleries (Melbourne, Australia): Dedicated to the Japanese aesthetic. If you have the funds, you'll want to buy every piece of artwork on display--especially those by Mitsuo Shoji, Kidera Yuko & Kaneko Toru.
Dalton Somaré (Milan, Italy): Specializes in works from India, the Himalayas (Nepal & Tibet) and Sub-Saharan Africa. Beautiful Buddhas on view in New York.
Francesca Galloway (London, England): Expert in Indian painting and courtly objects, Islamic and European textiles. Splendid 17th-century "Jalis" from Mughal, India on view.
KooNewYork (Florida): Antique and contemporary Korean pieces. Jiyoung Koo is not only an expert on Korean art but also the period and societies in which the work was created.
Zetterquist Galleries (New York, NY): Stunning antique Chinese monochrome porcelains on display, plus chatting with Eric Zetterquist about the pieces is delightfully educative.

Museums:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org):

Buddha (Dalton Somaré)

"Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China" - until 4/6/14
A truly fascinating exhibit featuring work by 35 artists in various media: paintings, calligraphy, photographs, woodblock prints, video, & sculpture. The artists have based their contemporary works on traditional Chinese art forms.
Rubin Museum of Art (www.rubinmuseum.org): With a comprehensive collection of art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions, there are several special exhibits on view. The museum also has great events and is a hot-spot on Friday nights.
Japan Society (www.japansociety.org): "Points of Departure: Treasures of Japan from the Brooklyn Museum" - until 6/8/14
Since the Brooklyn Museum's Asian art section is under renovation, many of the masterworks are currently on display here.
If you love everything Japanese, here's more ways to experience Japan in NYC.