May 15, 2013
Asian Art Museum Hosts Special Artist-Led Tour Through Tenderloin Neighborhood in Partnership with ArtPadSF.
Download a PDF copy of this Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO, May 15, 2013 — On May 18th, the Asian Art Museum will host Tender Landscapes, a special interactive Artists Drawing Club event in partnership with ArtPadSF, a provocative boutique art fair. At the event, contemporary artist Radka Pulliam will lead participants on a journey from the Asian Art Museum through San Francisco’s Tenderloin, a diverse, thriving neighborhood with a storied history. Along the way, participants will discover intimate connections with the surroundings through observations and sensory exercises. The interactive artist-and-resident-led stroll will culminate at the Phoenix Hotel, where ArtPadSF will be in full effect.
To participate in Tender Landscapes, individuals are encouraged to register with a museum staff member on the front steps of the Asian Art Museum by the Tender Landscapes sign 15 minutes prior to departure at 11:45 a.m. or 2:45 p.m. The 30–40 minute journey is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tender Landscapes is part of the Asian Art Museum’s new monthly program series, Artists Drawing Club. The program features nine contemporary Bay Area artists who use the museum as a project platform, drawing inspiration from the institution to offer a unique experience for visitors. The Artists Drawing Club provides a new lens to view the museum, its collection, and the surroundings through the perspective of artists Julie Chang, Binh Danh, Ala Ebtekar, Amy M. Ho, Ranu Mukherjee, Toyin Odutola, Pulliam, Lordy Rodriguez and Weston Teruya.
“The Asian Art Museum is not only a venue to showcase artworks, but it is also a place for the public to engage with the museum through the individual artist’s process,” said Marc Mayer, educator for public programs. “Through programs like the Artists Drawing Club, we are embracing the museum’s vision to awaken the past and inspire the next.”
In another program on May 23, Teruya will recreate objects and ephemera that represent Hawaii “expats’ ” ties to their old home. This collection of fragments from a dislocated local culture will be installed in the museum and accompanied by the stories of fellow “expats” that inspired the created objects.
On Sept. 12, Ebtekar will work with a number of collaborators to present Cylindr.us, a night of events surrounding the museum’s upcoming Cyrus Cylinder exhibition and incorporating performances, readings and art in the museum. The night draws connections between the legacy of this ancient object and the contemporary moment.
The Asian Art Museum launched the series on Feb. 28, 2013 with Mukherjee, an artist and California College of Art (CCA) associate professor. Mukherjee, along with CCA students, activated the museum with a procession through the collection galleries. Along the procession’s route, participants were invited to present a response to a particular object from the collection, highlighting perspectives of history, personal association and interpretations.
For a full schedule of the Artists Drawing Club, go to www.asianart.org.
The Asian Art Museum–Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture is one of San Francisco’s premier arts institutions and home to a world-renowned collection of more than 18,000 Asian art treasures spanning 6,000 years of history. Through rich art experiences, centered on historic and contemporary artworks, the Asian Art Museum unlocks the past for visitors, bringing it to life, while serving as a catalyst for new art, new creativity and new thinking.
Information: 415.581.3500 or www.asianart.org
Location: 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours: The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From February through October, hours are extended on Thursdays until 9 p.m. Closed Mondays, as well as New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
General Admission: FREE for museum members, $12 for adults, $8 for seniors (65+), college students with ID, and youths (13–17). FREE for children under 12 and SFUSD students with ID. Admission on Thursdays after 5 p.m. is $5 for all visitors (except those under 12, SFUSD students and members, who are always admitted FREE). Admission is FREE to all on Target First Free Sundays (the first Sunday of every month). A surcharge may apply for admission into special exhibitions.
Access: The Asian Art Museum is wheelchair accessible. For more information regarding access: 415.581.3598; TDD: 415.861.2035.