Fwd: NOW OPEN at Asia Society Museum

Rivers of Ice: Vanishing Glaciers of the Greater Himalaya   July 13–August 15, 2010   The Himalaya are home to some of the world's most magnificent peaks and largest glaciers, which supply crucial seasonal flows to rivers across Asia. Yet many are disappearing at an alarming rate. This exhibition presents recent photographs of these water towers of Asia by mountaineer and photographer David Breashears alongside archival photographs taken over the past century by some of the world's greatest mountain photographers. The comparison starkly reveals the catastrophic loss of ice during the intervening years.  For more information, visit http://sites.asiasociety.org/riversofice/ Go Figure: Five Contemporary Videos July 13–August 15, 2010 This exhibition presents single-channel video works by five artists: Makoto Aida (born 1965, Japan), Cao Fei (born 1978, China), Patty Chang (born 1972, California), Motohiko Odani (born 1972, Japan), and Lin Yilin (born 1964, China). All of the works focus on a figure, or figures. The simplicity of this video format forces a heightened awareness of the unique focus of each artist. The works in the exhibition are promised gifts to Asia Society's Contemporary Art Collection. For more information, visit http://sites.asiasociety.org/gofigure/   ALSO ON VIEW Mariko Mori: Kumano Through August 1, 2010 In Mariko Mori's video work, Kumano, the artist appears as a mysterious spirit, a shaman, and a floating angel. The exhibition presents this work alongside selected images of the divine from Asia Society's Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection to explore the constantly changing yet persistent tradition of visualizing and aspiring toward a higher consciousness. For more information, visit http://sites.asiasociety.org/marikomori/ Major support for Rivers of Ice: Vanishing Glaciers of the Greater Himalayais provided by the Arthur Ross Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, the 11th Hour Project and the Richard D. Bass Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, Stonyfield Farms, Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, Steven Parry, Bjorn Edlund, Robert M. Bishop, Tom Pritzker, Marshall Ruben and Anne Clarke Ronce. Support for Go Figure: Five Contemporary Videos and Mariko Mori: Kumano is provided by Asia Society Contemporary Art Council and Sheryl and Charles R. Kaye Endowment for Contemporary Art Exhibitions. Support for Asia Society Museum provided by the Friends of Asian Art; Asia Society Contemporary Art Council; Arthur Ross Foundation; Asia: Ideas and Images, endowed by Harold and Ruth Newman; Sheryl and Charles R. Kaye Endowment for Contemporary Art Exhibitions; Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund; National Endowment for the Humanities; Hazen Polsky Foundation; New York State Council on the Arts; and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Captions, from top: Lining up a comparative shot at the Main Rongbuk Glacier, Mount Everest, 2007. David Breashears, Courtesy of GlacierWorks; Cao Fei (born 1978, China). Rabid Dogs, 2002. Single channel video, sound. 8 minutes. Asia Society, New York: Promised Gift of Harold and Ruth Newman; Mariko Mori (born 1967, Japan). Kumano, 1997–1998. Single channel video, sound. 8 minutes, 50 seconds. Asia Society, New York: Purchase with funds donated by Carol and David Appel, 2009.003.