
11 Not-to-Be-Missed Asian Art Exhibitions This Spring 2025
This spring, museums worldwide are unveiling exhibitions that showcase the richness and diversity of Asian art, from ancient trade routes to cutting-edge contemporary works. This list of recommended exhibitions promises to educate, inspire, and deepen your understanding of the artistic wonders of Asia.
1.
Asian Art Exhibition: The Silk Roads
Where: British Museum, London
Date: Through February 23, 2025
This deeply immersive exhibition takes visitors on a journey along the legendary Silk Roads, unveiling how cultures across Asia, Europe, and Africa were interconnected over a millennium ago. Focusing on the transformative period from AD 500–1000, when universal religions and trade networks flourished, the exhibition highlights the exchanges that shaped history.
Among the standout pieces are rare artifacts from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, displayed in the UK for the first time, including intricate Sogdian murals and ivory chess pieces from Samarkand. Other treasures, such as a Buddhist mandala from Dunhuang’s Mogao Caves and Tang Dynasty ceramics, illuminate the spiritual and commercial interactions that bridged continents. The exhibition also delves into captivating personal stories—such as that of the Chinese princess who introduced silk production to the West and the English balsam smuggler who navigated cultural boundaries.
2.
Asian Art Exhibition: The Eternal Garden – Titanium Art by Aka Chen
Where: Bowers Museum, Santa Ana
Date: Through April 13, 2025
Taiwanese artist Aka Chen’s debut solo exhibition in the United States presents his pioneering titanium sculptures, where he seamlessly blends the aesthetics of jewelry design with brush painting traditions. These meticulously crafted works—ranging from delicate vases to expansive 30-foot installations—draw inspiration from Chinese philosophical traditions and the symbolism of gardens as spaces for meditation and self-discovery.
Chen employs innovative techniques such as underwater carving and high-temperature shaping to produce iridescent, otherworldly pieces. The exhibition’s centerpiece, a titanium sculpture adorned with gemstones, serves as a stunning example of Chen’s ability to harmonize opulence with introspective depth. Through his work, Chen invites viewers into a world where beauty, philosophy, and craftsmanship converge.
3.
Asian Art Exhibition: The Art of Ink Rubbings – Impressions of Chinese Culture
Where: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas
Date: Through February 2, 2025
The exhibition delves into the art of ink rubbings, a technique dating back to the 6th century used to preserve inscriptions on stone and bronze. By the 1800s, ink rubbings had evolved into sophisticated works of art, sparking a renewed interest in China’s rich cultural history.
Featuring over 25 examples and original objects from the museum’s collection, the exhibition showcases the artistry behind this medium, from intricate bronzes to exquisite jade carvings. Visitors will also discover how ink rubbings became a bridge between East and West, as they were introduced to global audiences in the 20th century.
4.
Asian Art Exhibition: Mountains of the Mind – A Chinese Landscape Journey
Where: Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Date: Through January 2025
Step into an ethereal and tranquil world through this exquisite collection of Chinese landscape paintings, which transport viewers beyond the frenetic pace of modern life. Featuring masterpieces from a variety of stylistic schools, the works embody the literati’s idealized vision of a retreat—spaces of serenity, introspection, and escape.
Highlights include Ni Zan’s austere, lyrical brushwork, which evokes a world free from chaos and superficiality, and Wen Zhengming’s lush depictions of Jiangnan groves, offering a vision of harmonious coexistence with nature. Song Xu’s composition imagines the poetic mountain villa of Tang dynasty hermit Wang Wei, seamlessly blending history with artistic reverie.
“These landscapes are more than mere depictions of nature—they symbolize the cultural and spiritual sanctuaries of the artist’s mind,” says Dr. Fan Zhang, Barbara and Gerson Bakar Curator of Chinese Art.
5.
Asian Art Exhibition: The Lantern Festival and 2025 – The Year of the Snake
Where: Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach
Date: Through February 16, 2025
Celebrate the Year of the Snake at the Norton Museum of Art with a special exhibition featuring rare 16th-century scrolls depicting Lantern Festival scenes and Japanese art with snake motifs. The exhibition showcases six delicate hanging scrolls from the late 1500s to early 1600s, capturing the festive atmosphere of the Lantern Festival, which marks the conclusion of Lunar New Year celebrations.
In addition, the exhibition includes a woodblock print and an ivory netsuke toggle, both featuring snakes in Japanese art. Join in the festivities with a Puppet Show by Chinese Theater Works, story time with Monica Ladd, and dragon and lion dances by Lee Koon Hung Kung Fu. Explore the museum’s Asian Art Collection through Spotlight Tours and enjoy various art activities celebrating the Lunar New Year.
6.
Asian Art Exhibition: Kaleidoscope of Colors in Asian Art
Where: Harn Museum of Art, University of Florida
Date: Through April 26, 2026
Kaleidoscope of Colors in Asian Art offers a unique exploration of color’s cultural, social, and political significance across Asia. Featuring artworks from the 12th century BCE to the present day, the exhibition focuses on four key colors—green, blue, red, and gold—each representing themes such as natural resources, religious symbolism, and status.
From the rich pigments of Chinese lacquerware to the vibrant blues in Indian textiles, the exhibition highlights how colors were not only visually striking but also deeply meaningful. It offers insights into the transregional and transcultural influence of color, revealing its transformative role in shaping both Asian art and history.
7.
Asian Art Exhibition: Japan, Form & Function – The Montgomery Collection
Where: Crow Museum of Asian Art, The University of Texas
Date: Through April 13, 2025
Based on Jeffrey Montgomery’s renowned collection, this exhibition features over 240 works of Japanese folk art, encompassing ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and more. Themed galleries trace Japan’s artistic evolution, from the Ryūkyū Kingdom to the Mingei Movement, highlighting the balance of form and function in everyday objects such as water jars, tea kettles, and ceremonial banners.
Key highlights include works by Mingei pioneers like Kawai Kanjirō and Bernard Leach, whose efforts to preserve traditional craftsmanship resonate throughout the exhibition. This display offers an encyclopedic view of Japanese artistry and culture, celebrating the Montgomery Collection as the finest of its kind outside Japan.
8.
Asian Art Exhibition: Landscape, Mindscape – Portrayals of Nature and the World from Korea and Beyond, 1700–2020
Where: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon
Date: Through May 18, 2025
Spanning three centuries, this exhibition explores Korean and global interpretations of nature through both traditional and contemporary art. Joseon dynasty landscape paintings and folding screens are displayed alongside modern works, including video art and ceramics, highlighting the interplay between indigenous traditions and multicultural influences.
Key pieces include Seongmin Ahn’s surreal chaekgeori still life and Lee Lee-Nam’s digital meditation on Mount Geumgang, offering rich insights into the socio-political narratives tied to nature. The exhibition reflects humanity’s enduring connection to the natural world, expressed through a diverse range of artistic forms.
9.
Asian Art Exhibition: Good or Evil – Demons, Ghosts, and Goblins in Chinese Art
Where: Cleveland Museum of Art
Date: Through January 20, 2025
This exhibition explores the portrayal of demons, ghosts, and goblins in Chinese art, showcasing more than 12 paintings, sculptures, and artifacts. It examines the dual roles these supernatural beings play—both causing mischief and serving to ward off evil. Key works include a rare 32-foot-long handscroll depicting a demon-hunting tale, monumental guardian sculptures, and a powerful representation of Zhong Kui, the legendary demon queller.
The exhibition highlights how supernatural entities were simultaneously feared and revered in Chinese culture, often tied to Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian beliefs. The diverse depictions of these figures as protectors or agents of chaos offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Chinese religious and folkloric traditions.
10.
Asian Art Exhibition: Mapping the Infinite – Cosmologies Across Cultures
Where: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
Date: Through March 2, 2025
In a groundbreaking collaboration with leading scientists, this exhibition examines humanity’s enduring fascination with the cosmos. Through rare and visually stunning artworks, visitors journey across centuries and civilizations—from Neolithic Europe to the Islamic Middle East, from East Asia to the Americas—uncovering how different cultures conceptualized the universe’s origins, mechanics, and meaning.
From celestial deities to sacred architecture, the exhibition reveals the profound interplay between art, science, and spirituality, offering a captivating exploration of the infinite.
11.
Asian Art Exhibition: From the Divine to the Mortal – Storytelling in Chinese Painting at Mia
Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis
Date: Through October 19, 2025
This exhibition brings to life the vibrant tradition of Chinese narrative painting, spanning nearly 2,000 years. It showcases how artists depicted a range of themes, from Buddhist and Taoist mythologies to scenes of everyday life. Highlights include richly detailed scrolls and hanging paintings that explore moral tales, political satire, and literary classics.
Visitors will also encounter works that reflect the evolving focus of Chinese art—from divine transcendence to earthly experiences—illustrating the rich depth and diversity of Chinese storytelling across centuries.
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