Installation view, Through the Light: Contemporary Jogakbo by Wonju Seo

Through the Light: Contemporary Jogakbo by Wonju Seo
Closing Saturday, January 31, 2026
Charles B. Wang Center Skylight Gallery

There’s still time to experience Through the Light, the vibrant exhibition of contemporary jogakbo (Korean wrapping cloth) art of Wonju Seo at the Charles B. Wang Center before it closes January 31. Rooted in centuries-old Korean textile practices, Seo’s translucent compositions transform humble fabric into luminous abstractions. Her works echo the geometry of modernist paintings while light itself becomes an active presence—filtering through seams, shifting with space, and casting fleeting shadows.

With a refined minimalist sensibility and deep reverence for craftsmanship, Seo reimagines the once-utilitarian jogakbo as a contemporary language of transparency, balance, and spiritual reflection—inviting viewers to slow down and see light anew.

To learn more, click here.

Davide Balliano, UNTITLED_0336, 2025, plaster, gesso, acrylic, and resin on linen, diptych, overall: 96 x 80 in (243.8 x 203.2 cm)

Davide Balliano: Abacus
February 5 – March 7, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 5, 6–8pm
525 West 21st Street, NYC

Tina Kim Gallery is pleased to present Abacus, an exhibition featuring new paintings and works on paper by New York-based artist Davide Balliano (b. 1983, Turin, Italy) opening February 5. Marking Balliano’s fifth solo presentation with the gallery and a significant moment in the evolution of his practice, the exhibition will debut new paintings in color and new series of gouaches on paper.

Long defined by his monochrome palette, Balliano has for the first time introduced shades of red and ochre into his signature geometric paintings, reflecting his ongoing exploration of the tension between order and organic flux. The arches and curves that anchor his compositions, as well as the newly introduced earthy hues, explore the idea of entropic decay and the passage of time while also drawing parallels with the architectural landscape of the artist’s native Turin. The exhibition shares its title with a poem by Sandy Florian, whose meditation on how mathematical instruments can be used to present and represent (or produce and reproduce) the natural phenomena of our world served as a conceptual point of departure for this show.

They warmly invite you to join them for the opening on Thursday, February 5, and look forward to welcoming you soon!

To learn more, click here.

Kaku: Spiral Rhythm
February 5 – 28, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday February 5, 5–8pm
35 N Moore Street, NYC

Ippodo Gallery is pleased to present Spiral Rhythm, the first solo exhibition of acclaimed Japanese artist KAKU at the gallery. More than a dozen works of paper and three-dimensional wall sculptures, composed from tens of thousands of hand-wrapped washi paper spirals, are on view from February 5 to 28, 2026. KAKU meditates on the significance of washi paper as an integral element in Japanese culture, particularly as it evokes qualities of warmth, innocence, and quiet in everyday life. The essence of washi offers a material intelligence that refreshes the soul.

KAKU (b. 1950) began the extraordinary journey into washi  in 1980s Japan when he voluntarily made the decision to withdraw from a thriving commercial career in design. The roots of what became his spiral designs developed over fifteen years of near-isolation in Budapest, Hungary as he recovered from a fast-paced culture that had created burnout: “The spiral pieces emerge from my hands as naturally as breathing, as if a spider were spinning its thread from deep within me,” the artist reflects. “The spiral feels to me like a fragment of life itself.”

To learn more, click here.

Yoshida Hiroshi, The Grand Canyon, 1925. Seal: “Jizuri” (self-printed) plus red artist’s seal. Signature: Yoshida (in brush)

Portland Fine Print Fair
Opening Benefit Preview: Friday, Jan 23, 6-9pm (ticketed)
Saturday, Jan 24 (10am-6pm) and Sunday, Jan 25 (11am-5pm)
Free Weekend Admission
Portland Art Museum, Mark Building
1119 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

Egenolf Gallery is delighted to participate in this weekend’s Portland Fine Print Fair from January 23–25. Nothing beats browsing original art in person; no computer screen can compare to the depth and radiance of the handmade woodblock prints. They are delighted to invite you to browse their curated selection of original 18^th-20^th century Japanese prints this weekend at their only Pacific Northwest event!

The Portland Fine Print Fair, now in its 13th year in the historic Fields Ballroom, features 16 top dealers from across North America and Europe and is the largest and most comprehensive print fair on the West Coast. Discover prints spanning historic to contemporary, with exceptional quality available across a wide range of prices. Admission to the fair, talks and tours are free and open to the public.

To learn more about the fair, click here.

© National Museum of Korea

Keynote & Reception: Thursday, January 22, 6–8pm
Meyer Auditorium
Symposium: Friday, January 23, 10am–5pm
Meyer Auditorium & Live Streamed
Registration required

The National Museum of Asian Art is pleased to announce a two-day international symposium in Washington, DC, presented in conjunction with their exhibition Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared. This gathering brings together scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts to explore Korean art collecting—both premodern and contemporary—within Korea and around the world. The program begins on the evening of January 22 with an in-person keynote lecture by Youngna Kim of Seoul National University, followed by a celebratory reception, and continues on January 23 with a full day of in-person and livestreamed talks and discussions.

Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared honors the practice of collecting to preserve memories, express one’s taste, and safeguard traditions for generations to come. This exhibition is the National Museum of Asian Art’s largest and most comprehensive presentation of Korean art as well as the first US showcase of masterpieces generously donated to the Korean nation by the family of Lee Kun-Hee. Spanning 1,500 years, the exhibition features over two hundred remarkable objects, ranging from ancient Buddhist sculptures and ceramics to paintings, furnishings, and modern masterpieces of the twentieth century.

To learn more and register, click here.

Ran Hwang, Return to Nature #1, 2025; Image courtesy of the Artist

Ran Hwang | Noble Blossoms
January 27 – April 17, 2026
Opening Reception: Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 5-7pm (kindly RSVP)

The Korea Society is pleased to present Ran Hwang | Noble Blossoms, a solo exhibition of large-scale installations that are at once intricate and poetic—delicate yet dramatic—exploring the cyclical patterns of life and the fleeting nature of beauty.

Hwang creates her art through a meticulous and repetitive process, utilizing everyday materials such as paper buttons and pins. This requires intense concentration and discipline, reflecting the meditative state of Zen masters and the spiritual values traditionally sought by scholars of the past. While painstaking and labor intensive, the process also embodies an aesthetic of transcending difficulty, ultimately visualizing a serene beauty and noble spirit that defines the artist’s unique perspective. Through her work, Hwang evokes a sense of tranquility, inviting the viewer into an experience that seeks fulfillment and peace.

To learn more and RSVP to the reception, click here.

The Korea Society Gallery welcomes visitors by appointment only. Appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. To arrange a visit, please contact [email protected].

Dish with Three Jars. Edo period (1615–1868), 1680–90s. Porcelain with cobalt under and polychrome enamels over a transparent glaze (Hizen ware, Nabeshima type), H. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm); Diam. 6 in. (15.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975 (1975.268.563)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art invites visitors to experience two new exhibitions that celebrate the richness and diversity of Asian art. Now open, The Infinite Artistry of Japanese Ceramics reveals the remarkable innovation and refinement of Japanese ceramic arts across centuries. Opening soon, Household Gods: Hindu Devotional Prints, 1860–1930 offers a vivid glimpse into the colorful, intimate world of popular religious imagery. Together, these exhibitions promise moments of beauty, insight, and discovery not to be missed.

The Infinite Artistry of Japanese Ceramics
Through August 8, 2027

From the earliest hand-built figurines rooted in spiritual beliefs to the vibrant works that define today’s contemporary ceramic art scene, Japanese pottery reflects exceptional creativity and a refined sense of beauty. Its distinctiveness arises from the ingenuity and mastery of the potters, as well as the wide range of wares that have long supported daily life. This exhibition explores Japan’s extensive and rich history of ceramic art through approximately 350 extraordinary works presented in themes that offer fresh perspectives on the diverse forms and functions, from everyday tableware to vessels created for tea masters and elite households to modern sculptural compositions.

Japan’s earliest pottery dates back more than 12,000 years, when makers shaped and fired clay vessels for cooking and storage—objects that bear the traces of these early potters’ hands. Expertise transmitted from China and Korea in medieval times facilitated the development of new Japanese techniques and wares. Over time, the reverence for prized ceramics led to finding beauty even through damage. Japanese artisans developed kintsugi, the art of repairing broken ceramics with gold lacquer, restoring the damaged object’s function while making it even more precious and valuable. Japanese cuisine and dining aesthetics inspired vessels designed to harmonize with the color and texture of food. Many porcelains from the Edo period (1615–1868) are embellished with motifs drawn from the natural world or symbols of happiness, longevity, and good fortune.

Featuring refined ceramics and other artworks from the Museum’s Harry G. C. Packard Collection, this exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of this landmark acquisition that established the foundation of The Met’s Japanese art holdings. By placing ceramics in dialogue with related art forms—including lacquers, textiles, paintings, and woodblock prints—the display inspires curiosity about the multiverse of Japanese ceramics and its broader cultural contexts.

During the exhibition, a selection of artworks will come off view and be replaced by new works:
Rotation 1: January 19–May 12, 2026
Rotation 2: May 14–August 16, 2026
Rotation 3: August 29–December 8, 2026
Rotation 4: December 10, 2026–March 28, 2027
Rotation 5: April 10–August 8, 2027

To learn more, click here.

Subramaniyan with his consorts Valli and Devasena (detail), Ravi Varma Press, c. 1900–1915, Color lithograph, varnish. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Friends of Asian Art, 2021

Household Gods: Hindu Devotional Prints, 1860–1930
January 24, 2026 – June 27, 2027

In Hinduism, the act of darshan, or “seeing god,” is central to worship. This intimate exchange between deity and devotee traditionally takes place in the temple. But within each home is also a shrine, dedicated to that householder’s chosen deity. The need to display an image of the divine in the home was traditionally fulfilled by small icons made of clay or metal. In the mid-19th century, new technologies were introduced into India, first photography and then the chromolithographic press. The latter permitted the production of inexpensive prints of the Hindu gods for mass consumption. These proved immensely popular and for the first time in India, even the humblest home could afford a colorful icon of their chosen god to display in the household shrine.

Household Gods: Hindu Devotional Prints, 1860–1930 presents the first encyclopedic exhibition of these chromolithographic prints from the pioneering studio presses of Calcutta (Kolkata), Poona (Pune), and Bombay (Mumbai). These mass-produced prints became a powerful means of expressing Indian religious identity at a time when the country was experiencing the first stirrings of the Independence movement.

Featuring approximately 120 works, shown in four rotations, from The Met’s collection of chromolithographic prints, along with paintings and portable triptych shrines, Household Gods provides a unique window on the vibrant tradition of Indian devotional imagery on the cusp of modernity.

During the exhibition, a selection of artworks will come off view and be replaced by new works:
Rotation 1: January 24–May 25, 2026
Rotation 2: May 30–October 11, 2026
Rotation 3: October 17, 2026–February 21, 2027
Rotation 4: February 27–June 27, 2027

To learn more, click here.

Kan Yasuda: Forms of the Unconscious installation view, photo credit Douglas Dubler III

Kan Yasuda: Forms of the Unconscious
Closing Saturday, January 24, 2026
35 N Moore Street, NYC

This is the final week to experience Kan Yasuda: Forms of the Unconscious, a major solo exhibition of new and iconic works by renowned Japanese sculptor Kan Yasuda at Ippodo Gallery. Marking Yasuda’s highly anticipated return to New York for his first solo presentation in over a decade, the exhibition offers a rare chance to encounter his serene yet monumental sculptures in an intimate setting.

Kan Yasuda (b. 1945) is a master of contemporary sculpture whose quietly powerful works probe the unconscious through an intense physical and intuitive engagement with stone. Pushing both the limits of masonry and his own bodily movement, Yasuda awakens the dormant energy embedded in marble over eons, transforming it into vessels of memory, time, and touch. At once magnetic and contemplative, his sculptures invite close looking and physical encounter, unfolding with the dreamlike depth of millennia revealed layer by layer.

With a career spanning more than fifty years and landmark installations across Europe and Japan, this exhibition is a compelling opportunity to experience Yasuda’s profound sculptural vision. Don’t miss the show before it closes on January 24!

To learn more, click here.

Horse. Circa 14th-early 18th century. China. Wood with brushed brown lacquer. H. 8 x L. 14 3/4 x W. 5 1/2 in. (20.3 x 37.5 x 14 cm). Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.121

Year of the Fire Horse
January 14 2026 – March 1, 2026
Free Exhibit in Visitor Center

Welcome the Year of the Fire Horse with Asia Society’s special display of equine sculptures in their Visitor Center.

Symbolizing immense prowess across Asia, the horse was seen as an emblem of success and
elevated social status dating back to the fourth century. It is likely that horses were domesticated during the late Neolithic period, around 2500 B.C., and were first introduced to China as means of transportation by bowmen living in Southeastern Europe and Western Asia shortly before 300 B.C. Horses were used not only for transportation along trade routes but also as chargers in war and
were bred as such.

This Lunar New Year, which begins on February 17, 2026, is the Year of the Fire Horse. One of
the earliest known mentions of the horse in the context of the zodiac is from The Book of Songs (circa 11th–7th BCE), a foundational text in Chinese culture. Another early mention occurs in a popular Chinese Daoist legend, in which the Jade Emperor held a race for all animals in pursuit of selecting the first twelve to finish as animals of the zodiac cycle. Throughout the cycle, one animal is associated with one of the Five Elements each year: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.

The intersection of the two is thought to determine the qualities and personality of a person born during that zodiac year, with each element bringing out different attributes. (Asia Society’s founder John D. Rockefeller 3rd was born in a Year of the Fire Horse, in 1906.) For 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse is expected to bring to the world a cycle of heightened passion, boldness, energy, and courage.

To learn more, click here.