Persimmons (detail), 13th century, attributed to Muqi (Chinese, active mid to late 13th century). China; Southern Song Dynasty. Ink on paper. Lent by Ryokoin Temple. Photo by Okada Ai, courtesy of the Kyoto National Museum.
The Heart of Zen
November 17, 2023 – December 31, 2023
The Heart of Zen features two extraordinary ink paintings, Persimmons (popularly known as Six Persimmons) and Chestnuts, on view in the United States for the first time. Attributed to the 13th-century monk Muqi, these exquisitely subtle compositions were painted in China and then crossed the ocean to Japan, where they have been designated Important Cultural Properties and treasured for centuries at Daitokuji Ryokoin Zen temple in Kyoto.
Please note that Six Persimmons and Chestnuts will be displayed individually, one at a time, for only three weeks each. Six Persimmons will be displayed Nov. 17–Dec. 10, while Chestnuts will be displayed Dec. 8–Dec. 31. Both works will be briefly on view together Dec. 8–Dec. 10. Space is limited, and entry into this special exhibition is on a first come, first serve basis.
To learn more, click here.
Ruth Asawa, (1926–2013), Untitled (S.272, Hanging Seven-Lobed Continuous Interlocking Form with Spheres in Two Lobes) (detail), approx. 1954, copper and iron wire; © 2023 Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photograph by Dan Bradica, courtesy David Zwirner.
Ruth Asawa: Untitled (S.272)
November 17, 2023 – February 24, 2025
An iconic work by a beloved and influential Bay Area artist, Untitled (S.272) is a nine-foot-tall hanging sculpture composed of looped copper and iron wire, created in the mid-1950s by Ruth Asawa. This second installation in the Fang Family Launchpad is a masterful example of the suspended, abstract works of looped wire for which Asawa is best known. Its airy interior and exterior spaces flow seamlessly into one another, using organic lines that evoke shapes found in nature — including the human body — while also suggesting a gently undulating movement.
To learn more, click here.