Architecture   Classes

Museums

Asia Society.
With a mission to help foster American understanding of Asian culture, history, and current affairs, the Asia Society houses some of the most popular and respected venues for viewing not only traditional pan-Asian art but also cutting-edge exhibitions of contemporary Asian and Asian American art (725 Park Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 517-ASIA; 6 train to 68th Street).

The Bronx Museum of the Arts.
Founded in 1971, this institution is recognized as a multicultural contemporary museum, with an active program of acquiring work by artists of Asian descent (1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx; (718) 681-6000; 4, B train to 161st Street/Yankee Stadium, D train to 161st Street/Yankee Stadium or 167th Street).

Brooklyn Museum of Art.
Featuring one of the most important collections of Korean art in the United States, this museum also boasts some of greater New York’s most comprehensive holdings of Asian art, including works from Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Thailand, Tibet, and Turkey (200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn; (718) 638-5000; 2, 3 train to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum).

China Institute.
Dedicated to the appreciation and enjoyment of traditional and contemporary Chinese civilization, culture, and heritage, the China Institute offers a number of different programs to the city of New York. Art exhibitions showcase Chinese paintings, calligraphy, textiles, and architecture; classes are offered in Chinese ceramics, painting, and calligraphy as well; Mandarin language classes are offered for all levels of proficiency; and lectures, book signings, films, and cultural performances of the Institute are open to the public. Programs especially for corporations and educators are also available (125 E. 65th Street, Manhattan; (212) 744-8181; 6 train to 68th Street).

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
This design museum includes in its holdings Asian ceramics, lacquerwork, Japanese prints, Indonesian shadow puppets, and textiles from India, Persia, and China (2 E. 91st Street, Manhattan; (212) 849-8400; 6 train to 96th Street).

Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art.
Museum resembling Tibetan mountain temple contains artifacts from the 17th to 19th centuries; sculpture garden and lily and fish pond on-site. Classes in Tibetan art are offered occasionally (338 Lighthouse Avenue, Staten Island; (718) 987-3478; Staten Island Ferry to S74 bus to Lighthouse Ave).

Japan Society Gallery.
Whether you’re a connoisseur or simply a fan of contemporary art, you’ll find the best of Japanese painting, prints, ceramics, folk art, architecture and design, and sculpture here (333 E. 47th Street, Manhattan; (212) 832-1155; 6, E, F train to 51st Street/Lexington Avenue).

Korea Gallery, The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea.
Regularly features displays of Korean artifacts and traditional arts (460 Park Avenue, 6th floor, Manhattan; (212) 759-9550; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Largest collection of Asian art in the West, with pieces from the second millennium b.c. to the 20th century (1000 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 879-5500; 4, 5, 6 train to 86th Street).

The Morgan Library.
Designed in the style of a Renaissance palazzo, this elegant building houses over one thousand Indian and Islamic miniature paintings dating from the 13th through the 19th centuries (29 E. 36th Street, Manhattan; (212) 685-0610; 6 train to 33rd Street).

Museum of Chinese in the Americas.
Changing exhibits that address the history of Chinatown’s residents are featured here, ranging from documentary photography to contemporary art by refugees (70 Mulberry Street, Manhattan; (212) 619-4785; A, C, E, N, R, J, M, Z, 6 train to Canal Street).

Newark Museum.
Pan-Asian decorative and fine arts are featured here, including a Tibetan Buddhist altar on permanent display. While Tibetan art and Chinese and Japanese decorative arts are this museum’s strong suits, Afghanistan, Bali, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, and Turkey are all represented as well (43 Washington Street, Newark, NJ; 201 733-6600; PATH train to Newark’s Pennsylvania Station, then Loop shuttle bus to Museum).

The Philippine Center, the Consulate General of the Philippines.
Exhibitions curated to promote Filipino culture can be found in the gallery of this seven-story building, the New York home of the branch offices of agencies of the Republic of the Philippines (556 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 764-1330; E, F train to 5th Avenue; by appointment only).

Plum Blossoms Gallery
Plum Blossoms Gallery focuses its energy on the discovery, development and promotion of contemporary Asian art. With over fifteen years of experience in Asia behind it, Plum Blossoms USA opened the doors to its New York Chelsea art district location, in March 2001. The Chelsea gallery joins long established affiliate galleries in Hong Kong and Singapore in promoting contemporary Asian art as well as dealing in selected fields of Asian antiquity. (555 25th Street; between 10th and 11th Avenues.) 1,9 to 23rd@7th Ave or E,C to 23rd@8th Ave. Tel.(212)719-7008 Tuesday-Sunday 10:30am-6:30pm.

Tibet House Gallery.
Three-dimensional mandalas and works from the Tibet House Repatriation Art Collection are included in the permanent collection of this gallery; exhibits of work inspired by Tibet and Buddhism are featured in temporary shows, ranging from traditional to contemporary (22 W. 15th Street, Manhattan; (212) 807-0563; F train to 14th Street).

Architecture & Landscape

88 Pine Street.
(Wall Street Plaza.) Designed by I. M. Pei & Partners, 1973. Cool and refined, this very modern building is notable for its simple, elegant design; nearby, at Pine and William streets, is Isamu Noguchi’s Sunken Water Garden at Chase Manhattan Plaza (on Water Street between Pine Street and Maiden La., Manhattan; 2, 3 train to Wall Street).

32-40 Wall Street.
Designed by H. Craig Severance and Yasuo Matsui, 1929. This building is a toned-down version of the typically flamboyant skyscraper that has come to symbolize the boom of the 1920s, yet it still “dresses up” the Street (between William and Nassau Streets, Manhattan; 2, 3 train to Wall Street).

100-110 Bleecker Street.
I. M. Pei & Partners, 1966. These N.Y.U.-owned residential buildings convey a remarkable sense of refined balance that only Pei could infuse into such a basic design. The complex’s three towers are arranged in an unusual, curvelike composition (between Mercer Street and LaGuardia Pl., Manhattan; 6 train to Bleecker Street).

100 Broadway.
Bruce Price/Kajima International. This Beaux-Arts building, constructed in 1895, was renovated for the Bank of Tokyo in 1975. Kajima International restored the facade and created a new glass wall on the ground floor. The space is also accented by a brushed-aluminum sculpture by Isamu Noguchi (SE corner of Pine Street, Manhattan; A, C, M, 2, 3, 4, 5 train to Fulton Street).

Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
At the C. V. Starr Bonsai Museum, you’ll find the nation’s largest and oldest collection of bonsai. The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden features a miniaturized environment consisting of torii gates, shrines, bridges, stone lanterns, and pruned trees and shrubs. Classes on bonsai, ikebana, and sumi-e are also sometimes offered (1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 623-7200; D, Q train to Prospect Park, 2, 3 train to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum).

Greenacre Park.
Sasaki, Dawson, DeMay Associates, 1971. This midtown oasis features a peaceful stream and waterfall, stone walls, and woodland plantings-- a design intended to bring a bit of nature into the heart of Manhattan (217-221 E. 51st Street, between Second and Third aves., Manhattan; 6 train to 51st Street).

Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum.
Need some respite from the harried pace of Manhattan? You won’t find a more peaceful setting than this spot in Queens. Elegant stone sculptures populate both the spare galleries and an outdoor setting that emphasizes Noguchi’s keen understanding of natural forms, evident in his graceful creations (32-37 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, Queens; (718) 545-8842; N train to Broadway; closed during the winter).

Jacob Javits Convention Center.
Five blocks long, covering a whopping 1.8 million square feet, this glass-clad behemoth of a building was designed by I. M. Pei. The astonishing, 150-foot-high lobby has been dubbed “the crystal palace” because of its modern grandeur (11th Avenue between 34th and 35th streets, Manhattan; (212) 216-2000; A, C, E train to 34th Street).

Kips Bay Plaza.
I. M. Pei and Partners, S. J. Kessler, 1960, 1965. These concrete rectangles signify early 1960s architectural aesthetics, and while they may seem “outdated,” they predict the design of Pei’s highly respected complex of apartment buildings at 100-110 Bleecker Street, and can thus help us understand how his design vision evolved (E. 30th-E. 33rd streets, First to Second aves., Manhattan; 6 train to 33rd Street).

New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden at the Staten Island Botanical Garden/Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
This site is the home of the only authentic classical Chinese garden to be built in the United States, created by a team of Chinese artists and artisans. A triumph of garden design (1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island; (718) 273-8200; Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park, then S40 Bus to Snug Harbor).

Queens Botanical Garden.
Features plants native to Asian environs as well as classes, including Tai Chi, bonsai pruning and Ikebana, and activities that cater to the nearby Asian communities. Seasonal displays of flowers and a variety of plants and trees in 39 verdant acres of beauty and tranquility in the heart of Queens (43-50 Main Street, Flushing, Queens; (718) 886-3800; 7 train to Flushing/Main Street).

Public Artworks.

10 Degrees North.
Maya Lin, Rockefeller Foundation (420 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 869-8500; B, D, F, Q, N, R train to 34th Street/Herald Sq.).

666 Fifth Avenue.
Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi.The lobby of this edifice boasts a 40-foot-wide “waterfall” fountain by Noguchi, created out of curvy constructions of stainless steel, corrugated glass, and, of course, trickling water (Manhattan; E, F train to Fifth Avenue).

Associated Press Building at Rockefeller Center.
Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. For a Noguchi fix while shopping in midtown, visit this rhythmic, dynamic work of art, incorporated seamlessly into its surrounding architecture (50 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan; B, D, F train to 47-50th Streets/Rockefeller Ctr.)

Eclipsed Time.
Long Island Rail Road, Pennsylvania Station, Maya Lin. Look up at the ceiling and see what appears to be a giant scientific apparatus, look down at the ground and see a magnificent sun dial. Both ominous and elegant, it’s actually a frosted glass, aluminum, stainless steel, and fiber-optic sculpture by the celebrated architect (Manhattan; 1, 2, 3, 9, A, C, E train to 34th Street/Penn. Sta.).

Empress Voyage, 2.22.1784.
Canal Street MTA station, Bing Lee. Platform walls and the connecting passageway are decorated with this artist’s colorful ceramic tile mural and mosaic banding (Manhattan; A, C, E, J, M, Z, N, R, 6 train to Canal Street).

Happy World.
Ik-Joong Kang. Colorful and playful cartoonlike imagery makes up the ceramic tile mural in this subway station’s mezzanine wall (Main Street station, Flushing, Queens; 7 train to Main Street/Flushing).

Q is for Queens.
The mezzanine and platform of the 33rd, 40th, and 46th street Queens MTA stations are spruced up with an installation of faceted glass murals from A to Z, by children’s book illustrator Yumi Heo (Queens, 7 train to 33rd, 40th, 46th Streets.).

Signal.
Stainless steel and glass sculptures by Mel Chin, at the Broadway-Lafayette Street MTA station are installed on this station’s mezzanine columns; they’re accompanied by ceramic tiles on the station’s walls (B, D, F, Q, train to Broadway-Lafayette).

Sounding Stones.
Maya Lin fountain installation involves water bubbling around and through four black blocks --often more heard than seen (500 Pearl Street, Manhattan; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to City Hall).

Antiques

Art of the Past.
An excellent source for traditional Indian art (1242 Madison Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 860-7070; 4, 5, 6 train to 86th Street).

Carole Davenport.
The place to buy -- or at least view -- a 17th-century Edo Period Noh mask (131 E. 83rd Street, Manhattan; (212) 734-4859; 4, 5, 6 train to 86th Street).

Chinese Porcelain Company.
Of course you’ll find lovely porcelain from China here, but other fine Asian antiques are available as well (475 Park Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 838-7744; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

Dimson Homma.
Extremely tasteful midtown Manhattan gallery displaying some of the finer things in life. There’s an interesting mix of antique and contemporary items, including Tibetan tiger rugs, rare Japanese dinnerware, Burmese buddhas, and Chinese scholar rocks (20 E. 67th Street; (212) 439-7950; 6 train to 68th Street).

E. & J. Frankel Ltd.
When making the Madison Avenue rounds for Asian art, stop by this outpost of beautiful treasures. Recent offerings included a Tang dynasty horse sculpture (1040 Madison Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 879-5733; 6 train to 77th Street).

Far Eastern Antiques and Arts.
A mouthwatering range of antique and contemporary pieces from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Owner Stephen Gano has been in the business for over 25 years and will be able to help you decide on how best to decorate your home or office (799 Broadway, Manhattan; (212) 460-5030; N, R, L, 4, 5, 6 train to 14th Street/Union Sq.).

Flying Cranes Antiques Ltd.
Lovers and collectors of Japanese antiques will have a field day here, where offerings have included works by Meiji Period masters (1050 Second Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 223-4600; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

Imperial Oriental Art, Inc.
Fine Chinese porcelain and other antiques can be purchased here (790 Madison Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 717-5383; 6 train to 68th Street).

J. J. Lally & Co.
One of the leading dealers in early Chinese bronzes, ceramics, jades, and other works of art. Special exhibitions at this gallery during Asia Week in March are stunning. (41 E. 57th Street, Manhattan; (212) 371-3380; N,R train to Fifth Avenue).

Liza Hyde.
Ah, there’s nothing so lovely as an antique Japanese screen. Hooked? This dealer specializes in them (565 Park Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 752-3851; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

M. D. Flacks Ltd.
Beautiful, intriguing Asian antiques and sculptures can be found here (38 E. 57th Street, Manhattan; (212) 838-4575; N, R train to Fifth Avenue).

Ming Furniture Ltd.
Witness the timelessness of antique Chinese furniture, like the 18th-century Qing dynasty spindleback designs at this gallery (31 E. 64th Street, Manhattan; (212) 734-9524; 6 train to 68th Street).

Naga Antiques.
Exquisite Japanese screens from the 16th century onwards, plus a variety of antique baskets and ceramics, lacquerware, and other treasures can be purchased here (145 E. 61st Street, Manhattan; (212) 593-2788; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

Orientations Gallery.
This gallery specializes in antique Japanese masterpieces. Wood and ivory carvings, netsuke, and bronzes are some of the fine offerings (P.O. Box 1018, Lenox Hill Station, Manhattan, Manhattan 10021; (212) 772-7705; by appointment only).

R. H. Ellsworth Ltd.
If you’ve got the budget to collect Asian antiquities, such as sculptures from, for example, 8th- or 7th-century Siberia, you can find these and other examples of fine art here (960 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan; (212) 535-9249; 6 train to 77th Street).

Robert Haber and Associates, Inc.
If you’re in the market for exquisite, rare antiquities, such as Sino-Siberian harness ornaments dating back to the 4th or 3rd century b.c., this is a good place to look (16 W. 23rd Street, Manhattan; (212) 243-3656; F train to 23rd Street).

Sepia International, Inc./The Alkazi Collection of Photography.
Part commercial gallery, part research center, part privately owned archive, this gallery showcases 19th- and early-20th-century photographs of South Asia, namely India, Burma, and Sri Lanka (148 W. 24th Street, 11th floor, Manhattan; (212) 645-9444; 1, 9 train to 23rd Street).

Suzanne Mitchell Asian Fine Arts.
Hanging scrolls from the 18th century are among the Japanese and Korean works of art for sale (17 E. 71st Street, Manhattan; (212) 535-1700; 6 train to 68th Street).

Weisbrod Chinese Art Ltd.
Gorgeous traditional Chinese treasures. For example, a recent show included very rare jades from the 2nd to 3rd centuries a.d. (36 E. 57th Street, 3rd floor, Manhattan; (212) 319-1335; N, R train to Fifth Avenue).

William Lipton Ltd.
Excellent gallery of Asian art, with a pleasant outdoor courtyard. This well-established dealer carries a full range of antique Chinese furniture, with a special emphasis on desk objects. A recent exhibition focused on the “wondrous and amenable Chinese stool” (27 E. 61st Street, Manhattan; (212) 751-8131; 4, 5, 6, N, R train to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue).

Contemporary Art Galleries

Admit One Gallery.
Located in the Chelsea arts district, this newly opened gallery is devoted to East Indian contemporary art, with an emphasis on photography (529 W. 20th Street, 4th floor, Manhattan; (212) 463-0164; C, E train to 23rd Street).

Bose Pacia Modern.
Modern and contemporary artists, such as the painter Manjit Bawa, are shown at this sleek gallery located in the heart of the ultra-hip Chelsea art world (508 W. 26th Street, 11th floor, Manhattan; (212) 989-7074; C, E train to 23rd Street).

China 2000 Fine Art.
At this gallery, you can discover modern and contemporary Chinese art that bridges both past and present, created by artists from mainland China (5 E. 57th Street, Manhattan; (212) 588-1198; N, R train to Fifth Avenue).

Dialectica.
Although not necessarily “Indocentric,” this new, exclusive international art gallery in Soho often features art by the all-stars of modern Indian art; its inaugural exhibition, for example, included works by Rabindranath Tagore (415 West Broadway, Manhattan; (212) 226-8921; C, E, train to Spring Street, N, R train to Prince Street).

Elizabeth Wang Gallery.
Over the past 10 years, the gallery has built a reputation for holding significant exhibitions of works by artists like Chen Chi, C.C. Wang, Wang Fangyu and the legendary writer and painter Mu Xin. (800 Fifth Avenue, NY; 212 752-4881; N, R train to Fifth Ave. by appointment only).

Ethan Cohen Fine Arts.
Street-level Tribeca gallery shows contemporary work, like the updated versions of calligraphy by C. C. Wang, plus exhibitions featuring current art-world darlings like Xu Bing and Gu Wenda (37 Walker Street, Manhattan; (212) 625-1250; 1, 9 train to Franklin Street).

Gallery Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.
Curious as to how traditional Japanese ceramics have evolved? This gallery specializes in contemporary Japanese vessels and ceramic sculptures (24 W. 57th Street, 6th floor, Manhattan; (212) 262-0239; N, R train to 57th Street).

Ise Art Foundation.
View contemporary Asian art here during a Soho jaunt (555 Broadway, Manhattan; (212) 925-1649; N, R train to Prince Street, B, D, F, Q train to Broadway-Lafayette).

Kaikodo.
Superb shows of both traditional and newer East Asian art, supplemented with a gorgeous, scholarly journal, can be found at this gallery (164 E. 64th Street, Manhattan; (212) 223-0121; 6 train to 68th Street).

Lawrence of Beijing.
The New York arm of this China-based dealer represents contemporary Chinese artists whose works bridge past and present (63 E. 79th Street, 5-A, Manhattan; (212) 866-0525; 6 train to 77th Street).

M. Y. Art Prospects.
A Chelsea outpost for contemporary Asian (and other international) art run by independent curator Miyako Yoshinaga (135 W. 29th Street, Ste. 1002, Manhattan; (212) 268-7132; 1, 9 train to 23rd Street).

Paisley.
This hip Flatiron district store/gallery/cafe/lounge not only features Asian furniture and objects, but it also showcases modern and contemporary Indian art (49 E. 21st Street, Manhattan; (212) 353-8833; N, R, 6 train to 23rd Street).

Tolman Collection of Tokyo.
If contemporary Japanese prints are your cup of tea, this is a source for limited-edition lithographs (350 W. 50th Street, Manhattan; (212) 489-7696; C, E train to 50th Street; by appointment only).

Arts Organizations and Community Groups

Akira Ikeda Gallery.
Although this New York branch of a long-open Japanese gallery is no longer an exhibition space, it serves as a bridge between U.S. artists and galleries and arts institutions in Japan (17 Cornelia Street, 1-C, Manhattan; (212) 266-5449; A, C, E, B, D, F, Q train to W. 4th Street).

Asian American Arts Alliance.
Founded in 1983, this nonprofit arts service organization exists to raise awareness of Asian American arts. Publications, roundtables, and a resource library are available to artists and the public (74 Varick Street, Ste. 302, Manhattan; (212) 941-9208; 1, 9 train to Canal Street).

Asian American Arts Center.
This Chinatown space offers a range of community programs (26 Bowery, Manhattan; (212) 233-2154; A, C, E, N, R, J, M, Z, 6 train to Canal Street).

Indus Arts & Community Service.
Both contemporary and traditional Indian American art is supported by this organization (P.O. Box 1249, Wall Street Station, Manhattan, Manhattan 10268-1459; (212) 840-2300).

Japanese Artists Association.
This nonprofit membership organization exists to help Japanese artists organize exhibitions in the New York area (14 Harrison Street, NY; (212) 966-9850; 1, 9 train to Franklin Street).

Asian Art Classes

Koho School of Sumi-e.
Offers small classes on the art of sumi-e and calligraphy-- complete with instruction on proper breathing and posture, as well as ink preparation and brush positioning, of course (64 MacDougal Street, Manhattan; (212) 673-5190; 1, 9 train to Houston Street).

Korean Calligraphy Center.
This Koreatown establishment offers $50 lessons in the painting of Korean letters on long strips of pale-hued cloth (35-14 Farrington Street, 2nd floor, Flushing, Queens; (718) 461-3190, (718) 279-4577; 7 train to Main Street/Flushing; call for appointment).

Korean Culture Society of Eastern USA.
Exhibitions and classes on calligraphy and flower arranging are offered at this nonprofit multicultural center (42-40 Bowne Street, Flushing, Queens; (718) 358-5010; 7 train to Main Street/Flushing).

New York Chinese Cultural Center.
Among the offerings at this community-based arts organization are classes in traditional Chinese visual arts such as Chinese landscape painting and Chinese calligraphy (390 Broadway, Manhattan; (212) 334-3764; A, C, E, N, R, J, M, Z, 6 train to Canal Street).

Riverside Church.
Calligraphy and batik are some of the Asian crafts courses offered to the public both in the day and in the evening (490 Riverside Dr., Manhattan; (212) 749-8140; 1, 9 train to 116th Street).

Urasenke Tea Ceremony Society/Urasenke Chanoyu Center.
Private lessons in the classic ritual are given by the tea teachers (153 E. 69th Street, Manhattan; (212) 988-6161; 6 train to 68th Street; by appointment only).