A Letter from the Director

Dear Friends,

As we welcome spring to the Charles B. Wang Center, our season begins by honoring the quiet yet enduring power of ritual. Sacred Paper: Korean Ritual Arts brings together two profound regional traditions of Korean shamanic paper art. Through intricate paper banners and luminous folded paper flowers, the exhibition invites visitors to contemplate how fragile materials become vessels of memory, devotion, and protection. These works remind us that, even in our rapidly changing world, the human desire for safety, connection, and good fortune remains constant.

Our programming this season extends this exploration of artistry, craft, and cultural imagination with several fascinating workshops and lectures. We are honored to host Dr. Laurel Kendall for a lecture illuminating the unseen worlds conjured through Korean ritual paper. On the same day, visitors will have the rare opportunity to learn directly from Korean paper artists, who will reveal the living techniques behind these time-honored traditions.

Beyond Korea, we will offer a wider celebration of Asia’s creative practices. The artist Sui Park returns to the Wang Center to lead a workshop that transforms simple zip ties into biomorphic jewelry. Master tea practitioner Yoshitsugu Nagano will guide participants through the steps of traditional Japanese tea ceremony, revealing the spirit of harmony and tranquility at its heart. Our film series this season features works that probe the boundaries of identity, imagination, and visual innovation.

Be sure to join us as well as for Lunar New Year and Sakura Matsuri, our beloved annual celebrations. These festivals remain our most joyful ways to welcome the new year and spring in full bloom, in the company of friends, family, and community.

From ritual paper to modern performance, from contemplative tea to dazzling magic, this season’s programs celebrate how artistic traditions continue to evolve, adapt, and inspire. We look forward to welcoming you, learning with you, and sharing another spring of creativity and cultural discovery.

Warm regards,

Jinyoung Anna Jin
Director of Asian Art and Culture
Charles B. Wang Center