Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

The Foundation supported this exhibition of rare masterworks of Chinese calligraphy, many on public view for the first time, along with an overview of calligraphers’ tools, materials, and techniques. Demonstrating the diversity and complexity of this time-honored art form, the exhibition was accompanied by three major abstract expressionist paintings by Brice Marden, Franz Kline, and Mark Tobey, plus a commissioned video installation by acclaimed contemporary artist Xu Bing. This unique mix—classic calligraphies chosen for their historical importance as well as their visual impact, complemented by modern and new works—offered an innovative framework for cross-cultural and artistic understanding.

Photo courtesy of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.