Latest news with #SoyoungLee
The Star
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Asian Art Museum eyes expanded global partnerships
NEW YORK, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Art Museum in U.S. San Francisco is looking to deepen international collaboration and contribute to global cultural exchanges. The museum is well positioned to engage in global conversations on identity, heritage, and artistic innovation, said its director and CEO Soyoung Lee at a media roundtable in New York on Monday. "Asia is not just a region, it's half the world and all of time," she said. Upcoming exhibitions will focus on shared cultural themes such as ritual, trade, and material traditions, highlighting how Asian societies are historically and culturally connected. "Instead of presenting art strictly by modern nation states, we are exploring ways to show how different Asian cultures are connected," Lee said. The museum is also addressing local and institutional challenges, including declining international tourism and generational identity gaps. To respond, it has expanded free admission days, education programs, and community partnerships across San Francisco. Lee noted that many second- and third-generation Asian Americans may not speak their heritage languages or feel strong cultural ties. The museum, she said, aims to offer multiple points of access for visitors to explore identity on their own terms. "People are looking for connection and belonging," she said. "The museum should be a space for that." Museums are also reassessing how success is measured, with growing emphasis on long-term engagement and community impact over attendance figures. "Museums must be rooted in scholarship," Lee said, "but also responsive to the questions of today."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Asian Art Museum in SF welcomes new director
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is celebrating AAPI Heritage Month under the new leadership of Dr. Soyoung Lee, who aims to connect people through the history and future of Asian cultures. The museum, one of the few globally dedicated to all Asian cultures, offers exhibits that span 6,000 years of history, illustrating the past, present, and future. Dr. Lee, the new director, emphasizes the museum's mission to foster understanding and empathy through art. 'Asia's influence spans across time and cultures,' said Dr. Soyoung Lee, emphasizing the museum's broad focus. More Asian Pacific American Heritage Month stories Dr. Lee stated, 'At the heart of prejudice, bias, and racism against certain groups of people, classes of people is ignorance and I think art is a powerful way to learn and discover and be inspired about particular cultures and about particular individuals.' The Tanforan Memorial in San Bruno commemorates the site of a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. Dr. Lee brings her Korean heritage and vision to the museum, aiming to engage its nearly 200,000 annual visitors with innovative displays and programs. The museum offers free admission on the first Sunday of each month, encouraging more people to explore its vast collection of 18,000 artworks and artifacts. The Asian Art Museum continues to be a vital cultural destination in San Francisco, offering insights into Asian heritage and its ongoing influence on American society. 'We want young people to come and see themselves, to see the world, for them to feel like this is their place,' Dr. Lee emphasized. All facts from this article were gathered by KRON4 journalists. The article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KRON4 staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
