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29 May 2025 (Thursday) | 17:45 – 19:10 (GMT+8)
The discussion is hosted by the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and sponsored by Bei Shan Tang Foundation.
Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK) presents a discussion with Dr. Chase F. Robinson, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA). In conversation with Dr. He Jianfei, Director of Chinese Art and Culture at Bei Shan Tang Foundation, Dr. Robinson will explore what national museums are for – a question easier to answer when they first emerged – in the late 18th and 19th centuries – than now.
Storehouses for exotica, sanctuaries for quiet delectation, monuments to beauty—national museums in the West symbolized the acquisitive dynamics of the day, especially those driven by nationalism, imperialism, secularization, industrialization, and capitalism. Adapting to the financial and creative consequences of mid- to late 20th-century globalization, particularly the emergence of a polyfocal landscape of creative cultures, should and must prompt new thinking. The NMAA, which celebrated its centennial in 2023, has launched a series of initiatives—all driven by a commitment to transparency, access, collaboration, and sustainability—that are intended to ensure that it serves as a global resource for understanding the arts, cultures, and societies of Asia, and their intersection with the United States. Join ASHK to hear more about the NMAA’s initiatives and approach, and to pose questions of your own to Dr. Robinson.
Chase F. Robinson has been director of the National Museum of Asian Art since December 2018. During his tenure, the museum has launched initiatives that have significantly increased the number of visitors on-site and online, expanded the collections by over 5,400 works, built out its network of community-based and international partnerships, established itself at the forefront of provenance research, and nearly doubled the size of its board of trustees. The museum celebrated its centennial in May 2023, inaugurating its first celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month attended by more than 40,000 people.
A highly regarded scholar of Islamic history and culture, Robinson previously served as provost (2008–2013) and president (2013–2018) of the Graduate Center, the research campus of the City University of New York. From 1993 to 2008, Robinson was professor of early Islamic history in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (previously the Faculty of Oriental Studies) at the University of Oxford. He chaired its faculty board from 2003 to 2005. He received his doctorate from Harvard University’s Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations.
Dr. He Jianfei holds a Ph.D. in historical anthropology. Her academic training in Chinese archeology, art history and anthropology laid the groundwork for her career. After completing her studies, she spent 2 years at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, where she gained curatorial experience and expanded her understanding of Asian art in a global museum context.
Currently, Dr. He serves as the Director of Chinese Art and Culture at the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, a Hong Kong organization dedicated to enhancing global scholarship and promoting the appreciation of Chinese culture through art and archaeology. She leads a committed team and values continuous communication with insightful professionals, believing that deep understanding and effective altruism can drive meaningful change in the field. Over her ten years at the foundation, Dr. He has contributed to initiatives that nurture emerging talent, including the J. S. Lee Memorial Fellowship Programme, the Forum for Curators of Chinese Art, and the Bei Shan Tang Doctoral Thesis Grant.
