As major stewards of artworks and their histories, museums have always held considerable responsibility in the cultural field. Situated in a space that is constantly evolving and confronted with new challenges (especially in the post-pandemic era), it is even more imperative for art institutions to consider how they balance selectivity and inclusivity. How can curatorial practices incorporate transnational and transdisciplinary approaches in order to expand the conventions of art history and exhibition making? How can we envision more diverse narratives in museum exhibitions, collections, and public programs? How can institutions engage multiple mediums and means to expand their address?

Urgent issues await; please join us for a conversation between Lesley Ma (Ming Chu Hsu and Daniel Xu Associate Curator, Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Hitomi Iwasaki (Director of Exhibitions/Curator at the Queens Museum) in conversation with IFA Contemporary Asia. This conversation aims to seek discussions around these issues through the lens of curating Asian and Asian American art in New York’s leading art museums.

The event will begin with a brief presentation by both Lesley Ma, Ming Chu Hsu and Daniel Xu Associate Curator, Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Hitomi Iwasaki, Director of Exhibitions/Curator at the Queens Museum. This will be followed by a conversation between the two curators as well as an audience Q&A.