The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan Majestic 6th-century Chinese Buddhist sculpture is combined with 21st century 3D-imaging technology in this exploration of one of the most important groups of Buddhist devotional sites in early medieval China. A video installation, touch screens, and research kiosks enable visitors to digitally envision some of the caves as they appeared before their tragic despoliation….

Afonso V and the Pastrana Tapestries The Pastrana Tapestries are among the finest surviving Gothic tapestries. The Invention of Glory: Afonso V and the Pastrana Tapestries will feature the recently restored set of four monumental tapestries that commemorate the deeds of Afonso V, King of Portugal. Woven in the late 1400s, these monumental tapestries, each measuring 12 by 36 feet,…

Works by Yinka Shonibare, MBE The power and whimsy inherent in Yinka Shonibare’s work from the past two decades are as nuanced as the complex topics he investigates-namely those of colonialism and its lasting impacts. An argument with a professor at Goldsmith’s College in the 1980s forced the artist to defend whether or not he should be making “authentic” African…

German Expressionism at The San Diego Museum of Art Highlighting the recent bequest of 48 German Expressionist paintings, drawings, and prints from the estate of Vance E. Kondon and Elisabeth Giesberger, the Museum presents this exhibition dedicated to the modernist movement that developed in Germany and Austria in the first decades of the 20th century. German Expressionism was not the…

Melanesian Art from the Valerie Franklin Collection Featuring objects from the 19th century to the middle of the 20th that are on loan to the Museum from one of the most prestigious private collections in the United States, this exhibition serves as an introduction to the art and culture of one of the Pacific’s most dynamic regions. Covering one-third of…

Art of the United States from Three San Diego Museums Behold, America! includes works from the colonial period to the present that together tell a cohesive and dynamic story of the history of art in the United States. The exhibition is a part of an innovative collaboration between three renowned museums: the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, The San…

An American Post-Impressionist While Charles Reiffel (1862–1942) is usually considered today as a leader of the California plein-air school of painting, this exhibition celebrates his legacy as a preeminent practitioner of Post-Impressionism in America. During his lifetime, Reiffel’s work was exhibited throughout the country and won the accolades of critics, who referred to him as the “American Van Gogh”. Others judged…

from the Suzhou Museum Showcasing 21 objects from the Suzhou Museum, Masterworks in Metal, Ink, and Silk highlights selections from China’s long and rich cultural history. Located only 66 miles west of Shanghai, Suzhou is often called the “Venice of China” because of its numerous canals intertwining the historic dwellings and gardens of its illustrious residents. Part of the collections of the Suzhou…

Journey through the City With the exhibition Journey through the City, The San Diego Museum of Art realizes two major achievements. The first is to open a new space devoted to welcoming visitors and interpreting art—an ever changing environment dedicated to exploring the full spectrum of approaches to the arts and, of course, our Permanent Collection. Secondly, we begin a very…

Plains Indian Ledger Art from the 19th Century to Now Alternative Accounts: Plains Indian Ledger Art from the 19th Century to Now focuses on works created by Plains Indians that reveals a transitional form of artistry whose roots lie deeply seeded in ancient tradition. Made with techniques once used to paint on buffalo skins, these works on ledger paper reveal the prevailing artistic…