On January 8, 2026, Asia Society Seattle will host a private tour of the exhibition "Spirit House" at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, led by Associate Curator Swagato Chakravorty. The event is invite-only for the society's Advisory Council, Corporate Members, Groundbreaker and Innovator members, and donors. The exhibition, organized by the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, features 34 contemporary artists of Asian descent exploring themes of life, death, spirituality, and diaspora through works that engage with spirit houses and ancestral connections.
This event matters because it highlights the growing institutional focus on Asian American and diasporic contemporary art, particularly through the Cantor Arts Center's Asian American Art Initiative (AAAI). The private tour offers exclusive access to a critically engaged curator, fostering deeper dialogue about art, spirituality, and representation. It also underscores the role of membership-based cultural organizations like Asia Society in building bridges between communities and contemporary art practices.