The Second Asian Art Forum for Museum Directors: “Classical to Contemporary/Local to Global”

The Margaret F. Williams Memorial fellowship in Asian Art, along with Brayton Wilbur, Jr. Memorial Fellowships in Asian Art, supported the participation of eight museum directors from Asia and the U.S. in the second biennial forum. Organized by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the discussions focused on ways of making museums more relevant to the dynamic world of today, including approaches to combining traditional and contemporary art in meaningful ways. The long-range goal of the forum is to encourage collaboration among museums to foster greater global awareness of Asian art and culture, its rich diversity and modes of presentation.

Established by the late Asia Foundation President Emeritus Ambassador Haydn Williams, the Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellows in Asian Art Program honors his late wife, whose interest in Asian art was stimulated by their travels together on Asia Foundation visits to the region. Mrs. Williams was also a founding docent at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the cooperating partner in implementing the fellowship program.