At The Rockefeller University we are very lucky that we can enjoy the pleasures of living and working alongside works of art, many of which have been donated by the Rockefeller family. Their embrace of art is legendary, and perhaps the most important legacy of this is the Museum of Modern Art which Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr.) played a key role in founding.

In addition to promoting art in the public sphere, members of the family have also built exquisite private collections, some of which are now on public display—including at their upstate Kykuit estate (see this Natural Selections article for a review), and at the Asia Society in New York.

On the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment, the Asia Society is currently running A Passion for Asia: The Rockefeller Family Collects, a major exhibition which focuses on the family’s special affinity for Asia and Asian art. The exhibition combines art works with archival material providing relevant historical insight about the Rockefeller family. Displayed items have been gathered from many places including some pieces on loan from The Rockefeller University and from the Rockefeller Archive Center which is affiliated with RU.

The Asia Society itself was founded by John D. Rockefeller 3rd—the grandson of the founder of our university. Following his death in 1978, his Asian art collection was bequeathed to the Asia Society and forms the centerpiece of its permanent collection. The society was created with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of Asia in the United States. Today it is a global nonprofit organization that promotes its aims through education, dialogue and conferences, and a range of cultural programming.

The Rockefeller Asian art collection has enormous cultural significance as a way of gaining familiarity with another people. Many of the works are very ancient, and they have had a very interesting past. Their creation was not only guided by the artistic sensibility of the artists, but also by the hand of history. The materials, the technologies, the items, and the styles were shaped in large part by cultural exchange and commerce between many nations. Beautifully tangible evidence that the principles of globalization aren’t such a new phenomenon.

August is your final chance to see Darwin (see this article about the Darwin exhibit) and A Passion for Asia. How can anyone resist such treasures available in the air-conditioned cool? (See this article for explanation of the current weather.)

The Asia Society is located at Park Avenue and 70th Street. The exhibition runs until September 3. See this link for more exhibition details.