By Belinda Lin
March heralds the arrival of spring, as winter’s chill gives way to the first hint of warmth. Yellow daffodils are just beginning to push through the snow, and New York’s art scene is already buzzing with anticipation.
Founded in 2009, Asia Week New York is entering its 17th year. From March 19 to 27, leading international auction houses will host dedicated sales, along with more than 50 prominent galleries and museums presenting a rich program of online and in-person exhibitions.
In the official press release, chairperson Margaret Gristina underscored New York City’s role as “the very heart of the Asian art market.” The week’s events are expected to energize the market and offer audiences a rare opportunity to view masterworks and antiquities.
A global capital of art and culture, New York is home to renowned museums as well as a wealth of small, highly specialized galleries beloved for their story-rich collections. Nowhere is this more evident than on the Upper East Side, where many galleries are housed in elegant residential townhouses and mansions. These intimate settings bring art closer to everyday life, creating a more immersive viewing experience. Below is a curated selection of leading galleries and top dealers, several of which will open their typically appointment-only spaces to the public during the Asia Week.
The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
Asia Society, New York
Exhibition: March 18, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027
Founded in 1956, the Asia Society Museum is celebrating its 70th anniversary with a special exhibition, Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon. On view from March through January of next year, the exhibition features more than 70 works from the museum’s permanent collection, many of which were originally acquired by the Society’s founders, John D. Rockefeller III and his wife, Blanchette Ferry Hooker.
Between the 1950s and 1970s, the Rockefellers amassed a remarkable collection of Asian art. In 1979, they donated a significant portion of these works to the Asia Society, whose mission is to “promote greater knowledge of Asia in the United States.” The exhibition includes exquisitely carved Buddhist and Hindu sculptures charting the spread of spiritual traditions across Asia, alongside rare bronzes, ceramics, and metalwork from China, Korea, and Japan.
With artifacts spanning over 2,000 years, this exhibition invites Western audiences to explore the depth and beauty of Asian religion, philosophy, and cultural heritage.
The Pinnacle of Japanese Craftsmanship
Onishi Gallery
Exhibition: March 19 to April 3 (Opening Reception: Thursday, March 19, 5 to 8 p.m.)
Located on 79th Street just off Fifth Avenue, the Sidney Ripley Mansion stands in what was once a private residential neighborhood known as the Cook Block, originally acquired by tycoon Henry Cook. Today, its ground floor is home to Onishi Gallery, showcasing some of Japan’s finest crafts. The spring exhibition focuses on two main disciplines: metalwork and lacquerware.
Among the featured artists is Hagino Noriko, who trained under Living National Treasure Shiro Sekiya. Working with hagiawase, a metal-forging and heat-welding technique, she is best-known for her hammering methods, which bring out the metal’s natural colors and create fluid patterns across her work.
Japan’s lacquerware, revered worldwide, is made from the sap of lacquer trees. It was prized by the aristocracy as a symbol of refinement and prestige. By the Nara period, artisans had developed sophisticated techniques such as makie (using gold and silver powders to decorate surfaces) and raden (embedding mother-of-pearl into the lacquer).
Today, lacquer artists carry on the traditional methods of painstakingly layering, drying, and polishing, while incorporating their own creative touches. At the gallery, you will see works by Onihira Keiji, an official member of the Japan Kogei Association. His pieces are beloved for their meditative quality, blending ancestral Japanese craftsmanship with celestial, botanical, and cosmic imagery.
Sanctuary for Ceramic Lovers
Zetterquist Galleries
Exhibition: Open to the public during Asia Week New York, March 19 to 27
Eric J. Zetterquist, founder of Zetterquist Galleries, spent two years of high school studying ceramics in Japan. To deepen his expertise, he turned to Chinese porcelain, devoting the next four decades to studying Song Dynasty pottery and other Asian ceramic traditions. In 1992, he opened his eponymous gallery in New York, housed in a prewar-style apartment once occupied by Ulysses S. Grant.
Under the mentorship of Japanese dealer and photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, Zetterquist gained extensive knowledge of both ancient Asian arts and contemporary photography. Sugimoto shared a guiding philosophy with him: “If you want to be a successful art dealer, you need to have the eyes of an artist. If you want to be an artist, you need to study its 5,000 years of history. Everything comes together in a symbiotic relationship.”
This interdisciplinary approach sharpened his eye for artistry and helped establish Zetterquist Galleries as a must-visit destination for ceramic connoisseurs.
During Asia Week, the gallery will showcase the John R. Menke Collection of Vietnamese ceramics. A New York native and nuclear physicist, Menke discovered Southeast Asian ceramics while traveling in the region on uranium procurement missions. His collection spans Vietnamese pottery from the Dong Son culture through the 17th century, highlighting both the influence of Chinese porcelain and the distinct regional styles shaped by local materials, decorative motifs, and evolving traditions.
Ukiyo-e: Snapshots of Life in Edo
Sebastian Izzard LLC
Exhibitions: March 20 to 27
For founder Sebastian Izzard, Japanese ukiyo-e was love at first sight. A former head of the Japanese and Korean art division at Christie’s New York, he brings decades of auction-house experience to his gallery. This spring, Sebastian Izzard Asian Art will present a carefully curated selection of 19th century Japanese paintings.
This era marks the late phase of ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world.” It’s divided into two major schools: the Katsushika and the Utagawa. The Katsushika school specialized in prints and book illustrations. Its use of large-scale commercial printing has made its founder, Katsushika Hokusai, a household name. The Utagawa school, meanwhile, rose to fame through “yakusha-e,” or actor prints, and “bijin-ga,” images of beautiful women.
Over time, both schools expanded into landscape imagery, later known as “meisho-e,” or “pictures of famous places.” These prints were so popular that they sparked tourism, with guides organizing trips to the real-life locations depicted in the pieces.
The gallery will also feature works by masters from earlier periods, including Hishikawa Moronobu, widely regarded as the father of ukiyo-e. Renowned for capturing the lively, pleasure-loving spirit of early Edo society (present-day Tokyo), his compositions are filled with scenes of entertainment, food, fashion, and everyday life.
Since ukiyo-e prints were made from carved woodblocks, they could be reprinted as long as the blocks remained intact. For collectors today, the real challenge lies in identifying the finest surviving impressions. Acclaimed for its discerning eye and expertise, Sebastian Izzard Asian Art LLC is a bucket-list destination for lovers of Japanese art.
America’s Oldest Gallery for Chinese Art
The Ralph M. Chait Galleries
Exhibition: March 19 to 27
For connoisseurs of ancient Chinese art, Ralph M. Chait Galleries offers an exceptional selection. Founded by Ralph M. Chait, who began curating works at just 18 years old, the gallery was established in 1910 and is the oldest in the United States devoted exclusively to Chinese art and antiquities. It is accredited by the National Antique and Art Dealers Association of America.
Over the years, many major American museums have acquired works through the gallery, further establishing its reputation among influential collectors such as John D. Rockefeller Jr. and President Herbert Hoover. Today, it’s still a family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation.
Stepping into the Madison Avenue galleries, visitors are transported through time, with elegant Chinese furnishings alongside carefully arranged artworks and antiquities. During Asia Week New York, a selection of Chinese ceramics and works of art will be on view, including jade carvings, porcelain, and bronze sculptures.
The highlight of the exhibition is a Qianlong-period porcelain bowl, decorated with a lively scene along the Pearl River in Guangzhou, where foreign trading houses once lined the banks and commerce thrived. Unusual for its focus on trade, the bowl offers a vivid glimpse into early exchanges between the East and West.
While too numerous to list completely, the Upper East Side hosts several distinct galleries partnering with Asia Week New York. Thomsen Gallery is renowned for its large Japanese folding screens; Dai Ichi Arts Ltd and Joan B. Mirviss LTD feature works by modern and classical master potters; and the emerging Fu Qiumeng Fine Art highlights contemporary Chinese art.
Sneak Preview from Christie’s Auction House
From the Tang Dynasty to New York
Widely regarded as China’s Golden Age, the Tang Dynasty reached unprecedented heights in literature, poetry, music, and the visual arts. Among its treasures are Tang “sancai”—tricolored ceramics glazed primarily in yellow, green, and off-white.
The name sancai is a modern one, coined around 1900 during the late Qing Dynasty. It came into use after the construction of the Longhai Railway uncovered Tang tombs on Mangshan in Luoyang, leading to the large-scale excavation of these ceramics. Once restored, the pieces entered the international auction market, sparking excitement among collectors worldwide.
Estimate on request (in the
region of $500,000)_Christie’s Images LTD. 2025
Vicki Paloympis, Head of the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department at Christie’s New York, told Elite in an interview: “Western collectors began to pay attention to sancai in the early 1990s, and this was the hottest collecting category until the early 2000s, as it was the taste of the time to display these pieces in one’s home. Every great New York apartment or American home will always also have great sancai wares.”
Female Polo Player Circa Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907), 13 3/4 in. H Estimate: $80,000–120,000_Christie’s Images LTD. 2025
During Asia Week, Christie’s will showcase works from the collection of art connoisseur Max N. Berry, including two Tang sancai horses. Now 91, Berry has begun planning his estate. These works are an important part of his legacy: “They’re more than memories—they become part of your life,” he told The Observer. “This may sound a little ridiculous, but I want the people who buy the pieces I love to love them as much as I do, but not more. I just hope they all end up in good homes.”
Beyond sancai ceramics, this year’s Christie’s Asian Art Week auctions will feature Zhou Dynasty bronzes, Ming and Qing porcelains, Buddhist sculptures, and highly sought-after “huanghuali” and “zitan” furniture. Nearly all lots will be available for free public viewing ahead of the sale, with specialists on hand to offer help and insights. The auctions are also free and open to the public.
Location: 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020
To learn all the upcoming events, please check https://asiaweekny.com/
