NYTimes
Asia Society Plans Bold Projects to Increase Its Global Presence
By ROBIN POGREBIN
Published: February 22, 2006
In an effort to increase its activities worldwide, the Asia Society is to announce tomorrow a major repositioning of the organization that will involve more than $100 million in new projects, including a $52 million center in Hong Kong designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien and a $40 million center in Houston by Yoshio Taniguchi. The plans are to be presented at the society's 50th anniversary gala dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria tomorrow evening.
"We want to change it from a New York institution with regional branches into a global institution with a New York headquarters," said Richard C. Holbrooke, the society's chairman and former ambassador to the United Nations.
The new buildings will be regional cultural, policy and academic centers meant to allow the society to deepen its relationships throughout Asia, said Vishakha N. Desai, the society's president. "When we didn't have a building in Hong Kong, we were going to hotels and other locations to do our programs. We couldn't bring all our activities under one roof."
The various projects have been in the works for some time. Among them are an Asia Society India Center, a $1.2 million office that will provide policy and cultural programs, in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. The center is to open on March 18, during the society's annual corporate conference in Mumbai, this year titled "Driving Global Business: India's New Priorities, Asia's New Realities."
A $5 million U.S.-China Center will open this fall in New York to promote greater understanding of the relationship between the countries by conducting research and distributing reports on critical issues, developing programming aimed at educating the public, and encouraging discussion between Chinese and American political and business leaders. The center is being paid for by Arthur Ross, a New York philanthropist, who also contributed about $3 million toward the society's endowment.
Other projects include a $1.5 million fellows program from Bernard L. Schwartz, the departing chief executive of Loral Space and Communications. The program will support full-time resident fellows at the Asia Society with an eye toward shaping public understanding of social and political developments in Asia.
In addition, Merrill Lynch is financing a $1 million "Asia 21 Fellows" program to bring together 25 young leaders from Asia (and a few from the United States) for a series of conferences to tackle emerging issues. On the cultural side, a grant of $275,000 from the Getty Foundation will provide two fellows in Asian art each year with practical curatorial training and museum-management skills. These fellows will work with the society on exhibitions, catalogs and special projects. Another program, financed with $900,000 from Morgan Stanley, will support major exhibitions and performances at the Asia Society. Programs in the series will also tour the United States and other countries.
Tomorrow's dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria has raised $4 million.
Ms. Desai said these initiatives represented an effort to realize the organization's original principles as envisioned in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller III. "He had this idea, if you want to learn about that part of the world, it has to be in a three-dimensional way," Ms. Desai said in an interview. The Asia Society, which has its headquarters on Park Avenue in Manhattan, was founded as a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization dedicated to fostering a greater understanding of Asia through political discussion, culture and education.
"New York was the mother ship and we had little tentacles," Ms. Desai said. "In the 21st century, it's really about interconnections in multiple ways. It's a mindset as much as a physical change.
"That's the model that we must develop further, to be a true multinational organization," she added. "It's about Asia and the United States coming together to understand each other better."
With the center in Hong Kong, the society is establishing a physical anchor in Asia. Although the society has had an office there for 15 years, with the new structure it hopes "to create scale," Ms. Desai said, and a place where projects can originate. It will include gallery and performance space and is expected to open in fall 2007. "It becomes our Asia hub," she said. Similarly, the Houston center will expand on the society's work in that city, which has been going on some 25 years. The building designed by Mr. Taniguchi — the architect behind the New York Museum of Modern's Art extensive renovation — is expected to open in 2008. The society also has regional offices in Washington, Manila, Melbourne, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Shanghai. In connection with the 50th anniversary, the society is presenting an exhibition in New York that focuses on the Rockefeller family's contributions as Asian art collectors. "A Passion for Asia: The Rockefeller Family Collects," which opens Friday and runs through Sept. 3, includes 150 paintings, sculptures and decorative works originally owned by the family.
The society also plans to step up its educational activities. It will take a delegation of education leaders to India and hold a forum in China on educational policy. A deeper understanding of Asia is no longer merely beneficial, but essential, Ms. Desai said. People ought to think to themselves, "'I don't know anything about that part of the world, but I better, to be globally literate,' " she said. "This is not just a nice idea. It's a necessity for the 21st century."
(英)亞洲協會邀請重量級建築師為其設計，增加曝光度
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爆漿撒尿牛丸
美籌設亞洲中心 衝擊故宮南院收藏
丁榮生/專題報導 (20060227)
一窩蜂的世界，竟發現美國學台灣！香港及休斯頓籌設亞洲中心，預料衝擊故宮南院收藏正籌設中的台灣國立故宮博物院南部分院朝亞洲博物館規畫，但外電報導，美國亞洲協會日昨宣布，將在香港及休士頓新蓋兩座「亞洲中心」也將作亞洲文物蒐藏，此舉對故宮南院的文物蒐購造成即期影響，也對台灣成立亞洲博物館蒙下更不確定的前景。
因亞洲相關文物價格這兩天已因此新聞造成波動，連帶各亞洲文化產業概念股價，也隨即應聲而漲，如日本的文化藝術公司股票，這兩天有看漲趨勢。
根據外電，美國亞洲協會宣布成立以來的最大膽計畫，投入超過10億美金籌設，包括一座5億兩千萬資金籌設的香港亞洲藝術中心和4億的休斯頓美國亞洲藝術館，當中休士頓館由日本建築名師谷口吉生設計，他的名作是紐約當代美術館（MoMA）與日本豐田美術館，而香港館由美國名建築師泰德威廉與美裔港人錢泰麗（音）夫婦兩位籌建，兩人的名作即為紐約MoMA隔鄰的美國民族博物館。這是亞洲協會慶祝其成立50周年紀念，所宣布的大禮。
由於全球經濟地盤移轉，中國之後印度也將崛起，加上亞洲宿強—日本，使得美國的亞洲協會近年靜極思動。
協會主席、也是美國駐聯合國前大使郝爾布魯克在慶祝晚會宣布，「我們有雄心壯志在亞洲相關國家崛起後，改變我們的角色，籌設這兩座亞洲博物館，我們從過往只是一個地方團體，將一躍為全球性機構。」
他認為，新的亞洲中心將讓他們更名副其實，因為新建築將承載著亞洲文化與學術的中心，也能讓美國民眾深跟過往蜻蜓點水交往的亞洲國家文化有個深度交流的機制。比如他們過往在香港都是租用飯店辦活動，誰會認為美國能在亞洲藝術文化能有一番大作為？
在印度，亞洲協會腳步更快，3月18日的亞洲協會孟買中心將開張，今年年會主題為「航向全球化的經濟：印度新契機、亞洲新現實」。中國當然更是重點，秋天的紐約美中（國）中心將開張，並有人提供1百萬美金成立「亞洲21傑出人士獎」，預計提供25位年輕人，提供他們從亞洲(一些是在美國的亞裔人士)來美國考察或短暫停留的經費。在藝術文化項目，加州的蓋堤基金會提供兩個在亞洲藝術見長人士，以鍛鍊其博物館、美術館經營管理的技能。
他們認為，籌設在香港的亞洲中心，猶如是以美國紐約為母港的亞洲運補中心，亞洲協會執行長德爾絲如此期待，亞洲中心將包括畫廊和展演空間，預計2007年秋天即可開幕，這將使美國在亞洲有個插槽一般。同樣, 休斯敦中心將在美南於2008年開張。
德爾絲並指出，美國亞洲協會為何要經營此兩個亞洲中心計畫？作為非盈利、無黨派、非政府組織，美國需要致力促進對亞洲的政治、文化和教育的理解與互動來認識彼此。並說「21世紀，各民族互連的關鍵在於以多重管道來聯繫，因此過去雖已有辦公室在那裡，但還是要建立新的船錨，期望能以新結構來「開創新標竿」。
德爾絲還說，亞洲協會還在華盛頓、馬尼拉、墨爾本、洛杉磯、舊金山和上海各設分部。而過往以石油大亨洛克菲勒家族捐獻為主要資金來源的亞洲基金會，在紐約總部，主要也是展出洛克菲勒家庭的亞洲藝術收藏品為主，主題為「激情為亞洲」。因此未來籌設兩座亞洲中心，被視為是新的出發契機，並代表美國社會有意深度經營亞洲。
台灣故宮否會因亞洲協會的新作為，而更形陷入文物難以蒐購的前景，短短3、5天內還看不出端倪。但故宮未透露姓名的高層指出，看來2007年就有亞洲博物館的競爭者在香港，對故宮而言就是要面對，不論是競爭或合作，總是有個他山之石。
丁榮生/專題報導 (20060227)
一窩蜂的世界，竟發現美國學台灣！香港及休斯頓籌設亞洲中心，預料衝擊故宮南院收藏正籌設中的台灣國立故宮博物院南部分院朝亞洲博物館規畫，但外電報導，美國亞洲協會日昨宣布，將在香港及休士頓新蓋兩座「亞洲中心」也將作亞洲文物蒐藏，此舉對故宮南院的文物蒐購造成即期影響，也對台灣成立亞洲博物館蒙下更不確定的前景。
因亞洲相關文物價格這兩天已因此新聞造成波動，連帶各亞洲文化產業概念股價，也隨即應聲而漲，如日本的文化藝術公司股票，這兩天有看漲趨勢。
根據外電，美國亞洲協會宣布成立以來的最大膽計畫，投入超過10億美金籌設，包括一座5億兩千萬資金籌設的香港亞洲藝術中心和4億的休斯頓美國亞洲藝術館，當中休士頓館由日本建築名師谷口吉生設計，他的名作是紐約當代美術館（MoMA）與日本豐田美術館，而香港館由美國名建築師泰德威廉與美裔港人錢泰麗（音）夫婦兩位籌建，兩人的名作即為紐約MoMA隔鄰的美國民族博物館。這是亞洲協會慶祝其成立50周年紀念，所宣布的大禮。
由於全球經濟地盤移轉，中國之後印度也將崛起，加上亞洲宿強—日本，使得美國的亞洲協會近年靜極思動。
協會主席、也是美國駐聯合國前大使郝爾布魯克在慶祝晚會宣布，「我們有雄心壯志在亞洲相關國家崛起後，改變我們的角色，籌設這兩座亞洲博物館，我們從過往只是一個地方團體，將一躍為全球性機構。」
他認為，新的亞洲中心將讓他們更名副其實，因為新建築將承載著亞洲文化與學術的中心，也能讓美國民眾深跟過往蜻蜓點水交往的亞洲國家文化有個深度交流的機制。比如他們過往在香港都是租用飯店辦活動，誰會認為美國能在亞洲藝術文化能有一番大作為？
在印度，亞洲協會腳步更快，3月18日的亞洲協會孟買中心將開張，今年年會主題為「航向全球化的經濟：印度新契機、亞洲新現實」。中國當然更是重點，秋天的紐約美中（國）中心將開張，並有人提供1百萬美金成立「亞洲21傑出人士獎」，預計提供25位年輕人，提供他們從亞洲(一些是在美國的亞裔人士)來美國考察或短暫停留的經費。在藝術文化項目，加州的蓋堤基金會提供兩個在亞洲藝術見長人士，以鍛鍊其博物館、美術館經營管理的技能。
他們認為，籌設在香港的亞洲中心，猶如是以美國紐約為母港的亞洲運補中心，亞洲協會執行長德爾絲如此期待，亞洲中心將包括畫廊和展演空間，預計2007年秋天即可開幕，這將使美國在亞洲有個插槽一般。同樣, 休斯敦中心將在美南於2008年開張。
德爾絲並指出，美國亞洲協會為何要經營此兩個亞洲中心計畫？作為非盈利、無黨派、非政府組織，美國需要致力促進對亞洲的政治、文化和教育的理解與互動來認識彼此。並說「21世紀，各民族互連的關鍵在於以多重管道來聯繫，因此過去雖已有辦公室在那裡，但還是要建立新的船錨，期望能以新結構來「開創新標竿」。
德爾絲還說，亞洲協會還在華盛頓、馬尼拉、墨爾本、洛杉磯、舊金山和上海各設分部。而過往以石油大亨洛克菲勒家族捐獻為主要資金來源的亞洲基金會，在紐約總部，主要也是展出洛克菲勒家庭的亞洲藝術收藏品為主，主題為「激情為亞洲」。因此未來籌設兩座亞洲中心，被視為是新的出發契機，並代表美國社會有意深度經營亞洲。
台灣故宮否會因亞洲協會的新作為，而更形陷入文物難以蒐購的前景，短短3、5天內還看不出端倪。但故宮未透露姓名的高層指出，看來2007年就有亞洲博物館的競爭者在香港，對故宮而言就是要面對，不論是競爭或合作，總是有個他山之石。