Asia Society 57d ago

NEW YORK, May 3, 2026 — Irina Bokova, former director-general of UNESCO; and Dr. Vishakha Desai, art historian and president emerita of Asia Society, explore how art exists both within and beyond the time and place it comes from. They discuss the politics of collecting and restitution, art as a form of soft power and cultural exchange, and the tensions between ownership and shared human heritage. Presented in conjunction with Asia Society’s 70th anniversary exhibition,  Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Celebrating 70 Years of Asia Society and the Rockefeller Legacy (https://asiasociety.org/new-york/exhibitions/buddha-and-shiva-lotus-and-dragon-celebrating-70-years-asia-society-and-rockefeller-legacy), the conversation reflects on how art objects shape dialogue, memory, and global understanding. Rachel Cooper, director of Culture and Diplomacy at Asia Society, hosts the program. (1 hr., 9 min.) Subscribe for more videos like this: http://AsiaSociety.org/YouTube --- Support Asia Society today: http://AsiaSociety.org/Donate --- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected: https://asiasociety.org/email-subscriptions --- Facebook: http://facebook.com/AsiaSociety Instagram: http://instagram.com/AsiaSociety Twitter: http://twitter.com/AsiaSociety LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/asia-society/ #asiasociety #asiasocietynewyork #arts #artrestitution