Past Awards

Opening in May 2027, the exhibition synthesizes current research on Ming and Qing dynasty glass and explores the transformative period when Chinese glassmakers transitioned from serving local markets to the splendor of court patronage under Qing emperors. They mastered transparency to produce vessels and scientific instruments, experimented with colorants and opacifiers to create bold new colors and emulate other materials, and merged their expertise with that of Europeans, creating an art form of their own. The exhibition will feature a wide range of approximately 180 glass objects created from the fourteenth to the mid-twentieth century, with key loans from institutions in the U.S., Canada, and China.

Founded in 1966, the China Institute Gallery has presented the history of Chinese art from antiquity to the present through superb and thought-provoking exhibitions. The masterworks featured in Celebrating Sixty Years of China Institute Gallery: 1966-2026 exemplify what has made the Institute’s exhibitions groundbreaking. From presentations of exquisite jades and bronze vessels, to the symbolism of old trees, to Chinese ceramics, calligraphy, and architecture—China Institute’s displays have consistently illuminated pathways to a deeper understanding of the culture of China.

This exhibition featured 100 of the most important masterworks in the genre of flower and bird painting spanning 500 years of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It examined how coded imagery in these stunning depictions of flora and fauna was used to transmit meanings—central to Chinese art and culture—that link the natural world and the human experience. A fully-illustrated bilingual exhibition catalogue, an international scholarly symposium on the art and culture of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and public and education programs explored associated themes. GHF funds supported the New York presentation of the exhibition.

The 28 years following the Tumu Crisis was among the most politically unstable periods of the Ming Dynasty. Scholars have attributed this chaos to the constant change in rule. This political confusion marked almost every aspect of society, including that of imperial porcelain production. Featuring 158 items from the collection of the Jingdezhen Imperial Ware Museum, the exhibition and its associated programming explained how artistic innovation and experimentation not only survived, but thrived during this tumultuous period.