Sharpen your claws and roar with pride: dragons, tigers, and monkeys are coming to the Worcester Art Museum this fall. Beasts of Legend explores the legacy of three iconic animals in East Asian cultures throughout history and into the present day. The exhibition will span seven centuries of art, including paintings, sculptures, puppets, textiles and works on paper.
Discover the dragon’s associations with wisdom and sovereignty through Chinese imperial robes, Japanese woodblock prints and screens, and Korean hanging scrolls. Explore the tiger as the embodiment of courage and protection with puppets and auspiciously decorated clothing. And learn the story of Sun Wukong—the Monkey King—a trickster, hero, and supernatural helper whose story resonates across cultures and has been continually reimagined to this day.
Among the works on view will be a new large-scale painting by Taiwanese American artist Mu Pan. Commissioned by the Worcester Art Museum for Beasts of Legend, the painting will focus on the theme of the monkey, incorporating animal imagery from multiple literary traditions and works of martial arts fiction.
This exhibition is curated by Yagnaseni Datta, the Sohail and Mona Masood Associate Curator of Asian and Islamic Art.
Early research for this exhibition was generously supported by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
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