NEW YORK, NY.- Asia Week New York Association’s annual invitation-only evening reception on March 17, 2014, will be held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was announced by Carol Conover, chairman of Asia Week New York.

On this special occasion the Metropolitan Museum will open all of its Asian Art galleries for viewing and offer guests curatorial tours of the major exhibitions on view in the galleries during Asia Week New York: Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China, the Met’s first Chinese contemporary art exhibition (December 11, 2013–April 7, 2014); The Flowering of Edo Period Painting: Japanese Masterworks from the Feinberg Collection (February 1–September 7, 2014); Tibet and India: New Beginnings (February 8–June 8, 2014); and Small Delights: Chinese Snuff Bottles (July 19, 2013–June 15 2014).

“For the past five years, our receptions have served to spotlight different New York City museums and Asian cultural institutions,” says Ms. Conover. “When we approached the Met with the idea of hosting our 2014 reception there, we were thrilled that they agreed to open their doors to us for such an important occasion. With their extraordinary collections of Asian art in all its various disciplines, we are gratified that the evening also has an educational component, which reinforces the mission of Asia Week New York. I can’t think of a more magnificent setting in which to celebrate the sixth edition of Asia Week New York.”

Maxwell K. Hearn, Douglas Dillon Chairman of the Metropolitan’s Department of Asian Art, commented: “We're delighted to welcome the Asian art community to the Met's Asian Wing as part of the exciting events of Asia Week. We feel a special debt of gratitude to this community as it has long been our greatest source of encouragement and support. We are very pleased to acknowledge that support by opening all our galleries for the March 17 reception. Our permanent galleries, in addition to displaying four major special exhibitions, feature monumental Pala and Pandyan sculptures on loan from Asia Society, Sopheap Pich's 2010 Buddha II in our Khmer Courtyard, a stable full of Tang horses, including Han Gan's Night Shining White, in our Ancient China galleries, newly installed treasures of Chinese decorative art, and a provocative mix of modern and ancient Korean artworks. Indeed, the considered juxtaposition of contemporary and traditional pieces has become a highlight of our collections as we endeavor to present not only Asia's cultural past, but also its future. We welcome everyone to discover all of Asia at the Met!”

According to Ms. Conover, many of the Asia Week New York dealers will launch their exhibitions on Friday evening, March 14, with opening receptions held in each of their respective galleries. The exhibitions will remain open to the public during Open House Weekend on March 15 and 16 and throughout the week until Saturday, March 22.

Also on Friday, March 14, at 5:00 p.m., the Metropolitan Museum will host its Annual Lecture on the Arts of South and Southeast Asia. This year curator John Guy will speak on "Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia," in anticipation of the Museum’s major spring exhibition of the same title, which will open on April 14.