Spirits and spirit mediums are central within the practices and rich visual cultures of many Asian religious traditions. With the use of paintings, costumes, musical instruments, and other elaborately detailed objects, priests and shamans manifest spirits that influence and guide human fortune. This one-day symposium gathers national and international experts to examine multiple traditions from Vietnam, Korea, Laos, India, China, and Myanmar, as well as the ways contemporary cultures and diasporic movements are transforming and sustaining spirit practices.

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition How to Make the Universe Right: The Art of Priests and Shamans from Vietnam and Southern China, at the Fowler Museum from July 30, 2017 – January 7, 2018. All works on view are part of the Barry and Jill Kitnick Collection generously donated to the Fowler Museum in 2015. The symposium is co-sponsored by the UCLA Confucius Institute.

Parking available in UCLA Lot 4, 221 Westwood Plaza, directly off Sunset Blvd | $12/day

Register here

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Symposium Schedule | Click here to view as PDF

Morning Session

10:00–10:15am
Welcome and Introduction
Terri Geis, Fowler Museum Director of Education and Interpretation

10:15–10:45am
Yao Shaman Priest Robes: Symbols of Mysterious Powers, Cosmic Order and Traditional Values
Trian Nguyen, Associate Professor of Art