Norton Museum of Art Welcomes Shawn Yuan as Elizabeth B. McGraw Senior Curator of Asian Art

The Norton Museum of Art has appointed Shawn Yuan as the Elizabeth B. McGraw Senior Curator of Asian Art. The Norton, Florida’s largest art museum, is internationally recognized for its collections of Contemporary Art, Early European Art, Modern Art, and Photography, as well as Chinese Art. Yuan will oversee the Asian Collection, which primarily focuses on Chinese art, while also expanding the Museum’s scope to include works from other Asian cultures. His tenure will begin on April 7.

Yuan joins the Norton from the World Heritage Center in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to that role, he held positions at the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art, and the Crow Museum of Asian Art at the University of Texas, Dallas. At the Norton, Yuan will be responsible for developing, growing, and interpreting the Museum’s Asian Collection, which includes more than 700 objects such as bronzes, ceramics, decorative arts, glass, jades, and porcelain.

The Norton’s Asian Art Collection was an early addition to the Museum’s holdings, dating back to 1942 under its founder, Ralph Hubbard Norton—just one year after the Museum’s opening. Initial acquisitions included Chinese jade and bronzes, which later expanded to encompass ceramics, lacquer, export and import porcelain, and most recently, paintings. Yuan’s appointment signals the Museum’s commitment to broadening its collection to more robustly include works from Japan, Korea, and India.

“We are impressed by Shawn’s enthusiasm for our collections and his passion for making these venerable works of art relatable to modern audiences,” said Ghislain d’Humières, Kenneth C. Griffin Director and CEO. “I look forward to working with him and collaborating on the development of innovative, original exhibition programming that expands the Norton’s storied Chinese holdings and welcomes new audiences through the focused inclusion of work from diverse Asian cultures.”

Yuan has curated several original exhibitions, including Samurai Spirit: Swords, Accessories, and Paintings; Creative Splendor: Japanese Bamboo Baskets from the Thomas Collection; Elegant Pursuits: The Arts of China’s Educated Elite, 1400–1900; Korean Ceramics from the San Antonio Museum of Art Collection; Radiant Wisdom: Tibetan and Indian Buddhist and Hindu Art from the John Hendry Collection; Texas Collects Asia; and Tending the Afterlife: Chinese Tomb Art from the Neolithic Period to the Ming Dynasty.

“I have long admired the Norton’s exceptional collection of Asian art, particularly its remarkable holdings of Chinese art,” Yuan said. “Thanks to visionary acquisitions throughout the Museum’s history, the Collection features outstanding examples across all major categories, spanning more than 3,000 years of Chinese history.”

Yuan succeeds Laurie Barnes, who is retiring after 19 years as the Elizabeth B. McGraw Senior Curator of Chinese Art. During her tenure, Barnes significantly expanded the Collection, acquiring rare and noteworthy works such as a 10th-century “Secret Color” Yue stoneware box and a set of paintings depicting a late Ming dynasty (1368–1644) Lantern Festival celebration in Nanjing. She was also a contributing author to Chinese Ceramics: From the Paleolithic Period through the Qing Dynasty, a bilingual encyclopedic survey published by Yale University in collaboration with the Beijing Foreign Languages Press. Her 2015 exhibition, High Tea: Glorious Manifestations East and West, was critically acclaimed for its exploration of the art and culture of tea.

Barnes leaves a lasting impact on the Norton community and is excited to see the direction Yuan takes the expanded Asian Art department.

“It will truly be an honor to work with this esteemed Collection and contribute to its continued growth,” Yuan said. “I also look forward to collaborating with the Norton team to create exhibitions that serve as a gateway to Asian cultures while enriching the vibrant and diverse cultural landscape of South Florida.”

The Norton Museum of Art, Florida’s largest art museum, is home to a distinguished collection of art, including Contemporary, Early European, Modern, and Asian Art, as well as Photography. Founded in 1941 by Ralph Hubbard Norton and Elizabeth Calhoun Norton, the Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art while engaging visitors through exhibitions, events, and live entertainment featuring local musicians and performance artists. The Museum’s public programming is year-round, designed to inspire conversations and build community through the power of art.

The Museum’s expansion and renovation, led by the London-based architecture firm Foster + Partners, added over 12,000 square feet of new gallery space, an educational center, a store and restaurant, a sculpture garden, and a Great Hall, serving as the Museum’s “living room.” Additionally, the campus includes restored 1920s-era cottages that house artists-in-residence.

The Norton’s Senior Curator of Asian Art position is endowed by a generous gift from John and Marjorie McGraw, in memory of Elizabeth B. McGraw. The Museum also acknowledges the ongoing commitment and leadership of Heidi and John Niblack, which continues to make the Asian Art program possible.

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