Presented by USC Museums in collaboration with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center: Moveable Feast—Kulapat Yantrasast in Conversation

About

"Be joyful though you have considered all the facts." - Wendell Berry

"The system wants us to be sad and we have to come to be happy to resist it."- Gilles Deleuze

In a far-ranging conversation, Kulapat Yantrasast and Paul Holdengräber will dive into an exchange about curiosity, collaboration and the future of architecture. Spanning from Asia to Los Angeles, Tadao Ando, Isamu Noguchi, Frank Gehry are a few of the figures they will discuss -- the importance of design, art and architecture as tools for empathy and connection, as well as the central role of listening, beauty, delight and the paramount importance of JOY as a form of resistance in these troubled times.

Violinist and MacArthur fellow, Vijay Gupta, founder and artistic director of Street Symphony and author of the forthcoming memoir Restrung will lead us into conversation with a musical prelude.

This conversation is part of the ongoing series Moveable Feast, supported by Selma Holo and Mei-Lee Ney. The series is presented in order to encourage the lively exchange of ideas in the worlds of the arts and culture.

After the conversation, join us for light refreshments in the Japanese garden.

Things To Know

Kulapat Yantrasast, Founder of WHY Architecture, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo. His portfolio includes the Metropolitan Museum's Rockefeller Wing, the Louvre's Byzantine department renovation, and Riyadh's ilmi Science Center. He designed the Dib Bangkok contemporary art center and Tempo museum in Manila. Currently, he serves as Principal Architect for New Delhi's Yuge Yugeen Bharat national museum.

Paul Holdengräber is an interviewer, a curator of public curiosity, and was the Founding Executive Director of Onassis Los Angeles. He was Founder and Director of The New York Public Library's LIVE in the NYPL cultural
series. Before that, Holdengraber was the Founder and Director of The Institute for Art & Cultures at LACMA. He holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Princeton University.

An integral part of the University of Southern California, USC Museums harnesses the power of art to inspire, connect, and engage communities. Comprising the USC Fisher Museum of Art and the USC Pacific Asia Museum, USC Museums fosters cultural exchange, critical dialogue, and interdisciplinary learning through dynamic exhibitions and programs. Committed to inclusivity and innovation, it bridges perspectives and expands understanding, shaping museums as spaces for connection and discovery.

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