To mark the arrival of Asia Week New York, brightly colored yellow-and-blue banners are flying over Midtown and the Upper East Side in honor of the weeklong celebration of Asian art and culture, March 15 - 23.

The Week unites an illustrious roster of 43 international Asian art specialists—the largest number to date—along with five major auction houses and 17 world-renowned museums and Asian cultural institutions. All of the show participants work together towards a singular purpose: weaving Asian art into the cultural fabric of New York and beyond.

Ethiopian Artwork

Exhibitors cover a wide swath of specialties including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, and Himalayan exemplars of porcelain, jewelry, textiles, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, bronzes, prints, photographs and jades, representing artistry, ingenuity and imagination from every quarter and period of Asia.

This year, the show will host eighteen new galleries that have never exhibited before, and with these additions Asia Week 2013 reaches a record number of exhibitors.

"This is the largest number of galleries that have participated since the inception of Asia Week New York nearly five years ago, and represents 25% growth over last year," said Henry Howard-Sneyd, chairman of Asia Week New York. "As more and more Asian art dealers recognize that New York is the place to be in March, we are able to select a broader and more diverse group of specialists eager to exhibit here. This confirms just how vital Asia Week New York has become as a destination for international Asian art collectors, curators and scholars."

Here is a look at some of the exhibitors and pieces:

Prahlad Bubbar Ltd.

The newcomers in the fields of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian art include: Art Passages (United States), Buddhist Art (Germany), Galerie Hioco (France), Nayef Homsi (United States), Prahlad Bubbar Ltd. (England), Walter Arader (United States), and Xanadu Gallery (United States). These exhibitors join returning dealers: Carlo Cristi (Italy), Dalton Somaré (Italy), Francesca Galloway (England), Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch (England), Kapoor Galleries (United States), Sue Ollemans Oriental Works of Art (England), Carlton Rochell Asian Art (United States), John Siudmak Asian Art (England) and Nancy Wiener Gallery (United States).

Wei Asian Arts

First-time participants in the Chinese Ancient and/or Contemporary category are: Asian Art Studio (United States), Jacques Barrère (France), Jadestone (United States), Nicholas Grindley Works of Art (England), Dr. Robert Bigler (Switzerland), Santos-London (England) and Wei Asian Arts (Belgium). While, Andrew Kahane (United States), Ralph M. Chait Galleries, China 2000 Fine Art, The Chinese Porcelain Company, Michael C. Hughes, Kaikodo, J.J. Lally & Co., M. Sutherland Fine Arts, and Zetterquist Galleries—all from the United States—return to the fold.

Flying Cranes

New dealers joining the Japanese specialists are: Bachmann Eckenstein (Switzerland), Carole Davenport (United States), Flying Cranes (United States), and Lesley Kehoe (Australia). Returning participants Dai Ichi Arts, Joan B. Mirviss, Ltd., Scholten Japanese Art, Erik Thomsen—all from the United States—along with Hiroshi Yanagi Oriental Art from Japan, complete the roster.

KooNewYork

Ancient and/or contemporary Korean specialists Kang Collection Korean Art and KooNewYork, both from the United States, complete the extraordinary array of Asian art treasures on view.

From 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. each day, there will be an open house viewing of all participating dealers and auction houses taking place in various galleries and museums across the city.

In addition, many educational opportunities, workshops, auctions, artist talks, parties and lectures will take place throughout the week. Lecture topics include: Museums in the 21st Century, South and Southeast Asian Art, Contemporary Indian Art at a Crossroads and many more.

A-Sun Wu artwork

Timed to coincide with Asia Week the Friedman & Vallois gallery presents, “Legends of South Pacific” by Taiwanese Paris & Taipei based artist A-Sun Wu. Running through April 20, the exhibition proposes to introduce the work of this renowned artist through his paintings, sculptures and ceramics.

Also coinciding with the first three days of Asia Week is the Pier Antiques Show, which provides a showcase for specialists in the fine arts, textiles and objets d’ arts of Asia, Japan, the Pacific Islands as well as the Near and Far East.

Brandt Asian Art

The Pier Antiques show will feature Nick Pitcher of Nicholas Pitcher Oriental Art Ltd., from London, England—a specialist in Chinese works of art and ceramics from very early Han and Tang dynasties through to the19th century. Also, Robert Brandt of Brandt Asian Art will be bringing a new collection of antique Chinese and Japanese works of art, furniture and textiles to the show. 

A comprehensive guide to all of the Asia Week activities and events, with maps, will be available at all participating galleries and auction houses, along with select museums and cultural institutions across NYC.

Attendees are encouraged to plan their visits ahead of time online. For the first time this year, an abridged version of the website will be available in Chinese.

Asia Week New York launches with a private, by-invitation-only reception at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum tonight. The events open to the public Saturday, March 16.