Commonwealth Club: The Intersection of Art Therapy and Spiritual Enlightenment: An Engineer's Perspective!

Rob Mintz, chief curator at the Asian Art Museum and artist Nick Dong explore the intersections of art, technology and Buddhist awakening—a conversation with the artist and a museum curator.  Integrating the invisible connections of sound, light and metal work to eliminate societal fractures and create a universal spiritual awareness, Oakland artist Nick Dong, a visionary craftsman, sculptor and engineer, brings to Commonwealth Club World Affairs a unique audiovisual experience that’s totally different from anything Club members have ever seen or heard before. Together with Asian Art Museum’s Chief Curator Rob Mintz, Nick will explore the metaphysical reality of his highly unusual integration of engineering, metal-smith technology, sound, light and optical illusions to create works of art that are not only pleasing to the eye, but also spiritually connected to one’s soul. Included in his presentation are pieces from his highly popular 2024 exhibit at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where he converts everyday household objects into highly unusual kinetic works of art. Nick Dong’s unique visionary perspective has attracted visitors at museums and art galleries throughout the world. In addition to the Yerba Buena Center, he has exhibited at the Asian Art Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., and USC’s Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California. Internationally, his art has achieved worldwide recognition with exhibits at Taiwan’s National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the University Museum of Modern Art. A future exhibit in Berlin is also being planned that will include works from his highly acclaimed “Auspicious 88” multimedia project in San Francisco. Dr. Robert Mintz is the chief curator at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. He oversees the curatorial research program and guides the growth and preservation of the museum’s art collections. Rob is a specialist in Japanese art history with a keen interest in painting. With degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Washington, he has spent his career working in public art museums trying to make the arts of Asia accessible and inspirational to the widest possible range of audiences.