Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art transformed into a martial arts mixer for the final “Asia After Dark” after-hours event of the summer. The night of cultural 
exploration and discovery into Chinese martial arts and 3-D printing technology brought Silk Road Society members and other Freer fans out for sips and socializing.
Through a special collaboration with the team planning the Smithsonian Innovation Space at the Arts & Industries Building, opening September 2014, guests explored 3-D scanning and printing with experts from the Smithsonian’s digitization program unit… and participated in the creation of a 10-foot-tall replica statue of the Freer’s renowned “Cosmological Buddha,” currently on view in “Promise of Paradise: Early Chinese Buddhist Sculpture.” 
As creative forces unfolded, guests experienced kung fu martial arts demonstrations and the battle sounds of DJs Hop Fu (a popular “hip-hop meets kung fu” performance), tai chi demonstrations and a crafty teacup sleeve art activity, which provided a calming counterpoint.
*Images provided courtesy of Freer Gallery of Art’s “Asia After Dark”
