Norton Sets Lunar New Year Community Day

Credit: Norton Museum

(Press Release) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (January 13, 2025 ) – Did you know 2025 will be the Year of the Snake?

The Norton Museum of Art will celebrate the start of that year with its annual Lunar New Year Community Day on February 8 with the event kick off at Art After Dark on Friday, February 7.

The Norton boasts more than 700 objects from China that will be among the star attractions of the Museum’s free annual Lunar New Year Community Day, set for 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, February 8, 2025.

---

​The Chinese collection, spanning 5,000 years, includes a set of unique paintings depicting a late Ming dynasty (1368-1644) Lantern Festival celebration in the city of Nanjing.

The Lantern Festival occuring on February 12 this year concludes the fortnight of New Year celebrations in China, with the intent of bringing good fortune to all, and is still celebrated today.

In the six Lantern Festival paintings, countless figures including immortals, soldiers, children, acrobats, musicians, and court officials, are shown engaged in various aspects of the festivities. The paintings were acquired in 2015 and are only on view once a year as part of the Lunar New Year festivities. Only two collections in China have related Ming Dynasty handscrolls depiciting this celebration, according to Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw Senior Curator of Chinese Art. See the paintings January 25-February 16.

Since the Chinese collection includes no works of art depicting snakes, two Japanese works will be on view to commemorate the Year of the Snake.

“The collection, started by museum founder Ralph Norton, has continued to grow since the Museum’s founding in 1941,” said Barnes, who is retiring this spring after 19 years with the Norton. “In addition to the Lantern Festival paintings, the Norton’s collection of both early and late jades is especially noteworthy, as well as our not-to-be missed 10th century ‘Secret Color’ Yue ware circular box, which is the only example of this rare sea-green glazed ceramic in this country.”

Festivities kick off at the February 7 Art After Dark, with the Florida State University Chinese Music Ensemble’s program Dancing Dragon in Colorful Clouds: Chinese Folk and Traditional Music, featuring an array of Chinese musical instruments and traditions.

Jan Stuart, Melvin R. Seiden Curator of Chinese Art, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, will discuss grand, congratulatory polychrome lacquer screens, including one example in the Norton’s Collection, and there will be fireworks over the Intracoastal Waterway.

At the February 8 free Community Day, there will be activities for guests of all ages that celebrate 2025 as the Year of the Snake.

Guests can learn from Hao Bang Ah, Snake!, Chinese puppet performance by Chinese Theatre Works that celebrates the wit and wisdom of the animals of the zodiac.

Festivities continue with Dragon and Lion Dances featuring Lee Koon Hung Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu Association. “Storytainer” Monica Ladd will transport guests to another time as she tells traditional Chinese stories, and art activities include making decorated coiled snakes, creating traditional snake lanterns and Fu Calligraphy.

Hungry? The Restaurant will serve Chinese dumplings, longevity noodles and spring rolls to honor the new year.

Lunar New Year Community Day is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, February 8, at the Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, (561) 832-5196. Admission and parking are free. For complete event information, CLICK HERE.

The event is in celebration of the Norton’s Chinese Collection. This program was made possible by the generosity of John and Heidi Niblack.