The Huntington Explores the Art of Stone Appreciation Across Asia and America in “Petromania”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• “Petromania: Obsessing About Stones in Asia and America” will be on view at The Huntington from Jan. 31, 2027, through March 27, 2028. 
• The exhibition traces more than a millennium of stone appreciation, exploring how traditions developed in China and were adapted in Japan and the United States. 
• “Petromania” features viewing stones alongside paintings, rare books, and other works, showing how rocks have inspired poetry, art, philosophy, and contemplation. 
• Three sections—China: Scholars’ Stones, Japan: Suiseki, and America: Viewing Stones—examine how distinct cultures and communities have collected, displayed, and interpreted stones over time. 

For centuries, people across cultures have collected, studied, and admired stones for their unusual forms, textures, and associations with the natural world. “Petromania: Obsessing About Stones in Asia and America,” on view Jan. 31, 2027, through March 27, 2028, in the Studio for Lodging the Mind—a gallery within The Huntington’s Chinese Garden—explores how traditions of stone appreciation developed in China and evolved as they traveled across cultures and continents. 

“The Huntington is uniquely positioned to tell this story because stone appreciation has been part of the institution’s gardens for decades,” said Phillip E. Bloom, June and Simon K.C. Li Curator of the Chinese Garden and director of the Center for East Asian Garden Studies. “By bringing together viewing stones, paintings, rare books, and the living landscapes of our Chinese and Japanese gardens, ‘Petromania’ allows us to show how these traditions connect art, nature, and imagination—and how they continue to evolve today.” 

Drawing on gifts from James L. and Alice K. Greaves of the American Viewing Stone Resource Center, Kemin Hu, and local collectors, the exhibition brings together remarkable stones with paintings, rare books, and other works to trace more than a millennium of stone appreciation. Beginning in China, these practices were adapted to the landscapes and aesthetics of Japan and Korea and later brought to the United States, where collectors continue to reinterpret them today. 

Throughout the exhibition, stones are presented as objects that invite imagination and sustained looking. Their shapes, textures, colors, and surfaces can suggest mountains, figures, animals, or entire landscapes. For generations, stone lovers have appreciated these qualities while contemplating the forces that shape the natural world, making connections between stone viewing and poetry, painting, philosophy, and other cultural traditions. 

“Petromania” considers how a seemingly universal fascination with rocks developed into distinctive aesthetic practices—and how those traditions have continually changed as they moved between communities. Together, the stones and related artworks encourage visitors to see familiar natural materials anew, as companions for pleasure, play, and contemplation.

For press inquiries or to request high-resolution press images, email huntingtonnews@huntington.org. 

About The Huntington 

The Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides transformative experiences for a community of the curious. Founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, it supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections. By cultivating dynamic scholarship, creating innovative programs for students and lifelong learners, and sharing its extraordinary resources, The Huntington invites all on a journey of discovery, insight, and connection. Only 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California. Learn more at huntington.org.