Live Artist Demo by Joshua Sin: Soft Guardian No. 2
October 9 @ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Fridays in October 2026 | 2:00-4:00 PM | Free with admission or membership
Experience Overview
As part of the Lion Reborn exhibition, Portland artist Joshua Sin invites visitors into his process every Friday in October from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. Watch as he builds a traditional Chinese lion head from scratch, right inside the garden. The same craft behind the suspended lion presiding overhead in the Scholar’s Study, brought to life before your eyes.
Drawing on the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese lion dance craft, a tradition currently nominated for UNESCO recognition, Sin demonstrates the ancestral techniques of bending and weaving bamboo and rattan, layering it with reclaimed and festive materials by hand. Don’t miss this rare and intimate encounter with a living cultural tradition! All ages welcome.
About the Artist
Joshua Sin
Joshua Sin is a Toronto-born, Portland-based sculptor and installation artist. A former world champion gymnast, he brings a lifelong discipline of repetition and precision to his work. After years in corporate design, including Nike’s retail concept stores in Tokyo, Seoul, and Berlin, Sin left the industry to pursue art independently. A residency with GLEAN and Recology, working inside Portland’s Northwest Transfer Station, reshaped his understanding of material. His ongoing Descendant Series, rooted in a centuries-old family ancestral book, reconstructs erased histories through reclaimed textiles. His work has been exhibited at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Portland Chinatown Museum.
Get Admission
Parking & Directions
Free Lan Su Parking
There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.
