34th Annual Dinner at The Charles Lang Freer House and the Minoru Yamasaki designed McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University

The Consuls General of Japan and of Canada joined Society members in celebrating bonds of friendship between Detroit and Japan at the Minoru Yamasaki designed McGregor Memorial Conference Center and The Charles Lang Freer House on the campus of Wayne State University on June 11, 2024.

The keynote by The Smithsonian’s Dr. Frank Feltens outlined Detroiter Charles Lang Freer’s historic efforts to link the US with Japan through Mr. Freer’s collection and donation of art and the museum that introduced Japanese art to the American people over 100 years ago. Dr. Feltens reported that exacting replicas of masterpieces of Japanese art are being presented at their original locations in Japan.

The National Association of Japan America Societies and the support of the United States-Japan Foundation made this program possible.

Beneath the Atrium of the Minoru Yamasaki designed McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University: Mimosa tree, poppies and other summer flowers by Tawaraya Sosetsu 俵屋宗雪 (active mid-17th century) Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1902, From 1920, Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer.