Visual Arts
Highlights
Legacy of Justice at Hirabayashi Place. Public art by local artists will adorn the new building at 4th & Main honoring civil rights activist Gordon Hirabayashi and the Japanese American community’s struggles for justice. One of the artists involved with the project, Roger Shimomura will do a mural telling Hirabayashi’s life story. ArtXchange Gallery artist Jonathan Wakuda Fischer is creating a series of outdoor panels for the project as well. The building is located at 220 – 2nd Ave. S. Go to interimicda.org/legacyofjustice for details on what the building will look like and when construction will be complete.
Bellevue Arts Museum brings a wonderful show of handcrafted collaboration between husband and wife in “In The Realm of Nature: Bob Stocksdale & Kay Sekimachi. Individually and together, these two artists pushed the use of wood/paper as a material to new creative heights. Stocksdale specialized in the use of woods from around the world in his bowls. Sekimachi’s work inspires as visual poetry applied to material. Not to miss. July 3rd – Oct. 18th, 2015. 510 Bellevue Way N.E. (425) 519-0770.
The recently concluded North Seattle College 2014-15 Student Art Exhibition had these winners. Vivian E. Wang took First Prize for her jewelry. Enkhgerel Byambadorj won Second Prize for her painting. Amalia Antolin’s ceramic artwork took two prizes – People’s Choice Award and an Honorable Mention. Congratulations to all the young artistic talent in our area.
The George Tsutakawa fountain at Seattle Central Community College has long been inoperable and damaged by vandalism and graffiti. What used to be an eloquent small spring of eternal hope via the magic of water and sculpture sat dormant for years, destined for the junkyard. Due to the efforts of concerned staff and students, the administration was convinced to allow its’ restoration. 1701 Broadway.
Advance warning – Noted architect/sculptor/installation artist Maya Lin who designed the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. will give a talk as part of the “SAM TALKS/Talk Contemporary” series on July 29th at Seattle Art Museum. This is an art talk in collaboration with the Seattle Art Fair as well. Go to seattleartmuseum.org and look for “tickets”. Other talks in this series include Joshua Sofaer on July 15th at 7pm, Victoria Sambunaris on July 22nd at 7pm and Natalie Jeremijenko on August 1st at 2pm at CenturyLink Field Event Center in the Seattle Art Fair Theater. All talks at Seattle Art Museum Plestcheeff Auditorium unless otherwise noted.
Northwest potter Stephen Mickey specializes in pots fired from wood kilns. A selection of his new work is on view. Tokyo-born Yuki Nylan moved to the U.S. in 1964. She took up ceramics while still in college at Evanston Art Center where her teacher was Stephen Mickey. Her new pottery pieces will be on display. Both shows on view through July 19th, 2015. Opening July 25th will be paintings by Rob Vetter. Opening Sept. 26th, ceramics by Reid Ozaki and Matt Allison. (206) 381-3000. KOBO at Higo. 604 South Jackson. Email is hello@kobo seattle.com. Kobo has a sister shop on Capitol Hill at 814 East Roy.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. has just opened a major retrospective on the work of American artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi entitled “The Artistic Journey of Yasuo Kuniyoshi” which will be on view through August 30th, 2015. Kuniyoshi was an American modernist who taught for years at the Art Students League in New York. His work ranges from the subtle to sophisticated with traces of deadpan humor to deep tragedy. Kuniyoshi’s first arrival in the U.S. was in Seattle where he worked on the railroads as a teenager eventually making his way to New York. 8th and F Streets NW. Go to AmericanArt.si.edu for details.
Coming in June is the Gallery’s “20th Anniversary Show” featuring work by gallery artists. One section of the anniversary show will feature “Five Artists From Vietnam” (Bao Ly III, Tu Duy, Bui Cong Khanh, and the Le Brothers.) Also on view is a rotating group of work by regional artists represented by the gallery exemplifying the diversity of media, viewpoints, and approaches to the concept of cultural exchange the gallery has showcased for the past two decades. Beginning July 20th, look for a special two-week satellite exhibit as part of activities throughout Pioneer Square for the upcoming Seattle Art Fair. A full-gallery transformation will feature artwork and installations by Seattle-based gallery artists. The gallery is also continuing their “Fundraiser for Nepal”, all proceeds from select work by gallery artists and any photography by Cora Edmonds will benefit the Namaste Children’s Fund and will provide scholarships for girls impacted by the May 2015 earthquake in the Kathmandu region. ArtXchange Gallery is at 512 1st Ave. S. (206) 839-0377 or go to www.artexchange.org.
Coming to the G. Gibson Gallery June 19th – August 15th is a group show entitled “DWELL” which includes drawing, painting and photography of architectural themes. The work of Thuy-van Vu is included in this show. 303 South Washington St. (206) 587-4033 or go to ggibsongallery.com.
The artwork of Seattle artist Ken Taya (ENFU) adorns two new traffic control boxes at the corner of 6th and Jackson. The boxes were created to draw attention to the Japantown area of the neighborhood.
Former Cornish College of the Arts student Lauren Iida’s latest body of work reflects her current experience living and working with children in rural Cambodia. She teaches art and English to the children of subsistence rice farmers in an area totally devastated by past US bombing and Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime. Her new work has expanded with the use of color, multiple layers of paper and collage-like objects woven into the cut paper. Some of the work is heavily influenced by the drawings of her students. To see the work, go to www.laureniida.com/todo.
The Yakima Valley Museum has the current exhibit, “Land of Joy and Sorrow – Japanese Pioneers of the Yakima Valley” up until 2018. It tells the history of Japanese families who created a community there before the war. Only 10% of families returned to re-settle there after the war. 2105 Teton Dr. (509) 248-0741. In related news, a softball from this collection that saw play at Heart Mountain internment camp and owned by George Hirahara is now on loan to the Smithsonian and was on display in the incarceration section of the exhibit, “The Price of Freedom – Americans at War”. (As reported in the North American Post.)
“Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: Na Hulu Ali’I” presents the first exhibition of Hawaiian featherwork on the U.S. mainland developed in partnership with the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu. Around 75 rare and stunning examples of the finest featherwork capes and cloaks in existence will be shown as well as royal staffs of feathers, feather lei, helmets, feathered god images and related paintings and works on paper. Opens August 29th, 2015 and remains on view through Feb. 28th, 2016. De Young
Seattle ceramic artist Akio Takamori was a recipient of the Contemporary Northwest Art Awards given by the Portland Art Museum which will give him a show which runs from Oct. 2015 – Jan. 16th, 2016.
New work by artist Miya Ando will be shown at Winston Wachter Fine Art July 16th – Sept. 4th, 2015. Her work done in metal canvases and sculpture articulate themes of contradiction and juxtaposition of ideas. A descendant of Bizen sword makers, she was raised among sword smiths and Buddhist priests in Okayama, Japan. Ando shares the show with photographer Kim Keever. Opening reception is July 16th from 6 – 8pm. 203 Dexter Ave. N. (206) 652-5855 or go to www.winstonwachter.com.
The inaugural Seattle Art Fair takes place July 30th – August 2nd, 2015 at CenturyLink Field Event Center. Over sixty galleries from around the world will be represented and there will be on-site programming, a panel series and offsite projects – including installations and events throughout the city. “Thinking Currents” is a signature exhibition within the fair focusing on new media, video, sound and film works by artists based in the Pacific Rim and beyond. For more details, go to seattleartfair.com.
Local artist Carina del Rosario has the following shows. Selections from her “Passport Series” are in “Belonging: Before and After the Immigration Act of 1905” through Feb. 14th, 2016 at the Wing. Some also on display at the Ingersoll Gender Center’s exhibition at Gay City through July 7th, 2015. She continues a busy summer teaching art for Arts Corps and Seattle Art Museum. On July 16th, she will be in SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park for a night of mask-making and music.
The 2011 Japanese earthquake devastate the historic Japanese pottery town of Mashiko but it did not destroy the spirit of the potters. The Portland Japanese Garden brings the work of 13 Mashiko masters to a show entitled “Kizuna (translated as ‘the bonds between people’): The Rebirth of Mashiko Ceramics” remains on view through July 5, 2015. Work by contemporary potters range from traditional craft to contemporary art. Also featured are works by former Living Treasure artists Shoji Hamada and his protégé, Tatsuzo Shimaoka. 611 SW Kingston Ave. in Portland. Exhibition is included with Garden admission. Open 10am to 7pm daily except for Mondays when it opens at noon. (503) 223-1321 or go to www.japanesegarden.com.
The work of noted Northwest ceramic sculptor Patti Warashina is included in SOFA, the annual expo show of sculpture, objects, functional art and design in Chicago. Nov. 6th – 8th, 2015. Opening night on Nov. 5th at Navy Pier. Go to sofaexpo.com for details.
“Ikko Style: The Graphic Art of Ikko Tanaka (1930-2002)” looks at how this internationally known Japanese designer’s ideas were visualized and transmitted to a broader audience. A must-see show for graphic designers and all art viewers interested in the beauty and power of graphic art. Through August 2nd, 2015 at USC Pacific Art Museum in Pasadena, Calif. Go to www.pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu.
New and recent shows /activities at the Wing include the following – “CONSTRUCT/S” is a new group show that presents a diverse group of six international, national and local female artists who will transform The Wing’s art gallery into a multi-sensory, interactive exploration of identity, subjectivity, history, culture and gender. It is curated by Dr. Stacey Uradomo-Barre. It remains on view through April 17th, 2016. Artists include the following – Terry Acebo Davis from California recreates her mother’s bedroom drawing upon the fact that she is suffering from dementia. This room is a place she yearns to return to and the piece deals with a fragmented narrative of memory, loss, identity, and Filipino American culture. Kaili Chun from Hawai’I has an interactive installation of man-made steel bars that unlock to grapple with issues of subjectivity and community and reflect the continuous socio-political negotiation of Native Hawaiians with the mainstream society. Yong Soon Min from California, after a career exploring Korean American Identity and colonialism now examines her own personal struggle of pain and trauma as she tries to recover from a cerebral hemorrhage that affected her ability to form language and memories. Min has shown previously in Seattle with a temporary public art installation downtown sponsored by the then Seattle Arts Commission. Tamiko Thiel (Germany) & Midori Kono Thiel (Seattle) present a mother-daughter collaboration combining traditional calligraphy with mobile technology. Their augmented reality installation virtually links art and culture with physical landmarks significant to the local Japanese American community. Lynne Yamamoto from Massachusetts went to Evergreen College in Olympia as a student. She has shown here previously with an installation at Suyama Space and a show at Greg Kucera Gallery. Her new piece here was inspired by the early 20th century tent houses of Japanese immigrant farmers. This work interweaves family memories and community history, evoking the migratory nature of the Japanese American farming community. She also has a public art commission at the Seattle Public Library planned as well. A catalog for this show is available. The Young Family Collection of Qing Dynasty robes opened Jan. 15th . “Who Gets To Belong?” is an exhibit that looks at the Immigration Act of 1965 that lifted the quotas for Asian Pacific Islander immigration. This exhibit which opens March 5th from 6 – 8pm will look at the cultural and political climate that pushed for this act. “Do You Know Bruce?” is a major new show on the personal, intimate story of martial arts artist and film star Bruce Lee and the significance of Seattle in his life. Opens Oct. 4th with the full support of the Lee Family. The Wing is the only museum in the world, outside of Hong Kong, to present an exhibition about Bruce Lee’s life. The Lee family has plans to eventually open a permanent museum on Bruce Lee’s life and legacy in the Chinatown-ID neighborhood. “BOJAGI: Unwrapping Korean American Identities”, a new show on our local Korean American community opened Nov. 13th and remains on view through the spring of 2015. 719 South King St. (206) 623-5124 or visit www.wingluke.org. Closed Mondays. Tuesday – Sunday from 10am – 5pm. First Thursday of each month is free from 10am – 8pm. Third Saturday of each month is free from 10am – 8pm.
“Voices of Nisei Veterans – Permanent Exhibition and Collections” is composed of rare collections preserved by the Nisei Veterans Committee and tells the story of Japanese American veterans before, during and after WW II. Access is by pre-arranged tour only. For reservations or information, email info@nvcfoundation.org or tours@wingluke.org. Jointly sponsored by the NVC Memorial Hall and The Wing. 1212 South King St.
Currently on view at Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park – First Free Saturday family activity takes place from 11am – 2pm. “Chiho Aoshima: Rebirth of the World” looks at the work of this pivotal member of the Japanese neo-pop art movement whose work merges the sweetness of kawaii culture with the cloudy future of a post-apocalyptic world. Includes photography, drawing and an animated video installation. Remains on view through Oct. 4th. “Calligraphic Abstraction” is a group show exploring the world of calligraphy in all its’ various forms of beauty from a Mark Tobey painting to Islamic, Chinese and Japanese examples. On view until October 4th in the Tateuchi Galleries. The Gardner Center for Asian Arts & Ideas present “Ink On! Art Globally”, a summer evening inside and outside the museum on Fri., July 17 from 5:30 pm – 9:30pm.activities include viewing the show “Calligraphic Abstraction”, learning how to enjoy Asian calligraphy even if you can’t read them, the viewing of short video and animation work by contemporary Chinese artists, ten-minute illustrated talks by four designers on the current state-of-ink, exploring East Asian graphic design, typography, fonts, and tattoo art. Also look of live demonstrations of ink calligraphy on paper, a gallery exploration of Chiho Aoshima’s liquid color drawings and live music and small bites provided free of charge. For more on this event go to visitsam.org/gardnercenter. The Gardner Center’s “Saturday University” Series continues with these talks. “Focus on Asia: Photography Past and Present” by Frances Terpak, Curator of Photographs at the Getty Research Institute. Sat., Sept. 26th at 9:30am.For complete information on all events, go to seattleartmuseum.org.
Tacoma Art Museum has opened a new wing to accommodate the gift of a new collection. “ART OF THE AMERICAN WEST: The Haub Family Collection at Tacoma Art Museum just opened. Included in the present show is work by contemporary Chinese American artist Mian Situ. He creates epic paintings in the European tradition but inserts Chinese American immigrants as protagonists in scenes in which they’ve previously been missing. The photography of Seattle photographer Chao-Chen Yang is included in a group show entitled “Northwest in the West: Exploring Our Roots”. This show explores the distinct identity of Northwest art and how it has adopted, adapted and reacted against its western roots. A theme particularly apt and timely since the museum is building a new wing to house their new collection of Western art. Both shows through the fall of 2015. “Roger Shimomura: An American Knockoff” was last seen in a smaller edition at Seattle’s Greg Kucera Gallery. A greatly expanded touring version opens June 20th at the museum. In this series, Shimomura inserts himself as an aging Asian Everyman in various guises, both political and poignant. There will be various activities connected to this show with details later. Meet the artist on Sunday, July 19th which is also the same day as “American Matsuri”, a free community festival. “Partners in NW Art: Selections from the Aloha Club Collection” is a group show of Northwest artists that were collected by the Tacoma community club from 1948 – 1971. This collection was given to the Museum by the organization. Ceramic artist Patti Warashina is represented in this collection. Opens June 27th and remains on view through Sept. 3rd. “Art AIDS America” is a groundbreaking exhibition that underscores the deep and unforgettable presence of HIV in American art from the 1980’s to the present. Co-curated by TAM Chief Curator Rock Hushka and Dr. Jonathan Katz who directs the Visual Studies Doctoral Program at the University of Buffalo. Opens Oct. 3rd and remains on view through Jan. 10th, 2016.Tacoma Art Museum is at 1701 Pacific Ave. (253) 272-4258 or go to TacomaArtMuseum.org.
Fujitaro Kubota immigrated from Japan in 1907 and bought a five-acre property in Seattle hoping to create a garden with the beauty of the Northwest as well as celebrating his Japanese heritage. Although he didn’t live to complete it, the garden still stands as a haven of quiet beauty in the area. Recently a new addition was completed and celebrated. The Terrace Overlook on a hill in the south end of the garden had a traditional blessing from the Seattle Konko Church. Kubota’s son Tom first conceived of the terrace. The Kubota Foundation hired Japanese master stone mason Suminori Awata to do the design with support from Kentaro Hoshide of Hoshide Wanzer Architects. Sculptor Gerard Tsutakawa built the steel railing around the pavilion. The next phase is to put a glass roof on the pavilion to be completed in the fall. The space will be available as an event space to the public for a nominal fee. Future plans include a new visitor’s center, public restrooms, foundation offices, meeting space and a gift shop. For more information, go to www.kubotagarden.org. Taken from the North American Post.
Catch Tacoma artist Yuki Nakamura who is building a special installation of suspended porcelain, paper and Mylar with eerie digital projections as part of the Bellingham National 2015 Art Exhibition and Awards on view through Sept. 6th, 2015. Guest-curated by Scott Lawrimore, now at the UWs Jacob Lawrence Gallery. Whatcom Museum at the Lightcatcher Building at 250 Flora St. (360) 778-8930.
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center in Portland has “Oregon Nikkei: Reflections of an American Community” a show that celebrates the lives and contributions of Oregon’s Nikkei community, and evokes memories of shared experiences – from early settlement through the trials and tribulations of WWII and into the 21st century. Opening on July 25th and remaining on view through Sept. 27th, 2015 is “Yosegaki Hinomaru: Souvenir, Heirloom or Art?” This exhibition explores a time seventy years ago when families sent their sons off to war carrying personal items, and neither the son or the property returned. Open Tu. – Sat. 11am – 3pm and Sundays, noon – 3pm. 121 NW 2nd Ave. (503) 224-1458 or email info@oregonnikkei.org. The Center also hosts the “25th Anniversary of the Japanese American Historical Plaza” in Portland with an event and cruise featuring actor George Takei and musician Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini performing. Sunday, August 2nd at 4pm at the Plaza located at NW Naito Parkway and Couch St. 5:30pm Dinner Cruise on the Portland Spirit. For details, contact the Center at the email and # above.
The Museum of Contemporary Craft. Through August 16th, 2015 is “The New Frontier: Young Designer-Makers in the Pacific NW”. 724 NW Davis St. in Portland. (503) 223-2654 or go to mocc.pnca.edu.
“Meet Me at Higo” permanent exhibit- Part Two” presented and sponsored by the Wing is a multi-media presentation and self-guided tour that tells the origins and history of the store as a Japanese American five and dime. At Kobo at Higo, 604 South Jackson. E-mail info@koboseattle.com or call (206) 381-3000.
UW Henry Art Gallery has the following – “Viewpoints: Hiroshi Sugimoto” is a piece of work by New York-based Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto on view through July 26th. Visit henryart.org for tickets and more information.
KOBO Gallery at Higo in Japantown/International District always has interesting shows of new ceramic work or work that conveys an Asian aesthetic. Go to koboseattle.com for updates. 604 S. Jackson St. (206) 381-3000.
“Pop Goes the Melting Pot” is the title of a conversation between Seattle-raised artist Roger Shimomura and Gary Faigin, Gage Academy co-founder. The talk will explore the artist’s work which encompasses identity, politics, experience, history and artistic vision. Wed., July 15th at 7:30pm. His work is housed in permanent collections in over 90 museums and is represented by Flomenhaft Gallery in New York and Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle. The conversation takes place at Town Hall Seattle at 1119 Eighth Ave. (206) 652-4255 or go to info@townhallseattle.org. “Roger Shimomura: An American Knockoff” is a touring exhibit on view at Tacoma Art Museum through Sept. 13th , 2015.
The Art History Lecture Series with Rebecca Albiani for the upcoming year includes a series of talks on “Netsuke: Minature Masterpieces of Japanese Sculpture” set for Jan. 14th at 11am and 7pm and Jan. 15th at 11am. The talk is repeated three times. To register, call (206) 432-8200.
“Off site” is the title of an installation by Mumbai-based artist Reena Saini Kallat that re-creates immigration routes around the world using electric wire, circuit boards and speakers across a giant map. On view until Oct. 12th. Vancouver Art Gallery at 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver BC, Canada. (604) 662-4719 or go to vanartgallery.bc.ca.
“Generation to Generation – History of Chinese Immigrants in British Columbia” is an ongoing exhibit of photographs from the 1800s and 1900s. Chinese Cultural Centre Museum at 555 Columbia St. in Vancouver BC, Canada. (604) 658-8880 or go to cccvan.com.
“Mingei: Japan’s Enduring Folk Arts” is on view from June 20th to Oct. 11th at the Nikkei National Museum in Burnaby, BC Canada. Over 100 works gathered from all over Japan attest to the power and joy of Japan’s folk art tradition. 6688 Southoaks Crescent. (604) 777-7000.
“Buddhist Arts of Asia” is a group show tracing Buddhist art through various countries in Asia. From the gallery’s permanent collection. Through Sept. 20th. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria at 1040 Moss St. (250) 384-4171 or go to aggv.ca.
Oakland Museum of California presents a major exhibition on historic and contemporary pacific cultures and peoples and their interactions with California. “Pacific Worlds” opens May 30th and remains on view through Jan. 3rd, 2016. The show explores the on-going connections and intersecting experiences of Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians, along with Filipinos, Native Californians, and American collectors and colonists. 1000 Oak St. in Oakland, CA. For details, go to museumca.org or http://www.museumca.org/.
New work by Seattle artist Diem Chau is on exhibit through Oct. 31st, 2015 at the Philadelphia Zoo as part of “Second Nature”, an array of artist installations that ell the stories of endangered species through the use of recycled, reduced, reused, repurposed and renewed materials. Her series of carved crayons “Precious Few” take the forms of 48 animals on the endangered species list. The zoo is at 3400 W. Girad Ave. in Philadelphia. Their phone # is (215) 243-1100. Diem Chau is represented locally by G. Gibson Gallery (ggibsongallery.com) and she is open to commissions.
“China Through The Looking Glass” is a new show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York through August 16th. It explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. Organized by The Costume Institute in collaboration with the Met’s Department of Asian Art. “Discovering Japanese Art: American Collectors and the Met” tells the story of how the Museum built its comprehensive collection of Japanese art beginning in the 1880s up to the modern era. On view until Sept. 27th, 2015. 1000 – 5th Ave. (212) 535-7710 or go to www.metmuseum.org.
Some upcoming shows at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston include the following – “In The Wake – Japanese Photographers Respond to 3/11” on view through July 12th. Also remaining on view until August 9th is “Hokusai”, a show of prints by the great Japanese woodblock printer. “Crafted Objects in Flux” is a group show that look at artists who “simultaneously blur and expand craft’s landscape.” Seattle artist Etsuko Ichikawa is included in this show and she has plans to do a live performance sometime during the run of the show. On view August 25th – January 10th, 2016. In related news, the museum has hastily pulled an event labeled “Kimono Wednesdays” scheduled to run throughout July. Visitors were invited to don museum-provided kimonos while posing for photos in front of Monet’s “La Japonaise”, a painting of the artist’s wife wearing a kimono. Protestors charged the museum with perpetuating racist stereotypes by presenting Asian culture as exotic. The museum apologized .465 Huntington Ave. in Boston. (617) 267-9300.
Opening May 19th and on view until July 19th is “Inspired by Nam June Paik: Becoming Robot; Works by New York City Students.” Comprised of students impressions of the Paik show they had seen at the Museum earlier. From June 9th – July 19th is a show of video and photography from China. Opening Sept. 10th and on view through Jan. 3, 2016 is “Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms”. It showcases recently excavated objects that highlight the prosperity and achievements of the little-known Philippine Kingdoms that flourished long before the Spanish discovered the region and colonized it. They affirm the unprecedented creativity, prosperity, and sophisticated metalworking tradition of the pre-colonial period. They also attest to flourishing cultural connections and maritime trade in Southeast Asia during what was an early Asian economic boom. Asia Society Museum at 725 Park Ave. in New York City. Go to AsiaSociety.org/museum for details.
“Masterpieces of Japanese Art” remains on view until Aug. 30th, 2015 at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The Museum houses one of the oldest and most extensive Japanese art collections in the U.S. Over 100 pieces from the permanent collection are on display with the history and stories of those from that city who traveled and lived in Japan. The work spans genres and come from the 12th to 20th centuries. 953 Eden Park Drive in Cincinnati, Ohio. (513) 639-2954.
For some reason, the state of Texas is bursting with new shows on Japanese art. The Museum of Fine Art in Houston has the following shows – “For a New World to Come: Experiments in Japanese Art and Photography, 1968 – 1979” in the Beck Building at 5601 Main St. through July 18th. And in Dallas at the Dallas Art Museum you’ll find “Between Action and the Unknown: The Art of Kazuo Shiraga and Sadamasa Motonaga” up till July 19th. Both artists were members of the Gutai group, the leading avant-garde organization of post-war Japanese artists that incorporated performance into their art events. 1717 North Harwood. (214) 922-1200.
“Sotatsu – Making Waves” is a major show of that Edo-period, 17th century Japanese screen painter taking place at the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery this fall from Oct. 24th – Jan. 31st, 2016. Over 70 pieces of work from American, European and Japanese collections including work by later artists influenced by Sotatsu. 1050 Independence Ave. SW in Washington DC. (202) 633-1000.
In 1947, Britain partitioned India by religious belief creating Pakistan. More than a million people lost their lives during Partition as they were forced to move from ancestral homes to accommodate religious re-districting. Now, over 1,000 survivors of Partition have been interviewed on camera for the 1947 Partition Archive, a new museum dedicated to this event. It is quietly located on the upper floor of a bank building in downtown Berkeley, California. The 1947 Partition Archive founder is Guneeta Singh Bhalla. It is seen as a race against time as many of the survivors are now in their 70’s and 80’s. Bhalla reflects on her visit to the Hiroshima Memorial Museum and how the oral histories of that event stood out as so vivid. It inspired her to create an archive on the Partition, an event that was little known around the world but had tragic, long- standing consequences for generations of families. Go to http://www.1947Partition-Archive.org/ for more information.
“Hur Yongman: The Secret of Creations” is the first exhibit dedicated to the work of the greatest Korean cartoonist of this age. Sketches, notes, figurines based on his characters and other artifacts from his daily life are on view. At the Hangaram Design Museum in the Seoul Arts Center through July 19th.
Congratulations to local artists Humaira Abid and June Sekiguchi who both received grants from Artist Trust this year. Both artists show locally at ArtXchange Gallery.
The inaugural EYE Prize has been given to Berlin-based artist and cultural theorist Hito Steyerl who will receive $38,000.
The Mistake Room based in Los Angeles has selected artist Simon Fujiwara to receive the newly established TMR International Artist Prize.
Japanese artist Aki Sasamoto is included in the theme of “Senses Of Humor” in th June, 2015 issue of Art in America magazine.
An implicit exhibition ban in place by the Chinese Government since the 2011 arrest of dissident artist Ai Weiwei seems to have been relaxed. Four solo shows of the artist’s work were allowed to open just last month. Even the artist himself seems to have been surprise by this turn of events. A new Laura Poitras film “The Art of Dissent” featuring Ai Weiwei has been released online.
Performing Arts
The Steve Griggs Ensemble plays “Music Made from Japanese American Memories of WW II” at the Panama Hotel Tea Room at 2pm every Saturday in 2015. Free. 605 South Main St. Sponsored by 4Culture, National Park Serice, and Earshot Jazz. For details, go to panamahoteljazz.blogspot.com.
Lilly Singh brings her world tour of “A Trip to Unicorn Island” to the Moore Theatre on July 19th at 7:30pm. Singh (“Superwoman” to fans world-wide) is an Indo Canadian You Tube personality, motivational speaker, comedian and singer. She posts skits weekly on her You Tube videos and fans should expect her to break out of that box and entertain wildly on the big stage. (206) 812-1114.
Jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani is just one of many major jazz musicians appearing at Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend, a weeklong workshop and festival directed by John Clayton from July 19th – 26th at Fort Worden State Park. Includes daily instruction from professional faculty and concerts as well. For details, go to centrum.org or call (360) 385-3102×109.
Dr. L. Subramaniam makes a rare Seattle appearance with Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad as part of the Seattle Theatre Group’s 2015/2016 season. They will appear on Sept. 10th at the Moore Theatre. Subramamiam is an acclaimed South Indian violinist, composer and conductor. He is trained in the classical Carnatic music tradition and western classical music. He is respected for his virtuoso playing and compositions in orchestral fusion. He comes from a family tradition of musicians and has released over 200 recordings. Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad come from a South Asian family that are masters of Qawwaili Sufi music. They belong to a music school founded in the 14th century that remains the best known to this day. (206) 812-1114.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the programs Seattle Symphony has to offer under the baton of Music Director Ludovic Morlot later this year going into 2016. Dynamic pianist Lang Lang takes on Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor” along with works by Beethoven, Respighi and Greig’s “Piano Concerto” with the Seattle Symphony on Sunday, October 11th at 2pm. Gershwin’s American masterpiece, “Rhapsody In Blue” is performed Oct. 16th – 18th with Jeff Tyzik conducting, Jon Nakamatsu on piano and Doug LaBrecque on vocals. Meeka Quan Di Lorenzo on cello, and Jessica Choe on piano join other members of the Seattle Symphony as they perform a program of chamberworks by Bernstein, Carter, Prokofiev and Shostakovich on Oct. 27th at 7:30pm in Nordstrom Recital Hall. Want comedy with your music? The duo of Ingudesman & Joo return to Seattle after their success in 2012 at Benaroya with an all new show that mixes laughs with classical music and popular culture on March 3rd at 7:30pm.If you want a preview of the music the Symphony will be playing on their upcoming tour of Asia, check out the Ravel Piano Concerto as performed with Jean-Yves Thibaudet on piano along with music by Faure and Dvorak on June 5th.
Seattle Opera has announced their 2015/16 season under new General Director Aidan Lang. It marks a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas,, new productions and a world premiere. Many productions will also highlight new Asian and Asian American performers. Coming in August is “An American Dream” based on true stories from the Northwest. The opera tells the story of a Japanese American family forcibly removed from an island in Puget Sound during WW II. Nina Yoshida Nelsen, Adam Lau and Hae Ji Chang perform the roles of the family. Judith Yan makes her Seattle Opera debut, as conductor of the orchestra. Jonathan Lemalu, a Samoan from New Zealand makes his Seattle Opera debut singing the role of Nourabad in Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers” next. Finally, Director Lang returns to stage directing Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro”. Chinese-born bass-baritone Shenyang makes his Seattle Opera debut as Figaro. McCaw Hall at Seattle Center at 321 Mercer St. (206) 389-7676 or try 1-800-426-1619 or go to tickets@seattleopera.com.
Sound Theatre Company presents a Seattle Premiere production of noted British playwright Tom Stoppard’s “Indian Ink” done in collaboration with local South Asian theatre company Pratidhwani. The story is about a British woman poet in India who falls in love with an Indian painter and the complications that follow. August 13th – 30th. Presented at the Center Theater at the Seattle Center Armory at 305 Harrison St. Go to www.SoundTheaterCompany.org for details. Pratidhwani Theatre group also premieres a new production entitled “Dance Like a Man” (see related article in this issue) July 24th – August 9th. A young Indian girl struggles between tradition and rebellion as her parents prepare to meet the man she wants to marry. This one’s at ACT Theatre at 700 Union St. downtown. For details, go to www.pratidhwani.org or call (425) 522-3570.
ACT Theatre celebrates their 50th anniversary with their 2015 Season. Some highlights include the following – Jeanne Sakata’s “Hold These Truths” based on the true story of UW student Gordon Hirabayashi who confronts the government over their orders to forcibly remove and mass incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast During WW II was a sold-out hit in a short run last year. Now it returns for a multi-week run July 17th – August 16th. 700 Union St. (206) 292-7676 or go to acttheatre.org.
Tea ceremony demonstrations continue at Seattle Art Museum downtown every Third Thursday at 5:30pm and every Third Sunday at 2:10pm. Free with admission. Please note there will be no tea ceremony demonstrations during the month of August.
Director Marie Chong challenges her young ballet dancers in ARC Dance (see related article in this issue) with some stimulating choreography. See them go through their paces in presentations on July 16th – 18th and July 23rd – 25th at Seattle Repertory Theatre downtown. Go to arcdance.org for details.
“Butoh In The Garden” is an opportunity to be introduced to this unique form of Japanese modern dance from in the beautiful setting of newly restored Kubota Garden. Joan Laage and Diego Pinon become one with the garden. July 19th. Go to daipanbutoh.com for details.
New works performed by Yvonne Chen and Douglas DeVries include compositions by Daniel Knaggs and Alishan Gezgin for flute, piano and voice. August 14th at 7:30pm. Chapel Performance Space. Suggested donation of $5 – $15.
“Seattle Meets Tokyo: Modern Jazz Connections” is a program that brings talented also saxophonist Akihiko Ando from Tokyo to collaborate with local musicians. August 1st at 6:30pm. The Royal Room. 5000 Rainier Ave. S. (206) 906-9920.
The Bollywood Masala Orchestra and Dancers of India present a concert entitled “Spirit of India” which presents an evening of Indian live music and dance. Featuring one of India’s greatest musical figures, Rahis Bharti. All seating is reserved. At the Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium at Benaroya Hall on Wed., Sept. 30th, 2015 at 7:30pm. For tickets, call (206) 215-4747 or go to the ticket window in-person at Benaroya Hall. 200 University St. in downtown Seattle.
Set for 5th Avenue Theatre’s 2015/2016 season is the World Premiere of “Waterfall, The Musical” based on the Thai novel “Behind the Painting” about a forbidden love affair between a young Thai student and the American wife of a Thai diplomat in 1930’s Thailand on the eve of WWII. It marks the U.S. debut of Thai music superstar Bie Sukrit Wisetkaew as the student and is directed by Tak Viravan. With book & lyrics by Richard Malty Jr. and choreography by Dan Knechtges. This is a co-production with Pasadena Playhouse and is billed as “a groundbreaking collaboration between Oscar and Tony-winning American and Asian theatrical artists”. October 1st – 25th. Subscribe by April 27th for the best seats. Go to www.thavenue.org or call (206) 625-1900.
The UW World Series season for 2015/2016 has some extraordinary performances booked from around the world. For their UW Seattle Meany Hall location. In the “World Dance Series”, Seattle favorites Sankai Juku return with the North American premiere of “Umusuna: Memories Before History” Oct 1 – 3 at 8pm (Co-presented with Seattle Theatre Group). This work by this contemporary butoh group evokes the essence of duality and unity encapsulated in the Chinese characters for “birth” and “earth” that combine to form the work’s title. The Akram Khan Company is known for fusing the classical Indian form of kathak with contemporary dance. They make their northwest debut with “Kaash” in which the theme of Hindu gods, black holes, Indian time cycles, tablas, creation and destruction all play key roles. Nov. 12 – 14th at 8pm. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center consisting of CMS Co-Artistic Director and Pianist Wu Han and violinists Sean lee and Benjamin Bellman take solo turns in music by Mozart, Schubert and Mendelssohn. One night only on March 19th, 2016 at 7:30pm. The Daedalus Quartet plays Friday, April 29th, 2016 at 7:30pm with work by Beethoven and the world premiere of a new work by UW Music composer Huck Hodge. In the “Special Events” category, the Peking Acrobats and sitarist Anoushka Shankar make appearances. Peking Acrobats come to perform their daring balance maneuvers with live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments on Sat., Jan. 23, 2016 at 3pm and 7:30pm. Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of the late virtuoso sitar master, Ravi Shankar brings her own genre-defying mix to the instrument with Indian music, electronica, jazz, flamenco and Western classical music all playing a part. She performs on Sat., April 9th, 2016 at 8pm. A “Special Engagement” will feature “An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma” on Tues., Dec. 8, 2015 at 7:30pm. This world – renowned cellist has recorded classical music and has never been afraid to collaborate with musicians from various genres from all over the world. This appearance is a rare opportunity to hear him in an intimate space. (206) 543-4880 or go to uwworldseries.org or get tickets in-Person at 1313 NE 4lst St. Ticket office open M – F from 11am – 6pm.
“Investigating The Global Body” is the title for this year’s Seattle Butoh Festival July 10th – 19th featuring special guest, Mexican Ritual Butoh Artist Diego Pinon and members of DAIPANbutoh including Sheri Brown, Diana Garcia-Snyder, Joan Laage, Kaoru Okumura and Helen Thorsen. Pinon gives an Open Workshop (no dance experience required) July 10th – 12th at Taoist Studies Institute at 225 N. 70th St, $200 registration by July 1st please. Performances take place at Broadway Performance Hall at 1625 Broadway on July 17th & 18th at 8pm. A final free performance takes place outdoors at Kubota Garden on July 19th from 12 – 3pm. 9817 – 55th Ave. S. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com/event/1352112. For information, email info@daipanbutoh.com. Donations gratefully accepted at indiegogo.com.
Historic 1910 Canton Alley in Seattle’s Chinatown/ID is transformed into a relaxed setting to enjoy food and drinks, music, a night market and more. The event known as “Jamfest 2015” takes place July 16th and August 20th from 5:30pm – 9:30pm. For tickets and more information, contact The Wing at www.wingluke.org/jamfest.
The annual rites of summer return with local Bon Odori Festivals coming up. 2015 Seattle Bon Odori takes place July 18th and 19th at Seattle Buddhist Church from 4 – 10pm on Sat. and 3 – 8pm on Sunday. Besides the dancing and music, there will be food and exhibition booths. 1427 S. Main. (206) 329-0800. White River Buddhist Church in Auburn celebrates their Bon Odori Festival on Sat., July 26th from 4 – 9pm. Okinawa Kenjin-kai Taiko performs at 4pm. Booths and beer garden open at 4pm. Children’s Lantern Parade takes place at 5pm. Odori dance begins at 6:15pm. Seattle Matsuri Taiko performs at 7:30pm. 3625 Auburn Way N. in Auburn. (253) 833-1442. Tacoma Bon Odori takes place on Sat., August 1st from 5 – 9pm. 1717 S. Fawcett Ave. (253) 627-1417.
Bay Area performing arts couple “First Voice” consisting of performance artist/storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki and composer/musician/jazz bassist Mark Izu has a lot of creative irons in the fire. Their new project entitled “SUITE J-TOWN – The Art Of Resilience” has its world premier in the May of 2015 in San Francisco’s Japantown community. It pays tribute to the 100-year history of Japantown through music, dance, visual art, story, sound collage, video and site-specific installations performed in different historic sites. Created by First Voice with the collaboration of the next generation ‘hapa’ artists, “the project will rediscover and strengthen the soul of a community in an effort to continue our presence in today’s rapidly changing San Francisco landscape.” Other projects include a new commission with conductor Kent Nagano based in Montreal. Locally we can expect to see Brenda and Mark come to Seattle with a production entitled “Uncle Gunjiro’s Girlfriend” August 12th, 2015 at 7:30pm., a tale from Brenda’s family history at Trinity Church. This performance tells the story of Gunjiro Aoki, son of a legendary samurai, and Helen Gladys Emery, the daughter of the Archdeacon of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. This Japanese man and American woman married at Trinity in 1909 when interracial marriage was illegal in many parts of the country and highly irregular in Seattle. This love story and its impact on their descendants three generations later is performed on stage by grand niece Brenda Wong Aoki accompanied by her husband, the Asian American jazz pioneer, Mark Izu. It will be performed in the very space where the marriage took place. With story, music, and archival photographs, this performance celebrates the 150th Anniversary of Trinity Parish Episcopal Church in Seattle. The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artists. 609 8th Ave. in Seattle. (206) 624-5337. Also composer/bassist Mark Izu has a new cd of all new compositions entitled “The Music of Mu” based on a musical about the magical journey of a young man from the land above and a Japanese mermaid from the deep blue sea. For booking information you can contact calartists.com or the artists direct at www.aokizu.com.
Friends of Asian Art Association presents Seattle musician, traveler and amateur ethnomusicologist Dick Valentine who will give a talk entitled “Traditional Flutes & Flute Traditions in Asian Musical Cultures. Sunday, Sept. 27th at 1pm. Seattle Asian Art Museum’s Alvord Board Room in Volunteer Park. Free Parking. For tickets and more information, go to FrioendsOfAsianArt@earthlink.net or call (206) 522-5438.
As part of Seattle Rep’s 2015/2016 new season, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Ayad Akhtar’s “Disgraced” will be performed Jan. 8th – 31st. The story is about a Pakistani-born successful New York lawyer whose life is turned upside-down when his Muslim heritage is questioned. 155 Mercer St. (206) 443-2222 for tickets.
“Caught”, a play by Christopher Chen gets a production by Seattle Public Theater as part of their 2015-16 Mainstage Season.It runs May 20th – June 12th, 2016 with a preview on May 19th. The play is a mind-bending satire about truth, art, and deception. When an art gallery hosts a retrospective of the work of a legendary Chinese dissident artist, the artist himself appears and shares with patrons the details of his ordeal that explores truth, art, social justice and cultural appropriation.7312 W. Green Lake Drive N. Go to www.seattlepublictheater.org for details.
Oregon’s annual Natsu Matsuri takes place on Sat., July 18th at Uwajimaya Plaza in Beaverton. Besides food and family activities the Japanese singer-songwriter Ryuichi Amacho will be on his new album tour as well as the usual array of local talent. The event is produced by Friends of Japan in Oregon. For details, call Keiko Honda at (503) 297-9268.
The famed New York-based jazz club, the Blue Note has already expanded to branches in Japan in the late 1980’s. Now it looks further with a club in Beijing set for March and within three years, to Shanghai and Taipei. Next year it plans to open in Hawai’i due to its popularity with Asian tourists. Blue Note Beijing will set up in the renovated site of the former headquarters of the US embassy near Tiananmen Square, scene of the brutal putdown of the Chinese student demonstrations in the 1980’s. The site once was the Beijing base of the Dalai Lama before he was forced to flee into exile. Paris, London and South Korea were also other possible sites considered for expansion for the jazz club.
Film & Media
The Gardner Center co-presents with Tasveer as part of their Asia Films Series the following – August 27th screens “Anima State” at 6:30pm. Hammad Khan’s film presents a masked gunman who goes on a killing spree in Pakistan. Is it real or just an indie filmmaker trapped in a nightmare? Go to seattleartmuseum.org for more details.
British playwright David Hare has adapted the best-selling book by Katherine Boo into a moving play on stage. The story is about the hopes and dreams of denizens of one of Mumbai’s worst slums. A filmed version of the play onstage, “National Theatre Live: Behind The Beautiful Forevers” screens July 14th – 19th. Directed by Rufus Norris. “Rebels of the Neon God” , the searing debut of disaffected youth killing time in Taipei by Ming-liang Tsai gets a new release and screens July 17th – 23rd. All movies at the SIFF Film Center located at the corner of warren Ave. & Republican St. in Seattle Center. Go to boxoffice@siff.net. (206) 324-9996.
The latest offering from Ghibli Studios by Miyazaki protégé Yonebayashi is based on Joan G. Robinson’s classic ghost story of a shy teenager who befriends a young blonde who may or may not be of this world. “When Marnie Was There” screens beginning July 3rd at the Egyptian at 805 E. Pine St. Go to boxoffice@siff.net for details.
Satyajit Ray is considered one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of world cinema. Want proof? Don’t miss “The Apu
Trilogy” which traces one man’s life to boyhood through middle-age to his final years. Newly restored in 4K and not to be missed. A series of 3 films. Musical score performed by the late, great sitarist composer Ravi Shankar. July 24th – July 30th. At SIFF Cinema Uptown at 511 Queen Anne Ave. N. Go to siff.net/cinema for details or call (206) 324-9996..
“Court” is a legal drama from India in which a contemporary folk singer is accused of causing a man’s suicide because of his sad music. Opens July 31st at the Northwest Film Forum.
“Kumu Hina” is an award-winning documentary film that is an intimate portrait of a proud, confident mahu (transgender) teacher passing on ancient Hawaiian culture and traditions to her students as she searches for love in her own life. Screens on August 16th & 19th at the Varsity Theatre in the University District. 4329 University Way N.E. (206) 632-2267.
The Written Arts/Talks
Highlights
Local community activist Bob Santos keeps up a blistering pace reading from a book he co-authored with Gary Iwamoto entitled “The Gang of Four” (Chin Music Press). It tells the inspiring story of how four ethnic groups came together to battle against city powerbrokers over development, poverty, fishing rights and gentrification. He will give a reading for the Seattle Library Foundation at a date to be announced. Go to http://gangoffourbook.com/events.html for more details.
Elliott Bay Book Company has another list of readings set for spring in their store as well as at various venues around the city. All readings at the bookstore unless other wise noted. Wesley Chu reads from “Time Salvager” on July 15th at 7pm. Elliott Bay Book Company is on Capitol Hill at 1521 – 10th Avenue. (206) 624-6000.
Diana Xin has been awarded a Hugo House Fellowship. The fellows will spend the year-long fellowship working on individual projects, taking classes at Hugo House, meeting with writers-in-residence, workshopping their writing and using the writing office. Xin was born in China and grew up in Minnesota. She is working on a novel of alienation and exile and the characters are a mother and daughter in a small Minnesota town.
Japanese history writer Romulus Hillsborough will talk about her book, “Samurai Revolution” on sat., July 18th at 2pm. Kinokuniya Bookstore at 525 S. Weller in Seattle. (206) 587-2477.
Tao Lin and Mira Gonzalez read from “Selected Tweets” on July 21st at 7pm. Third Place Books in Ravenna. Free. Go to thirdplacebooks.com.
Janice P. Namura reads from “Daughters of the Samurai: a Journey from East to West and Back” on Aug. 25th at 7pm. Free. 6504 20th Ave. NE in Lake Forest Park. Go to thirdplacebooks.com.
One finds it hard to keep up with the steady stream of new titles coming out even in the limited categories of works by or about Asian Americans and new titles on Asia but here’s a recent sampling:
Bay Area poet Tony Robles continues the work of his Uncle, Al Robles – the legendary Bay Area Filipino American activist and poet with a new book entitled “Cool Don’t Live Here Anymore: A Letter to San Francisco” which is a rallying cry for that city to serve its people. Robles has authored two children’s books but this is his first book of poetry.
L.A. Poet Amy Uyematsu was the co-editor of the widely-used UCLA anthology “Roots: An Asian American Reader” and also wrote the essay, “The Emergence of Yellow Power in America in the 1969 issue of Gidra, an Asian American newspaper. “The Yellow Door” is her fourth book of poetry and this one mirrors the perspective of the baby-boomer Sansei generation who knew their Issei immigrant grandparents, grew up in Little Toklo and are now old enough to have grandchildren of their own. These poems celebrate her Japanese American roots.
Noted Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has a new book coming out in August on Alfred A. Knopf Books. Entitled “Wind/Pinball”, it contains the author’s first attempts at writing in the form of two short novels. His introduction also discloses the moment he decided to become a novelist at a baseball game in 1978 at a time when he was running his own jazz coffee shop in Tokyo.
“Indonesia Etc. – Exploring The Improbable Nation” (Norton) by Elizabeth Pisani is now out in a paperback edition. Considered one of the Best Books of 2014 by the Wall Street Journal and The Economist, the author traveled 26,000 miles across this multi-cultural island nation of over 300 ethnic groups and 13,500 islands to get a look.
“In The Country” is a sparkling collection of short stories by Mia Alvar that looks at Filipino characters from different fortunes and classes around the world whether in Manila, Boston or Bahrain and their dreams, motivations and desires. Published by Knopf in June.
“Letters To My Grandchildren” by David Suzuki on Greystone Books. This internationally renowned geneticist, environmentalist, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation has hosted the award-winning CBS program, “The Nature of Things” for over thirty years. This book is Suzuki at his most personal as he passes on what he can to future generations.
Hayden Herrera, famed biographer of Frida Kahlo takes on another mysterious artistic icon in her new book, “Listening To Stone – The Art And Life Of Isamu Noguchi” just out on Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Art News/Opportunities
The WING also needs lots of volunteers for their annual summer arts festival, Jam Fest 2015 for July and August, 2015. If you are interested and would like to participate in a fun event with a community museum, email volunteer@wingluke.org to find out schedules and what’s needed.
Congratulations to local artist Carina del Rosario who was awarded a 4Culture Individual Artist Grant which will allow her to continue and expand upon her on-going “Passport Series”. With the money, the artist hopes to explore identity, discrimination and how documents arte used to confer and deny human and civil rights.
The Frye Art Museum has a full slate of Summer Studio Art Classes from June to August 2015 as well as a Kids Camp in Dramatic Arts. Artist Lois Yoshida teaches an Introduction to Ink and Brush Painting. For details on classes and registration, call (206) 622 – 9250.
Makiko Ichiura teaches a workshop on “Tile Painting” as one of the summer classes offered by the Northwest Museum of Art in La Connor. August 15th from 1 – 4pm. $75 fee with materials included. 121 South First in La Connor,WA. (360) 466-4446, then press “1” when instructed to.
Friends of Asian Art Association is an all-volunteer organization that connects its members and the community to educations, cultural and social events tied to Asia and its diverse art forms and culture. Enjoy year-round activities and meet new friends who share similar interests by becoming a member. All are welcome to the activities but members get special discounts and perks. Go to FriendsOfAsianArt@earthlink or call (206) 522-5438. Seattle Asian Art Museum’s Alvord Board Room. (206) 522-5438 or email Friends ofAsianArt@earthlink.net to make reservations and buy tickets.
Hing Hay Coworks is a collaborative work space centrally located in the Bush Hotel in the heart of Seattle’s ID/Chinatown neighborhood. It is open to entrepreneurs, freelancers, and start-ups or small businesses and is animated by a community of business leaders who value meaningful partnership, creative exploration, and bringing ideas to market. The space will be open for monthly memberships in April. Space is limited, so please contact them if you want to become a member. Please refer all inquires to Quang Nguyen, Hing Hay Coworks Manager at quangn@scidpda.org.
“Applications are now being accepted for Washington State Poet Laureate 2016-2018. Deadline is July 31st, 2015. The role of this position is to promote awareness and appreciation of poetry through readings, workshops, lectures and/or presentations in various parts of the community throughout the state. This is a paid position. For details go to Julie@humanities.org or call (206) 682-1770×110.
Ron Inatomi and David Shimasaki based in Southern California’s produce industry decided one day over a game of golf to use the social media for more than sharing photos. They decided to do something to honor the Issei and Nisei growers who helped pioneer the country’s fruit, vegetable and floral industries. If you search on Facebook under “Japanese Americans in the Produce-Floral Industry”, you should find pages of photos and histories volunteered by families and their scrapbooks and shoeboxes of photos. If you wish to post something and don’t have Facebook, just scan a photo, attach it and send it by email to janproduceindustry@gmail.com. The pair hope to eventually do a documentary film project on this history. Information taken from NIKKEIWEST newspaper.
Classical conductor Seiji Ozawa recently make a rare political statement. Now 79 and based in Switzerland and France with his academy, he said he is worried about militarization in the Far East and worsening relations between China and Japan. He calls upon Japan “to show that it still is a good example of a country that does not wage war.”
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