Visual Arts
New work by artists Junko Yamamoto and Akiko Masker at Arts West Gallery on view during the month of August until early Sept. Opening reception is on Thurs., August 11 from 6 – 8 p.m. Regular hours are 1:30 – 7:30 p.m. on weekends and Sundays from 11 – 3 p.m.. 4711 California Ave. SW in West Seattle. 206-938-0339.
“Handmade in Camp – What We couldn’t Carry” is a group show that displays over 60 items including furniture, jewelry, tools, paintings, needlework, scrapbooks, games, toys and quilts – all handcrafted items made by Japanese Americans during their WWII incarceration. On view through Nov. 6, 2016.The museum says that most are family heirlooms borrowed from area households and have never been seen in public. Accompanied by quotes from local families. White River Valley Museum in Auburn. For details call 253-288-7433 or go to http://wrvmuseum.org.
Gibson Gallery’s “25” is a group show celebrating the diverse roster of artists they represent. Includes the work of Saya Moriyasu and Thuy Van-Vu. On view through August 13 plus a selection of 20th century photography. 300 S. Washington. 206-587-4033.
What is your favorite lullaby? What do you sing to your little ones to put them to sleep? The Wing invites you to share your lullaby with them to be featured in the new upcoming KidPLACE exhibition, “Stars Above: Wrapped in Lullabies”, opening Sat., August 20, 2016. There will be a Wing Luke Lullaby Recording Session at the Museum on August 4 and August 20 from 11 a.m. – 3p.m. facilitated by Jack Straw. The Wing invites the community to participate in this exhibition by recordings their favorite lullabies. Go to http://www.wingluke.org/lullaby for details.
Seattle raised/ Germany-based installation artist Tamiko Thiel’s summer project at Olympic Sculpture Park through Sept. 30, 2016 is entitled “Gardens Of The Anthropocene.” She creates an augmented reality app that can be downloaded to your mobile device. This virtual tour imagines the future for the landscape as we enter a new geological age defined by human activity’s impact on climate and environment. You can download the free Layar app onto your iPhone or Android smartphones now and get ready for a surreal landscape.
“Monkey Way” is the title of a catchy multi-media installation by Seattle artist Saya Moriyasu. It’s in the walkway window just past Starbuck’s as you transition from Chinatown/ID to the street across that leads to the trains that take commuters to Everett and Tacoma. In a lot of ways, this transition between cultures/places parallel’s the artist’s work as well. Her statement reads, “The current political situation is awkward in that it seeps into the work via monkeys and lots of shelves that are not functional. This moment of instability in US politics leads to inspirations from moments in history in France and China. Putting all these elements all together is a visual mash-up that comes from my life in a family mixed both in class and culture.” History, culture and identity mixed with whimsy comes from this display and grabs the attention of passersby. The work is up until October, 2016. Moriyasu is also in a group show entitled “Peep Show” on the 2nd floor at The Alice at 6007 – 12th Ave. S. through August 13. For information on the artist, go to SayaMoriyasu.com. for information about the work, go to GGibsonGallery.com.
“Unsettled/Resettled: Seattle’s Hunt Hotel” is a new exhibit that tells the story of the Hunt Hotel’s role in the resettling of the Japanese community in Seattle after WW II. This traveling exhibit is now on view at Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center through Sept. 25. 121 NW 2nd Ave. in Portland. 503-224-1458 or go to www.oregonnikkei.org.
“Seeing The Light: Four Decades in Chinatown” is a new book of essays and photos by respected and beloved Seattle Chinatown/ID photographer/writer Dean Wong out now from local publisher Chin Music Press. Concurrently some of the dynamic new work he’s been doing in Chinatowns up and down the West Coast – “Dean Wong: New Street Photography” is at Jack Straw Cultural Center now through Sept. 1. 4261 Roosevelt Way NE. Go to www.jackstraw.org for more details. In related news, another show of his work in the book is on view through July 24 at Kobo Gallery and Shop at Higo. Some talks and activities related to the show are planned. For details, go to http://www.koboseattle.com.
The Cascadia Art Museum is a new museum in Edmonds dedicated to the legacy of the Northwest from the late 19th century to the mid-modernist period of the 1960’s. Coming in May are two shows – “Northwest Photography at Mid-Century” which includes the work of Yoshio Noma & Chao-Chen Yang and “Against The Moon:The Art of John Matsudaira (1922-2007)”, one of the forgotten members of the “Northwest School”. Through August 23, 2016. 190 Sunset Ave. #E in Edmonds. Hours are Wed. – Sun. from 11am – 6p.m. and Artwalk Edmonds Third Thursdays from 5 – 8p.m.. 425-336-4809.
Local artist Naoko Morisawa has work in the Anacortes Art Festival in downtown Anacortes on view from August 1 – 7. For details, go to www.anacortesartsfestival.com.
Local paper-cut artist Lauren Iida has a busy schedule of shows throughout the area. Her work can always be seen at ArtXchange Gallery in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. In addition, more shows include the following. A new retail/gallery space in Ballard called Venue carries a variety of her new cut paper work. 5408 22nd Ave. NW. info@venueballard.com or call 206-789-3335. Part of the Ballard Art Walk on August 13 from 6 – 9p.m.. She has five works on view at The Gallery at Shoreline City Hall from June 9 – Sept. 9. Her first public art project will be paper cutaways laser cut from metal and hung as banners along Aurora between 175th and 205th will be installed in August. Sponsored by the city of Shoreline. Her first “sculptural” paper cutaway will be on display starting Fri., August 4 at Sculpture Northwest in Bellingham. 11 feet long, it features images of diving Kamikaze planes along with framed work and found objects pertaining to her family’s incarceration during WWII in Japanese American internment camps. She has a new position as Gallery Director at Make Shift Art Space in Bellingham. She recently collaborated with Cambodian American designer Silong Chuun at Red Scarf Revolution in Tacoma to design t-shirts with her paper cutaway designs which are available online. Go to www.laureniida.com for full details. She is also always open to commissions. She has done custom cutaways for people from their special photos or a favorite poem etc. For details on commissions, go to http://www.laureniida.com/commissions.html.
“Patterned Lineage: Cultural Storytelling” is a show about “how pattern can help narrate personal cultural histories” by comparing work by Australian aboriginal artists and local Seattle sculptor/installation artist June Sekiguchi. Through August 27. The work includes reconfigured large scale works made for the artist’s parents as well as a plaster, waxed paper piece done in honor of her children. Live music by Tx Trumbo accompanies the art. The second First Thursday on August 4 from 5 – 8p.m. will have the sculptor installing a scroll cut waterfall for the second month of the show. Humaira Abid’s carved wood sculptures and paintings use a personal approach to reveal world issues whether it’s the bombing of children in Pakistan by US warplanes or issues of women. A solo show of her new work opens August 4 and runs through Sept. 24. ArtXchange Gallery at 512 First Ave. S. 206-839-0377 or go to artxchange.org. Open Tues. – Sat.
“Bodies + Beings” is an invitational exhibition of figurative sculptures at Abmeyer + Wood running through August 27. Includes work by Haejin Lee, Calvin Ma and Akio Takamori. Opening reception is Wed., July 13 from 5 – 8p.m.. 1210 2nd Ave. in down town Seattle. 206-628-9501 or go to abmeyerwood.com.
Seattle Municipal Tower presents “Cultural Perspectives”, a group show from the Seattle Public Utilities Portable Works collection with a focus on the voices and experiences of communities of color. On view through Sept. 30, 2016. Part 2 has work by Minh Carrico, Carina del Rosario, Midori Hirose, Hyunju Kim, Cheryll Leo-Gwin, Naomi Shigeto, Roger Shimomura, Tara Tamaribuchi, Thuy-Van Vu and others. The Artist Reception is on Thurs., August 4 from 4 – 6p.m..700 Fifth Ave. Open Mon. – Fri. Go to seattle.gov for details.
Wei’s by now familiar landscapes from travels in the Northwest will be shown in September at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. 1111 1st Ave. in downtown Seattle. 206-223-0273 or go to www.rovzargallery.com.
Noted photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto will be the planned speaker for the annual Mitsubishi lecture sponsored by the UW Japan Studies Program. In addition to the lecture, the Japan studies program plans to collaborate with local galleries, theaters and museums to host related events. The event will occur early next year. Details will be posted at https://jsis.washington.edu/japan later this fall.
Midori Hirose has a show of work that explores material changes, both perceived and actual, using resources and media drawn from science, early childhood education and history. On view through Sept. 18, 2016 at Morin Print Building at 308 Washington St. in The Dalles, Oregon. Part of Disjecta’s “Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art” series. Call 503-286-9499 or go to www.disjecta.org. For more about the artist, go to www.midorihirose.us.
Charlene Liu has a show that explores pictorial space by turns illusionistic and graphic, combining head-drawn, digitally constructed, and mechanically reproduced tropes and motifs. On view through Sept. 18 at Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 48004 St. Andrews Rd. in Pendleton, Oregon. Part of Disjecta’s “Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art” series. 503-286-9449 or go to www.disjecta.org. For more on the artist, go to www.charlene-liu.com.
The Portland Japanese Garden recently reopened after a six-month closure for construction on the Garden’s Cultural Crossing expansion project. More construction is coming to expand the facilities with new features such as classrooms, galleries, a café and seven garden spaces with public water features and a bonsai terrace. Design is supervised by internationally know architect Kengo Kuma. Improvements should be completed by Spring, 2017.For details, go to japanesegarden.com.
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has the following upcoming shows. “Modernization in Meiji Japan (1868-1912) – Images of Changing Architecture, Transportation and War” through August 28, 2016. “China’s Favourite Pottery for Tea, Yixing Ware” from July 1 – Oct. 18, 2016. 1040 Moss St. in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Call 1-250-384-4171.
“Splashes of Color: Chinese Woodblock Prints from the You Wei Du Zhai Collection” is on view through Oct. 9, 2016 at Portland Art Museum. 1219 SW Park Ave. 503-226-2811 or go to portlandartmuseum.org.
New and recent shows /activities at the Wing include the following – “Everything Has Been Material For Scissors To Shape” (see elsewhere in this issue for a review) is a new group exhibition on textiles and how they move through history and myth, commodity culture and art, linking women’s hands and machines to Asian American identities.” It features the work of Surabhi Ghosh, Stephanie Syjuco and Aram Han Sifuentes. This show is on display through April 16, 2017. “New Years All Year Round” closes on Sun. July 31. See how the New Year is celebrated in Japanese, Vietnamese, and Hmong cultures in this interactive and kid-friendly exhibit. Opening Sat., August 20 is “Stars Above: Wrapped in Lullabies”. Family Fun Day celebrates this show with a Pajama Party. The museum asks participants to wear their favorite pajamas to celebrate this opening day. Free with family fun activities like art workshops, lullabies, recording booth and kid -focused concerts throughout the building. Opening March 3 from 6 – 8p.m. is “Seeds of Change, Roots of Power: The Danny Woo Community Garden”, an exhibit that celebrates this neighborhood resource which preserves culture, tradition and identity. Tatau/Tattoo: Embodying Resistance. Explores the practices and cultural significance of tattoos, highlighting the unique perspectives of the South Pacific communities in the Pacific Northwest. “Khmer American: Naga Sheds Its Skin”. War has had a huge impact on Khmer culture and identity. Despite these challenges, the community continues to shape the US and Cambodia. “Tales of Tails: Animals in Children’s Books is a recent show to open at the museum. “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. Year 2 of the exhibition opens Oct. 3rd, 2015 and digs deeper into the significance of Bruce Lee and his impact in media during a time of racial stereotypes and barriers. Includes text panels by national blogger Phil Yu (aka Angry Asian Man) plus Green Hornet toys, personal letters, behind-the-scenes photos from the sets of “Way of the Dragon” and “Enter the Dragon”, hand-written film notes, rare photos inside his early Chinatown studio and much more. Celebrate the closing of this Bruce Lee show on Sept. 3 & 4. Special activities include an outdoor film screening on Sat. and giveaways. A new installment of the Bruce Lee exhibit opens on Sat., Oct. 1, 2016 but if you become a museum member, you can attend the special member-only party preview before it officially opens to the public. On Friday, Sept. 30 from 5 – 8p.m.. To become a member contact membership@wingluke.org or call 206-623-5124×126. The new installment is entitled “Day in the Life of Bruce Lee: Do You Know Bruce? Part 3” explores what it took to become “Bruce Lee”. It delves into his daily work habits, routines and strategies to his written & visual art, reading, and personal time spent with family and friends. Toddler Story Time takes place Thurs., July 7 from 11am – 12p.m.. Free. The book, “Noodle Magic” will be read. August 4 from 11am – 12p.m., you can hear a reading of “Mooncakes”. Sept. 1 at 11am brings a reading of “Cora Cooks Pancit.” Fun art activity will follow.The Museum is located at 719 South King St. (206) 623-5124 or visit www.wingluke.org. Closed Mondays. Tuesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5p.m.. First Thursday of each month is free from 10 a.m. – 8p.m.. Third Saturday of each month is free from 10 a.m. – 8p.m..
“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.
“Pacific Voices” is an ongoing exhibit that celebrates the language, teachings, art, and cultural ceremonies of seventeen cultures from the Pacific Rim. Burke Museum at the University of Washington. 17th Ave. NE & E 45th Streets. (206) 543-5590 or try Washington.edu/burkemuseum.
New Zealand’s largest art show “World of Wearable Art” (tm ) makes its North American debut at EMP Museum in Seattle. A spectacular fusion of fasion and art, the exhibition showcases 32 award-winning garments from the annual competition in Wellington. One of the highlights is ‘Born to Die”, a dress made completely of cable ties woven into a sculptural “vertebrae” to look like a fish skeleton, by design student, Guo Xia Tong from China. On view through Jan. 2, 2017. 325 – 5th Ave. N. 206-770-2702.
“Triangulation” is the title of a group show in the Guest Gallery section of Columbia City Gallery. Through sculpture, installation, and painting, each artist reflects upon past events which have impacted their collective conscience and process of reinvention. Featuring the work of Minh Carrico, Truong Pham and Thuy-Van Vu. On view through August 14, 2016. 4864 Rainier Ave. S. 206-760-9843 or go to www.columbiacitygallery.com.
Next year will see a show by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama spanning over five decades. “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” will focus on her original series done in 1965 in which she displayed a vast expanse of red-spotted, white tubers in a room lined with mirrors, creating a jarring illusion of infinite space and move on throughout her whole career developing this concept. Opens Sept. 29, 2017 and remains on view through Sept. 10, 2017. Seattle Art Museum downtown.
Currently on view at Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park – Opening April 9 and staying on view through Oct. 9, 2016 in the Tateuchi Galleries is “Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World.” The show looks at how the color blue creates so many moods in cloth around the world. Drawn primarily from SAM’s global textile collection, the show illuminates the historic scope of this vibrant pigment. On view will be tapestries from Belgium, a Chinese silk court robe, kimonos from Japan, batiks and ikats from Indonesia and Africa, and ancient fragments from Peru and Egypt. An immersive contemporary installation devoted to indigo by Rowland Ricketts with a soundtrack by sound artist Nobert Herber will also be featured. Also on view now – “Awakened Ones: Buddhas of Asia” comes from the museum’s own collection and features 20 sculptures and paintings of Buddhas from across Asia that span nearly 13 centuries. Opening on July 2 and remaining on view through Feb. 26, 2017 is “Terratopia: The Chinese Landscape in Painting and Film.” The importance of landscape is a key feature of Chinese art and this show gives it a new wrinkle by comparing Chinese landscape paintings from the collection with the sounds and images of artist and cinematographer Yang Fudong taken from his five-part film entitled “Seven Intellectuals in a Bamboo Forest (2003-7). The film experiments with ideas about what nature holds for people in the modern world by reimagining ancient history’s seven philosophers as seven successful youths who are disenchanted with the banality of daily urban life. Filmed in the famed Yellow mountains of eastern China, a place that inspired poetry and literature for centuries as well as a major school of and landscape art. Chinese art curator Foong Ping says, “It’s a thinking person’s show…You have to look at something and ask ‘Why is it there? Why did you choose this one?’ and there will be an answer. It’s a puzzle.”. Immersed in both the audio and visual elements of the film, viewers may very well begin to see the Chinese landscapes on the wall in a new light. Now on view through Oct. 9, 2016 is a show entitled “GOLD: Japanese Art from the Collection.” Japanese art curator Xiaojin Wu created this show with diverse elements from the museum’s collection, which showcases all things gold including textiles-such as kimonos-as well as paintings, metalwork, and lacquerware. Gardner Center presents an Asia Arts Workshop entitled “Hand Papermaking of the Islamic World” on Sept. 10, 2016 from 10 am – 4p.m. with book artist and papermaker Radha Pandy. Pandey will share her rare expertise about paper history with samples of work made in the Islamic world. Paticipants will learn sheet forming, dyeing, sizing and burnishing. On Sept. 15 at 7p.m., the Gardner Center presents their Asia Talks series with textile artist Azumi Hosoda who will show you how to use resist dyeing to create kimonos and more. She will discuss techniques that allow layering and depths of color and talk about her contemporary designs that explore themes of food, sea life, games and more. Tabaimo is a Japanese artist who currently has her first solo show of video installations at San Jose Museum of Modern Art. She will curate a show of her existing and new works as well as works from SAM’s collection that she has selected for their close connections with her own work. Opens Nov. 11, 2016 and remains on view through Feb. 26, 2017. Seattle Asian Art Museum is at 1400 Prospect St. in Volunteer Park. 206-442-8480 or go to seattleartmuseum.org/gardnercenter or gardnercenter@seattleartmuseum.org.
The Seattle Asian Art Museum known for its classic Art Deco design built in 1933 will receive a major overhaul and renovation. The museum will close in the spring of 2017. The museum seeks input from the community in a series of meetings about what people envision for the Asian Art Museum of tomorrow. Go to visitsam.org/inspire or email SAM at feedback@seattleartmuseum.org for more information about upcoming community forums about the future of SAAM. Some goals include expanding educational and programming spaces, protecting the collection, restoring a historic icon, enhancing the museum’s connection with Volunteer Park and adding new exhibition space.
Seattle artist/performer/filmmaker Etsuko Ichikawa has won the grand prize Dave Bowen Award for her video entitled “Echo at Satsop”. Submissions were received from artists from over 40 countries. Juror and Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has this to say about the work. “Equal parts performance documentation and otherworldly cinematic experience the mesmerizing video reveals the dramatic potential of a simple gesture made in an extraordinary setting. I was not only struck by the professional and creative cinematography, but also by the powerful soundtrack. Nearly every shot would make a compelling still image; the meditative sound could also stand alone. Both contribute to a sense that this clearly real place could be on earth or elsewhere – in the past, present, or far-off future.” Congratulations, Etsuko! The artist is represented locally by Winston Wachter Fine Art Gallery/ gallery@winstonwachter.com. Currently she is working on a public art project for Pullman High School sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission. She will do a residency at Museum of Glass in Tacoma. She is also working on “Jomon Vitrified”, an examination of the radioactive decay of uranium glass inspired by Jomon pottery and concerns over the disasters at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant and Hanford Nuclear Waste Management. She has a new facebook page and is working on a podcast as well. For details on any of the above, email info@etsukoichikawa.com.
Northwest Art Now@TAM 2016 is a juried group show of new contemporary art in the area. On view through August 21. Includes the work of artists like Humaira Abid, Paul Komada, Asia Tail and Lily Martina Lee. Tacoma Art Museum. 1701 Pacific Ave. 253-272-4258 or go to tacomaartmuseum.org.
Guest artist Dong-Lim Chung, professor at Gachon University in South Korea has work on display in the Boardroom of Collective Visions Gallery through August. 331 Pacific Ave. in Bremerton. 360-377-8327 or go to www.collectivevisions.com
Comparing his own journey from China to Canada, the Yangtze River to the Frazier River, with that of the salmon migration, Canadian multi-media artist Gu Xiong has an installation entitled “A River of Migration”. Xiong says, “When the salmon returns, the river flows red. A spiritual river. A river of migration.” On view from August 6 – Nov. 28, 2016. San Juan Islands Museum of Art on 540 Spring St. in Friday Harbor. 360-370-5050 or go to www.sjima.org.
Every year the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation gives out The Foundation of Art Award to worthy artists who have made a positive effect in the community with their art and activities. Artist candidates throughout Pierce County are highlighted and nominated. One of this year’s nominees was Silong Chhun. Chhun launched the clothing label Red Scarf Revolution in 2013. His aim was to bring silenced art, culture, and the darkest tragedy of Cambodia’s history to light with designs that incite the resiliency of the Khmer people. To learn more, go to redscarfrevolution.storenvy.com/faq.
Coming this summer are two big art events. The Seattle Art Fair is happening a second year in a row in part sponsored by Paul Allen. This year’s version presents up to 83 galleries both local, national and international. Expect galleries from Asia, Europe and the East Coast plus our West Coast contingent. Aug. 4 – 7 at CenturyLink Field Event Center at 800 Occidental Ave. S. Go to centurylinkfield.com for details. Overseas participants include SCAI The Bathhouse and Tomio Koyama Gallery both from Tokyo. Takashi Murakami’s Superflat & Juxtapoz present a group show at Pivot Arts & Culture which is south of Lake Union at 609 Westlake Ave. N. August 4 – 7 from 9am – 9p.m. with a media preview on August 4 at 3p.m.. Expect a large contingent of contemporary Asian artists in this show and at the media preview. Just down the road from Seattle Art Fair at King Street Station at 303 S. Jackson, look for “Out of Sight”, a group show showcasing local artists also Aug. 4 – 7. Curator for Suyama Space, Beth Sellars is putting together a series of site-specific installations by artists who have been involved with Suyama Space among them, Lead Pencil Studio (Annie Han & Daniel Mihalyo). June Sekiguchi and Etsuko Ichikawa join a stellar group of 14 Seattle-based artists in “In Context”, A Seattle Art Fair Satellite Exhibition. This free sit-specific exhibit includes sculpture, animation, installation, drawing, video, painting and photography. Open from 10 a.m. – 9p.m. August 4 – 7. On Friday, August 5 at 6p.m., there will be a panel discussion with some of the exhibition artists on “The State of Women in the Arts.” 220 S. Jackson St. at 3rd Ave. in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. Curated by Barbara Robertson and Ann-Marie Stillion. Visit www.incontextseattle.com or text 206-852-3251.
“Matter” is the first North American retrospective to highlight two decades of art by Bharti Kher, a UK-born, New Delhi-based artist. The exhibition presents elements of painting, photography, and sculpture that have been the hallmarks of her practice over the past two decades. On view from July 9 – Oct. 10, 2016. Organized by Vancouver Art Gallery and curated by Daina Augaitis and Diana Freundl. Her use of the bindi (a popular fashion accessory that once was a symbol of the third eye) is reclaimed by the artist to show the resilience of women. Ideas of hybridity and the female cyborg are also explored in her art. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue co-published with Black Dog Publishing. Vancouver Art Gallery is at 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver BC, Canada. 604-662-4722 or go to www.vanartgallery.bc.ca.
On view through Sept. 4, 2016 is “Chino Otsuka: Arrival”, an audio visual multi-channel installation that combines archival images and new photographs as a way to explore the early history of Japanese immigrants in Canada, stories of young women who came as picture brides. It captures a time of anticipation, hope and adventure as they begin their journey to a new country. Otsuka is based in England and this project was inspired by a 2014 residency at the Nikkei archives here. Also ongoing is “Taiken – Japanese Canadians Since 1877”, photography and artifacts that chronicle the hardships of pioneers to the struggles of the war years to the Nikkei community today. Nikkei National Museum at 6688 Southoaks Cres. In Burnaby B.C., Canada. 604-777-7000 or go to nikkeiplace.org.
The Denver Art Museum has the following shows. “All That Glistens – A Century of Japanese Lacquer” has on display containers, trays, plaques, braziers and screens all handcrafted by the Japanese artisan tradition. On view through September 7, 2016. “Depth & Detail – Carved Bamboo from China, Japan & Korea” looks at this intricate decorative art that includes religious imagery, people, animals, birds, insects, plants and landscapes. All with a story to tell or having symbolic meaning. On view through Jan. 15, 2017. 100 W 14th Ave. Parkway in Denver. 720-865-5000.
The East-West Center Arts Program presents “China Through The Lens of John Thomson 1869-1872”. In 1868 the Scottish photographer and travel writer spent four years in Hong Kong and China documenting the people and landscape. The range, depth and aesthetic quality of his photographic vision makes him stand out as one of the pioneers of travel photography. On view through Sept. 11, 2016. East-West Gallery is located in the John A. Burns Hall at 1601 East-West Rd. in Honolulu. Hours are weekdays 8 – 5p.m. and Sundays noon – 4p.m.. 808-944-7177. Go to http://arts.EastWestCenter.org for details.
The San Diego Museum of Art has opened a new exhibit entitled “Brush And Ink: Chinese Paintings from The San Diego Museum of Art Selected by Pan Gongkai”. On view now through Sept. 4, 2016. The show has works spanning over 500 years of Chinese ink paintings. Along with the classic paintings from the tradition, the show is graced with new work by guest curator/ink painter Pan Gongkai. 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park. 619-232-7931 or go to http://www.sdmart.org.
“Yasuhiro Ishimoto: Bilingual Photography and the Architecture of Greene & Greene” is the title of a new show at the Huntington Library. Photographs made by Ishimoto of architecture by these early 20th-century designers on assignment for the Japanese design magazine, “Approach” (on loan from Museum of Art, Kochi) plus images from his “Katsura Imperial Villa” series are now on view until Oct. 3, 2016. This show coincides with the reopening of a refreshed permanent display of Greene & Greene furniture in an adjacent room. A new exhibition opens Sept. 17 entitled “Gardens, Art and Commerce in Chinese Woodblock Prints” and remains on view through Jan. 9, 2017. The show includes forty-eight examples of woodblock prints made from the 16th century to 19th centuries on loan from the National Library of China in Beijing, the Nanjing Library, the Shanghai Museum and 14 other institutions and private collections. 1151 Oxford Rd. in San Marino, California. 626-405-2100.
“Made in L.A. 2016 – A, the, though, only” is a multi-genre group show now at the Hammer Art Museum/UCLA. Curators canvased different neighborhoods in Los Angeles to find a variety of artists doing distinctive work in many media. The work of Kelly Akashi, Margaret Honda, Kenzi Shiokava and Kenneth Tam are included. Through August 28. 10899 Wilshire Blvd. 310-443-7000 or go to https://hammer.ucla.edu.
Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA) is one of the sites for Mel Chin’s land art project “The Tie That Binds: Mirror of the Future” which is part of the new public art biennial “CURRENT: LA Water. Chin, is internationally known for her public art installations that involve community and this one is no different. As you know California is in the midst of a long drought. The project begins at the Bowtie, a piece of land in Atwater village near the Los Angeles River. Here, “mirror makers” guide viewers through eight unique, drought-resistant sample gardens created by the artist. Visitors can commit to creating a mirror of a sample garden in their own yard, and receive a blueprint for one of the sample gardens with instructions on how to plant and maintain their very own mirror garden, It is hoped this will help drought-resistant gardens proliferate all across the city. For details, go to the CURRENT:LA website.
L.E. Kim has a second show of new paintings through August 20, 2016 at KlowdenMann Gallery. She paints by placing and scraping oil paint on palette paper with a palette knife then adding and scraping off piegment as she goes along. The end result is a tactile canvas of build up and release, textural and reductive at the same time. 6023 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA. Go to http://klowdenmann.com for details.
The Asia Society Museum in New York presents “No Limits: Zao Wou-Ki.” Co-organized with Colby College Museum of Art, it is the first retrospective of the work of this artist (1920-2013) in the United States. This Chinese-French artist melded eastern and western aesthetic sensibilities in his paintings to great effect and was a key figure of the post-WWII abstract expressionist movement. Zao was born in Beijing but grew up in Shanghai and Hangzhou, where he studied at the China Academy of Art. In 1948, he emigrated to Paris where he became a major name in the European art world. His work found its way into American collections in the 50’s and 60’s. He was one of the first artists to adapt the visual characteristics of Chinese art within twentieth-century oil painting idioms. The show is curated by Melissa Walt, Ankeney Weitz and Michelle Yun and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog. On view September 9, 2016 – January 8, 2017. 725 Park Ave. New York City, New York. 212-327-9721 or go to www.asiasociety.org.
The Art Institute of Chicago presents the following. “The Shogun’s World: Japanese Maps of the 18th and 19th Centuries” through Nov. 6, 2016. This exhibition of maps showcases the beauty of Japanese printmaking. Also on view is “Vanishing Beauty: Asian Jewelry and Ritual Objects from the Barbara and David Kipper Collection through August 21, 2016. Coming up is “Provoke”: Photography in Japan Between Protest and Performance, 1960-1975. Opens Jan. 28, 2017 and remains on view through April 30, 2017. 111 South Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600.
“Narcissus Garden” was an installation created by the grande dame of contemporary Japanese art, Yayoi Kusama for the 33rd Venice Biennale back in 1966. She re-creates that piece consisting of over 1,000 mirrored spheres at the famed American architect Phillip Johnson’s historic glazed building in New Canaan, Connecticut known as the Glasshouse Museum. Kusama floats a landscape of metallic orbs that sweep across the meadow and forest of the grounds on the way to the building. Also as an added bonus during the month of September, visitors can see how she has turned the interior of the Glasshouse into a colorful polka-dot infinity room. “Narcissus Garden” is on view through November, 2016. For tickets for a tour, go to contact@theglasshouse.org.
The Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University has the following – “The Artist as Activist: Tayeba Begun Lipi and Mahbubur Rahman up until August 7, 2016. A show by Yan Xing through Oct. 16, 2016. “Epic Stories and Cultural Flux: A Brief Visual History of South Asia” though Sept. 11, 2016. Upcoming is a group exhibition that investigates a wide range of themes surrounding the changing role of women in China in an exhibition entitled “Fire Within: A New Generation of Chinese Women Artists”. Included are the work of twenty-eight emerging working in painting, installation, sculpture, video, animation, photography and performance. The generation of artists born in China during the 1970s and 1980s witnessed significant changes throughout their society as the country opened up to foreign markets and international exchange. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog with an essay by the curator, Dr. Wang Chunchen and interviews with the artists. There will be various activities including performances by Hu Jiayi, Lin Ran, and Luo Wei. On view August 27, 2016 through February 12, 2017. This museum was designed by the late Pritzker prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid. 504 East Circle Dr. in East Lansing, Michigan. 517-884-4800 or try eebam@msu.edu.
“Interlace: Three Artists In The Cambodian Diaspora” was a group show curated by Loredana Pazzini-Paracciani that featured three artists who blended into their work personal stories of growing up away from their homeland and the challenge of adjusting to another country that either ignored or misunderstood their native culture. It included the installation work of Amy Lee Sanford who smashed and reconstructed Cambodian clay pots filled with segments of her father’s letters re-configured into tiny cubes. LinDa Saphan, a seamstress’s daughter in Canada re-fashioned her mother’s skill to make a mannequin piece entitled “Stateless” covered with the fabric of her immigration forms. Recently re-located to Tacoma, artist Anida Yoeu Ali had two pieces from her “Red Chador” video series. Her interactive performances with local people highlight the anti-Muslim sentiment she felt in America and while visiting Paris. This show closed the end of June and was held at InCube Arts in New York. Taken from Suzy Sikorski’s review as found in ArtAsiaPacific Magazine’s webpage. Go to http://www.artasiapacific.com/Magazine/WebExclusives/INTERLACEThreeArtistsInTheCambodianDiaspora.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has the following. “Divine Pleasures: Paintings from India’s Rajput Courts – the Kronos Collection” through Sept. 12, 2016. “Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Metropolitan Collection” through Oct. 11, 2016. 1000 Fifth Ave. Go to metmuseum.org for details.
The Seoul Museum of Art celebrates the 10th anniversary of the passing of legendary video artist Nam June Paik with an exhibition that examines his work and that of the Fluxus movement of which he was a vital member. Also includes work by George Maciunas, Joseph Beuys, Yoko Ono and other Fluxus members. Up until July 31, 2016. Free. Call 02-2124-8934. Another large exhibit honoring the artist is “The Paik Nam June Show” where over a hundred of his pieces are arranged in thematic sections including a huge turtle sculpture composed of over 166 tv monitors. On view through Oct. 30, 2016 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Go to www.ddp.or.kr for details.
A major new work by installation artist Kimsooja entitled “Archive of Mind” encourages visitors to make clay balls at a giant oval wooden table to the soundtrack of dried clay balls rolling on the table. When dry, the audience-made balls of clay will be set against the black walls transforming the room into the landscape of an alien planet. Also on view is the latest piece of Kimsooja’s “Thread Route” film series. This series shows how a region’s sewing and weaving culture is intertwined with residents’ lives and history. The current show is part of “The MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2016”, the museum’s annual solo show given to a leading artist as sponsored by the auto giant. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary art in Seoul. +82 23701 9500. 30, Samcheong-Ro, Jongno-gu in Seoul.
The Sema Seosomun Museum of Art in Seoul has two interesting shows. “The Wind May Blow – It Blows Anyway” is a memorial exhibition for Chun Kyung-Jai. Her unique figurative style was popular even when the modern Korean art scene was dominated by abstract art. On view through August 7, 2016. “Museum of Art – Lee JuYong Photographic Studio” is an exhibition that celebrates the disappearing photographic studio in a museum space. JuYong considers early photography as a record of society and culture and to this end, has collected thousands of photographs and cameras over the years. On view through August 15, 2016. Free. Go to http://sema.seoul.go.kr for details.
The Australian artist Jason Phu was awarded the 2015 Sulman Prize for his painting “I was at yum cha when in rolled the three severed heads of Buddha: Fear, Malice and Death. It was a watercolor and ink work on ricepaper with the three heads flanked by text in Chinese and English. The 27 year old artist born of Chinese-Vietnamese parents looks at the culture clash of identities transferred by oral traditions. Phu now has a studio in Chongqing, China where he hopes to sharpen his calligraphy skills. Excerpted from Artsasiapacific.
The June/July 2016 issue of Art in America profiles artists Mika Tajima, Nasreen Mohamedi and Heman Chong. Also in the issue Seattle sculptor/writer Robert Rhee’s “Critical Eye” column takes a look at the recent traveling exhibition “Art AIDS America” originating from Tacoma Art Museum and curated by TAM’s Rock Hushka and Jonathan D. Katz, director of visual studies at the University of Buffalo, N.Y. Rhee is one of many nominees for The Stranger’s 14th Annual Genius Awards. Come to the ceremony honoring the winners at the Moore on Sat., Sept. 24, 2016. Go to strangertickets.com to make reservations for this fun event.
The Barack Obama Foundation has announced that the Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, a firm best known for designing the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the now demolished American Folk Art Museum in New York has won the design competition for the library. The building is expected to open in 2021 in Chicago.
Albert Chong has been named the new director of the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire. He is currently director of the Asian civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum in Singapore. Prior to that, he was curator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Musuem in Boston.
Syed Haider, one of India’s most respected modern painters died at the age of 94 recently in New Delhi.
New York based performance artist Tehching Hsieh was selected to represent Taiwan at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
The July/August issue of ArtAsiaPacific includes the following – A profile of London-based Filipino artist Pio Abad whose obsession with the Marcos family explores the influence of their power in the creation of a national identity. A look at the Japanese installation artist Chiharu Shiota. Profiles of Dutch-Filipino video artist Martha Atienza who delves into economic and environmental issues and New Delhi-based Pallavi Paul whose video work uses archival footage with her own documentary recordings of political protests. A digital edition is available for purchase via iTunes, Google Play, Zinio and Magzter.
“That Has Been, and May Be Again” is a group show that looks at contemporary art (especially installation work) throughout the 1980s and’90s China and how it points to a search for cultural and political identity during rapid modernization. Through August 21, 2016 at Para Site in Hong Kong. 852-25174620.
The theme for the 3rd Aichi Triennale as coined by curator Chihiro Minato is “Homo Faber: A Rainbow Caravan.” It takes place in the cities of Okazaki, Toyohasi and Nagoya, Japan. Parameters are wide for this festival of art that will include photography, moving image, performing arts and architecture. Augst 11 – Oct. 23, 2016.
Master photographer Fan Ho captured urban Hong Kong before it became a financial center. His masterful compositions of light, line and silhouette is a poetic homage to a city that harkens back to the mood of Wong Kar Wai’s film, “In The Mood for Love”. He came to Hong Kong from Shanghai as a teenager in 1949. He was self-taught, learning with a camera given as a gift by his father. He also directed a number of films during the heyday of Hong Kong cinema. He died in June in San Jose, California at the age of 84. Go to http://qz.com/714123/hong-kongs-perfect-serenity-before-it-was-a-financial-hub-by-master-photographer-fan-ho/.
Art Gallery of Ontario used their latest acquisition by Beijing-based conceptual artist Song Dong for a series of residencies, inviting local artists to create a response with Dong’s “Wisdom of the Poor: Communal Courtyard” (2011-13) as the permanent backdrop earlier this year.. The installation turned the space into a series of walk ways and rooms. Toronto-based artists Basil AlZeri and Annie Wong staged interactive performances with a live audience and it ended with a “mahjong master’s competition.” +1 416-979-6648.
Performing Arts
“From Hiroshima to Hope” is the annual memorial lantern floating event to commemorate the victims of the 1945 atomic bombings. Sat., August 6 from 6- 9p.m.. The northwest shore of Green Lake at 7312 W. Green Lake Dr. N. For details, go to www.fromhiroshimatohope.org. Also volunteers are needed for clean-up after the event. If you can help, email Etsuko at info@etsukoichikawa.com for details.
Summer festivals sprout up like wildflowers this time of year. The Japanese American community is especially active with things to see and do. Oregon Buddhist Temple’s Obon Fest takes place Aug. 6 (3-9p.m.). 3720 SE 34th Ave. in Portland. Go to www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com for details. Olympia Bon Odori takes place on Sat., August 13 from 5 – 9p.m.. On Water St. near 5th Ave. SW by Capitol Lake. 360-556-7562.
“Autonomic” is the title of a sound and video installation by composer/percussionist Paul Kikuchi on view through August 26, 2016. The music is drawn from compositions that explore breath awareness, intention and perception. The music is paired with visuals inspired by slowly evolving, multi-layered movements of clouds by videographer James Reeves. Kikuchi gives an “Artist Talk” on Thurs., August 25 at 7p.m.. Jack Straw New Media Gallery at 4261 Roosevelt Way NE in the University District. 206-634-0910 or go to www.jackstraw.org.
DAIPANbutoh Collective returns with their annual summer series of performances. On Sunday, August 21 there will be a free “Wandering & Wondering” event at Seattle Japanese Garden led by Joan Laage. For details, go to http://www.daipanbutoh.com/performances/.
Seattle Kokon Taiko formed in 1980 and is still going strong. To celebrate they plan a 35th Anniversary Concert entitled “Rhythm, Movement & Spirit” on Oct. 1, 2016. Tickets are on sale now. This will be a big production with special guests they have been collaborating with the last few years including Michelle Fujii and Toru Watanabe of UNIT SOUZOU, singer-songwriter Aura Ruddell and the rock band, Ravenna Woods. Concert takes place at the Shorewood Performing Arts Center in Shoreline. Planning a concert this big takes lots of money and the organization would appreciate any financial support it can receive from friends, family and community. This group has always been there for the community performing at rallies, concerts and community events. Now it’s our turn to step up and support them. For more information on the concert, go to http://seattlekokontaiko.org/skt35/. To keep up with the group’s activities, go to their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Seattle-Kokon-Taiko-SKT-101296766070/. And more importantly, to send donations to the group so they can put on their concert, go to https://www.gofundme.com/skt35.
Singer/songwriter/musician Kishi Bashi was born in Seattle but raised in in Virginia, the son of academics. He studied film scoring at Berklee School of Music and founded the rock band “Of Montreal” before going solo. He will be touring on behalf of his latest release “Sounderlust.” This recording came out of the ashes after touring and marital problems saw him at a spiritual and creative impasse. He appears in Seattle on Oct. 18 at 8p.m. at the Showbox in downtown Seattle at 1426 – 1st Ave. 1-888-9-AXS TIX or try the ShowBox or SODO ShowBox offices for tickets in-person fromWed. – Fri. from 10 a.m. – 2p.m.. Doors will open at 7p.m..
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 2016/2017. Bass vocalist Jonathan Lemalu is part of the choir performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Ludovic Morlot conducting January 5 and 7. Kevin Ahfat is featured pianist during the Symphony’s “Shostakovich Concerto Festival”. He’s perform with Pablo Rus Broseta conducting the following. On Thurs., Januanry 19 – Piano Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto No. 2 and Cello Concerto No. 1. On Friday, January 20 – Cello Concerto No. 2, Piano Concerto No. 2 and Violin Concerto No. 1. Cellist Yo Yo Ma makes what seems to be one of annual Seattle visits when he performs a program of Bartok, Mozart and Haydn with Seattle Pymphony under the baton of Pablo Rus Broseta on Friday, October 14 at 8p.m.. On Sunday, March 26 at 4p.m., the annual “Celebrate Asia” concert returns featuring movie music by famous Chinese and Indian composers including Grammy and Academy Award winners Tan Dun and A. R. Rahman. Finally on Friday, February 10 at 8p.m., catch violinist Leonidas Kavakos & pianist Yuja Wang in a program featuring Medtner’s “Two Canzonas with Dances for Violin and Piano and other works by Schubert, Debussy and Bartok. For details on tickets, go to seattlesymphony.org or call (206) 215-4747.
Tea ceremony demonstrations continue at Seattle Art Museum downtown on Third Thursdays at 5:30p.m. and Third Sundays at 2:30p.m. in the Japanese teahouse on the third floor of SAM. Free with admission. No tea ceremonies will be held in August. Go to vistsam.org/performs for details. Also at Seattle Art Museum on Sept. 8 at 6p.m. will be an “Opening Reception for Travelers”. Travel from Shanghai to Bakersfield and beyond as visitors get a chance to explore the world with artists as they exhibit work based on their expeditions. Free and open to the public.
Friends of Asian Art Association present “Glimpses of India” on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 2 – 4p.m.. Enjoy dancing, music, henna, sari draping, chai and snacks. Kids under 12 are free. $10 for members and $15 for non-members. At the Mountaineers Seattle Program Center at 7700 Sand Point Way NE. To register for this event go to www.friendsofasianart.org.
Emerald City Music is a new local organization specializing in chamber music. They recently announced their first season featuring over 40 world-class musicians with many performances all over Puget Sound. There will be seven in Seattle, two in Tacoma and five in Olympia. The concerts are curated by Kristen Lee, Artist Director and violinist. Some of the musicians include Ben Hong, Tien-hsin Cindy, David Requiro, The Dover Quartet, Gloria Chien, Hyeyeon Park, Windsync, Yura Lee and Kristen Lee. Concerts will be at Washington Center, 415 Westlake, Lagerquitt Concert Hall, Minnaert Center and St. Michael Westside Church. Go to http://www.emeraldcitymusic.org/blog/2016/5/16/announcing-season-one for details. Opening concert of Brahms kicks off on Sept. 16 at 415 Westlake in Seattle. Go to emeraldcitymusic.org.
Aerialist Rui Ling performs in Teatro ZinZanni’s romantic production of “Hotel L’Amore” staring Lilliane Montevecchi. Through Sept. 25. 222 Mercer St. in Seattle. 206-802-0015 for details.
Theatre Off Jackson presents some interesting plays this summer. Seayoung Yim brings back her Korean family stories in the mystery/comedy “Do it for Umma” which originally had its debut earlier. This re-vamped version is directed again by Sara Porkalob who did the original version. Aug. 18 – 27. 409 Seventh Ave. S. 206-340-1049 or go to theatreoffjackson.org.
Friends of Asian Art present ceramic artist Thomas Batty in a talk/presentation on “Ikebana – A Contemporary Approach” on August 21 at 1p.m.. Members $15 and non-members, $20. Batty studied in the Ohara School, one of the more progressive