Visual Arts
Building 30 West (7448 63rd Ave. NE in Magnuson Park.) presents “Open Studios” on Oct. 9 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. A good opportunity to see what Seattle artists at this studio are up to. Artist Renko Dempster (Suiren) is one of the artists participating. Go to spaceatmagnuson.org for details.
“Reboot” is the title of a show of new work by Jonathan Wakuda Fischer on view until Oct. 15 at Two Bells Bar & Grill at 2313 4th Ave. Call 206-441-3050 or go to wakudastudio.com. Fischer’s work can also be found at ArtXchange Gallery in Pioneer Square.
Minh Nguyen is an organizer of events and exhibitions who is interested in media studies, the role of design and urban planning in the creation of equitable spaces, and collective protest. She is the official “Artist in Residence” for fall at Town Hall Seattle. She stated, “I’m looking forward to using Town Hall’s upcoming events, specifically on digital communications and internet law, as a starting point to engage with the community on these issues. I’m excited to develop projects that synthesize art and civic engagement.”
The 2016 Museum of Northwest Art 2016 MoNA Luminaries Legacy Artist & Award Recipients were recently announced at a ceremony in Seattle. Each category of award is named in honor of a Northwest artist who has contributed to the region. Ceramic artist Patti Warashina is named for the award given to the “Emerging Artists” category. Congratulations to Saya Moriyasu who won the Alfredo Arreguin Award for Mid-Career Artists. She is represented by G. Gibson Gallery. Winners receive $1,000 award and inclusion in a group show at the museum located in La Connor, WA.
“River Run” by sculptor June Sekiguchi was a yearlong progressively cumulative installation responding to sites around Puget Sound from Bainbridge, Ellensberg, Bellingham, Seattle and in its most expansive iteration culminating at Edmonds. This final Edmonds segment is on view now through Dec. 8, 2016. At Edmonds Community College Art Gallery. Meet the artist at a reception from 3 – 5pm on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. The gallery is on the third floor of Lynnwood Hall. Regular hours are Monday – Thursday from 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. and weekends from 1 – 5 p.m. Address is 2000 68th Ave. W. in Lynnwood, WA. 425-640-1459.
Aldo Chan is well known for his graphic design skills having worked for the International Examiner, Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Seattle Times. But how many of you know him for his creative ability in the field of ceramics? Just in time for Christmas, come to a “Home Art Sale” featuring Aldo’s ceramics and affordable paintings, drawings, prints & greeting cards by his friends Ann Daley Ryherd, Kathy Roseth and Adama Kay. Sat., Nov. 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Refreshments provided. Cash/checks preferred. Ditch the mall, forget online shopping and get that something special, personal and handmade for your loved ones in an intimate, friendly environment. 2306 – N. 46th St. in Seattle.
Megumi Shauna Arai, Kate Murphy and June Sekiguchi are the artist judges for the annual City Arts Fall Art Walk Awards set for Oct. 13 from 7 – 11 p.m. at Sole Repair at 1001 E. Pike. 21 + over only. There will be art, drinks, music and cash prizes. Winners announced at 9:30 p.m. Sound like fun? It’s free but to participate you must RSVP in advance as gatecrashers will not be admitted. Go to cityartsonline.com for details.
“The Eclectic Collection” is a group show of artwork by former artist-in-residents at the James & Janie Washington Foundation. The home of the late, great Northwest sculptor & painter James Washington has been turned into an artist-in-residence residency for Northwest artists to live at and create work. This group show includes work by MalPina Chan, Romson Bustillo, June Sekiguchi and many others. The show is on view at the Anne Focke Gallery through Oct. 28. Opening reception on Oct. 20 from 4 – 6 p.m. Regular hours are M – F from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. 600 Fourth Ave. downtown in the Seattle City Hall Lobby.
“Cultural Perspectives, Part III” is a group show that looks at recent acquisitions to the Seattle Public Utilities Portable Collection on view through Dec. 28, 2016 at the Seattle Municipal Tower Gallery located on Level 3 Concourse of the building located at 700 Fifth Ave. Hours are M-F from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. 206-684-7132.
The work of Leslie Wu and June Sekiguchi is included in a group show entitled “Revering Nature” at the Koch Gallery at Vashon Center for the Arts as curated by Greg Robinson, Director of BIMA. Opening reception is Nov. 4 from 4 – 6 p.m. Remains on view through Nov. 26. Hours are M-F from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. from 12 – 5 p.m. 19600 Vashon Highway Southwest on Vashon Island. 206-463-5131.
“Art Interruptions” is an annual temporary art program created by the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture with the Seattle Department of Transportation. Temporary art installations will offer ephemeral moments of surprise and reflection in the Rainier Valley East-West Neighborhood Greenway including New Holly, Othello, Brighton, Lakewood and Seward Park. You will find these temporary art installations up through Jan. 2, 2017. Vikram Madan and Junko Yamamoto are some of the artists who have work in this project.
Ekphrasis is Greek for the art of using words to describe something beautiful, usually visual art. “Ekphrastic Assimilations – Finding Poetry in Art” is an interactive project designed to bring together poets, artists and art-lovers from China and the US. The art was created by six Chinese and six American artists for this project. Viewers are encouraged to contribute their own poems in response to the artwork on display. All images and poems will be exhibited at the FALA Art Center in Redmond in partnership with Ryan James Fine Arts. On view through Oct. 30, 2016 with a poetry reading & closing reception on Oct. 30 from 6 – 8 p.m. 7325 – 166 Ave. NE #F115 98052 in Redmond Town Center. Presented by Chiang Chiang-kuo Foundation, the Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas, Pacific Lutheran University, ryan james fine arts and VALA Art Center. Sponsors are 4 Culture and Marriott Seattle Redmond. Go to ekphrasticassimilations.org for complete details.
The Design Lecture Series presents a talk by Kenya Hara on Oct. 28, 2016 at 7 p.m. Hara is a Japanese designer, curator, author, educator and renowned design thinker. At Seattle Public Library’s Central Branch downtown. Go to www.designlectur.es for information.
Tacoma-based Cambodian American artist Silong Chhun runs the Red Scarf Revolution, a clothing line that gives voice to the once silent art, culture and legacy of Cambodia. He was nominated for the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation’s “Foundation Art Award.” His work can be seen in the “Foundation Of Art Award Exhibit” on view from Oct. 1 – 31, 2016 at Spaceworks Gallery at 950 Pacific Ave., Suite 205 (Entrance on 11th St.) in Tacoma, WA. To learn more about all the artists who were nominated for their outstanding achievements in the Tacoma community, go to www.gtcf.org/art.
Seattle artist Louie Gong is the cover story for the October 2016 City Arts magazine. The story details his mixed-race identity and his push for Native Americans to take back their heritage in the selling of their cultural property. He has opened 8th Generation in Pike Place Market, a store owned by Native Americans that sells products by Native Americans. Gong is represented by ArtXchange Gallery in Pioneer Square.
There is a foreboding tension apparent in Elizabeth Jameson’s drawings, paintings and constructions of garments and gowns empty of human occupancy that pulls the viewer in with an edgy anticipation of the unknown. Her unique work is included in a group show entitled “Frocks & Vestments” which looks at the way artists create through the form of frocks, costumes and vestments on view from Oct. 12 – Nov. 3. Opening reception on Oct. 13, 2016 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. SAM Gallery located inside Seattle Art Museum downtown at 1300 First Ave. 206-343-1101. Go to seattleartmuseum.org for details.
Back in 1966 artists Robert Rauschenberg and Billy Kluver came up with an event in New York entitled “9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering.” They put together 10 artists from various disciplines and matched them with 30 engineers from Bell Labs. That event brought forth video projections, Doppler sonar and infrared cameras utilized in performance. Now art & ideas producer, John Boylan hopes to create some more startling results locally by combining the creativity energy of local artists and Seattle technology wizards in a project he titles “9e2.” A rooster of over 50 artists and just as many scientists of various disciplines – including artists like Romson Bustillo, Tamiko Thiel, Midori Thiel and Butoh dancer Kaoru Okumura and on the science side, people like Siddharth Ramakrishnan, Ranjit Bhatnagar and Neel Joshi will join this creative collaboration set for Oct. 21 – 29 at King St. Station downtown. Go to 9e2seattle.org for details.
“We Are a Crowd of Others” is an installation by Gail Grinnell, Samuel Wildman and Eric Johnson on view through November, 2016. Besides the installation, there will be a series of performances, readings, and projects nestled in the site specific space. This will be a forum for people to engage with this reality: A person’s identity often exceeds the limitations of their body, manifesting in words and actions. Poet Jane Wong addresses “The Poetics of Haunting” on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. “Sonic Decoy/Rising Tone” is an all-day program led by Emory Liu & special guests. Mad Art Studio at 325 Westlake Ave. N. #101. Go to http://crowdofothers.com for details.
“Twisted Impressions” is a group show of aberrant and macabre fine prints from contemporary artists which includes the work of Toshihiko Ikeda, Sohee Kim and Tomiyuki Sakuta. Through October, 2016. Davidson Galleries at 313 Occidental Ave. S. in Pioneer Square. 206-624-7684.
The Henry Art Gallery located on the campus of the University of Washington joins MOTHRA and Chris E. Vargas in presenting the group show “TRANS HISTORY in 99 Objects” through June 4, 2017. This show gathers archival materials and works by contemporary artists that narrate an expansive and critical history of transgender communities. Related activities include the following – On Thurs., Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Henry Auditorium, there will be a panel discussion on “Local Transgender Narratives and Collective Identities.” Free. Vargas moderates a panel with Aleksa Manila, Luzviminda Uzuri Carpenter, Calvin Gimpelvich and Marsha Botzer.
A related activity is the screening of “Third Antenna: A Documentary About the Radical Nature of Drag” screening on Thurs., Oct. 20 at 9:30 p.m. at the Egyptian Theater as part of the Twist Film Fest. Go to www.twistfilmfest.org for details. At the gallery, there will be a Project 42 performance on Nov. 13 at 12:30 p.m. with Seattle dancer/choreographer Anna Lizette Connor that memorializes transgender lives cut short by murder.
“To:Seattle/Subject: Personal” is a group show of significant works of contemporary art acquired by The Board of Trustees between 2009 and 2016 during the directorship of Jo-Anne Birnie-Danzke who curated the exhibition. It emphasizes the inclusion of work into the collection of local artists in the community. Includes work by DK Pan, Degenerate Art Ensemble, Liu Ping, Pan Gongkai and Susie J. Lee. “Seeing Art: A Multidisciplinary Critical Discourse on Twenty-First Century Art Practice” is a series of discussions on some of the issues brought up in the exhibition on a global, national and local level and the efforts on art practice. Sat., Oct. 15 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 19 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 10 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. 704 Terry Ave. 206-622-9250.
Winston Wachter Fine Art Seattle presents a solo exhibition by painter Miya Ando entitled “Tasogare/Twilight” (The time of day when sunlight, moonlight and starlight work together to transform the sky). In homage to her Japanese heritage of sword making and Buddhism, the artist creates landscapes on metal using dye, urethane and resin. On view through Oct. 29, 2016. 203 Dexter Ave. N. in Seattle. 206-652-5855 or go to www.winstonwachter.com.
New work by Aaliyah Gupta comments on “geopolitical events occurring across the globe” using a variety of media. Sept. 28 – Oct. 29, 2016. CORE Gallery at 117 Prefontaine Place S. in Seattle. 206-467-4444 or go to coregallery.org.
The work of Akio Takamori is included in the group show “Neddy Artist Awards – 20 Years” which includes past winners and this year’s finalists. On view through Oct. 23, 2016. At Pivot Art + Culture at 609 Westlake Ave. N. in Seattle. Free and open to the public. Info. at www.cornish.edu/needy_artist_awards
The art collective known as SOIL has the following group shows. Satpreet Kahlon is included in “Intimately Unseen” which explores the practice of seeking space for growth, with installations, drawings, paintings and prints. Up until Oct. 1, 2016. The group show “From Domesticity” features work by Tony Kim and opens Nov. 3 and remains on view until Dec. 31, 2016. Megumi Shauna Arai has work in a large group show curated by Serrah Russell and Rafael Soldi on view from Nov. 3 – Nov. 26, 2016. 112 Third Ave. S. 206-264-8061 or go to soilart.org.
The work of artists Ron Ho, Cheryll Leo-Gwin, Taiji Miyasaka & David Drake and Midori Saito is included in the BAM Biennial 2016 entitled “Metal Morphosis” on view through Feb. 5, 2017. The Northwest Designer Craftsmen also present a “Workshop with Ron Ho” on the weekend of Nov. 5 & 6 from 10am – 4pm. $175 for members and $200 for non-members.510 Bellevue Way NE. 425-519-0770 or go to bellevuearts.org for details.
“INK PLAY: Celebrating the World of Sumi” is a group show presenting the work of the Puget sound Sumi Artists (PSSA) at Hanforth Gallery located in Tacoma’s Public Library. On view from Oct. 4 – Nov. 12. A reception takes place on Sat., Oct. 8 from 1 – 4pm with free art demonstrations. 1102 Tacoma Ave. S. in Tacoma. Go to www.tacomapubliclibrary.org for details.
La Connor Quilt & Textile Museum has two shows entitled “Beauty of Japan” and “Images of Japan” by Sachiko Yoshida and her students on view through Oct. 2, 2016. 703 South Second St. La Connor, WA. 360-466-4288. Hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tues. – Sun.
“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 in Pioneer Square specializes in photography and art. They represent such artists as Saya Moriyasu, Diem Chua, Elizabeth Jameson and Thuy-Van Wu. Beginning in November, they will move to the lower Queen Anne neighborhood in the same building as On The Boards. Their new address will be 104 W. Roy St. The first new exhibit in the new space will be “Winter Gymnastics”, a group exhibit of gallery artists set for Nov. 16 – Dec. 30, 2016.
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.
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. 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.
Kobo at Higo hosts the group show “Varia: Seattle Metals Guild Jewelry Exhibition” through the month of October. Opening Nov. 12 and remaining on view until Dec. 30, 2016 is their always popular annual “Simple Cup Invitational Show.” Go down early and sign up if you want to have a chance to purchase a cup. 604 S. Jackson St. in Seattle. 206-381-3000 or go to koboseattle.com.
ZINC Contemporary presents “The Fish Jumped Laughing Into A Net”, a show of works on paper by Chelsea Ryoko Wong from Oct. 6 – Oct. 31. 119 Prefontaine Pl. S. in Seattle. Go to zinccontemporary.com for details.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery in Bellevue has the following. “Geometric Abstracts from Beijing” is the title of a show of works by Chinese artist Chen Jin opening on Oct. 12 and closing Nov. 5, 2016. Opening Nov. 9 and closing Dec. 10, 2016 are works on silk by Keiichi Nakamura. 800 Bellevue Way NE #111. 425-827-2822 or go to gunnarnordstrom.com for details.
Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma currently has a group show by the Washington Overseas Chinese Artists Association through Oct. 28. As part of Tacoma Art Month in October, they also feature two workshops on Oct. 1 including “Taste of Asia” & “Tea Experience”/Vietnam. 4851 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma. 253-383-3900.
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.
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. Their present show entitled “Bending Nature: Four Bamboo Artists In The Garden” on view until Oct. 16, 2016 features the work of Jiro Yonezawa, Shigeo Kawashima, Charissa Brock and Anne Crumpacker. Go to www.japanesegarden.com for full details.
The A6 Studio & Gallery’s major exhibit for 2016 is entitled “Opening Japan: Three Centuries of Japanese Prints” which features more than two dozen Japanese woodblock prints covers a wide range of topics and artists from the 17, 18th and 19th century. Activities connected to the show include the following. Art historian Ann Wetherwell of Willamette University discusses the pop culture aspect of ukiyo-e prints at Central Oregon Community College on Oct. 11. Art historian Lorna Cahall traces the influence of Japanese prints on the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists on Nov. 1 at the Bend Downtown Library. Portland State University’s theater department provides an introduction to kabuki thatre and perfroms select scenes from “The 47 Loyal Samurai” at Tower Theatre on Nov. 13. Printmaker and OSU faculty member Yuji Hiratsuka visits the gallery with an art talk and a pop-up exhibit of his own prints on Sept. 11. Midwestern artist Mary Brodbeck visits the gallery on Oct. 14 to give a talk and teaches a weekend workshop in traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking Oct. 15 – 16. On view through Nov. 20, 2016. A6 is a non-profit studio and gallery in Bend, Oregon centered on printmaking and boo arts. Go to www.atelier6000.org/japanese-art for complete details.
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has the following upcoming shows. “Millennia – Astonishing Asian Art Throughout the Ages” is a new group show that showcases one of the best collections of Asian art in Canada taken from the gallery collection and remains on view through March 31, 2017. “China’s Favourite Pottery for Tea, Yixing Ware” through Oct. 18, 2016. “Kinky: Ancient Chinese and Japanese Erotic Images” through Oct. 16. 1040 Moss St. in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Call 1-250-384-4171.
The Audain Art Museum in Whistler, Canada has “From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru” which showcases the kimono and personal objects of one of Japan’s most famous geisha. Opens Oct. 22 and remains on view through Jan. 9, 2017. 4350 Blackcomb Way. 604-962-0413 or go to audainartmuseum.org.
Steveston is one of the earliest Japanese settlements in British Columbia. Sculptor Judy Nakagawa remembers her hometown and her mother in “Steveston Beginning: Remembering My Mother”. A show of abstract sculptures at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site in the Murakami Boatworks Building at 5180 Westwater Dr. in Richmond, BC, Canada. Opening reception is Oct. 8 from 1 – 3 p.m.
“hyung-nae-ne-gi” is a show based on a Korean word that has no direct English translation but is interesting enough for Khan Lee to come up with sculptures to capture its elusive meanings. Republic Gallery in Vancouver, BC, Canada through Oct. 22. 732 Richards St. 3rd floor. 604-632-1590 or go to republicgallery.com.
“Splashes of Color: Chinese Woodblock Prints from the You Wei Du Zhai Collection” is on view through Oct. 9, 2016. A tattered folded painting of five Buddhas found in an old chest in a Korean antique shop by an American collector has become a rare re-found treasure. When Robert Mattielli bought the painting for ten dollars and brought it back with him to Portland. And when he bequeathed it to Portland Art Museum. He had no idea of its origins. Visiting scholars from the Korean National Research Institute for Cultural Heritage verified it had been stolen from the famous zen temple, Songgwangsa. Now, before it is returned, visitors to the museum can see this special painting accompanied by a special informative symposium which takes place on Dec. 3, 2016 from 1 – 4pm. 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” 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. Opening Sat., August 20 is “Stars Above: Wrapped in Lullabies”. Opening March 3 from 6 – 8 p.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. Principal Architect Rick Sundberg talks about his experience transforming the mixed-sue East Kong Yick Building into the new permanent home of the Wing Like Museum in a lecture entitled “The East Kong Yick Architecture Transformation” set for Oct. 15 at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 3 from 6 – 8 p.m. is the opening reception for a new show entitled “We Are the Ocean: An Indigenous Response to Climate Change.” Free. Another exhibition opening member reception takes placr on Thurs., Dec. 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. for “Who’s Got Game? Asian Pacific Americans in Sports” set for Dec. 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. This event includes speakers, games and refreshments. RSVP online. 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. A new installment of the Bruce Lee exhibit entitled “Day in the Life of Bruce Lee: So You Know Bruce? opened on Sat., Oct. 1, 2016. The new installment 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. FAMILY FUN DAY takes place on Sat. Nov. 19 from 10am – 5pm. Free admission all day with family fun activities like story time, face painting and special appearances by local heroes. Toddler Story Time has the following events which are all free. Thurs., Oct. 6 from 11am – 12pm, hear the story of Mali who escapes from Laos with her family in “Mali Under the Night Sky: A Lao Story of Home.” Thurs., Nov. 3 at 11am hear the story of a child and her grandpa in “Joone.” Thurs., Dec. 1 at 11am, hear the story of a bear looking for a new home in “Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats” with a fun art activity to follow. The Wing wishes happy holidays to its members with a Dec. 3 “Holiday Member Appreciation Day: Asian American Santa” which takes place from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the member lounge. Bring your kids and enjoy special discounts in the Marketplace. Every gift membership purchased includes a limited edition Year of the Rooster glass. On Sat., Dec. 10 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., join fashion designer Malia Peoples for a sewing workshop in which you can make your very own Kinchaku (Japanese drawstring pouch). Great for kids ages 8+ accompanied by an adult. Free if you bring your own fabric. If not, $5 for materials. (Does not include access to the Museum galleries). “SHOP-O-RAMA” is when you get the best deals at the msuem gift store. Every Sat., from Nov. 19 – Dec. 17, enjoy discounts and local artist pop-up shops. Visit wingluke.org/shop for details.The Museum is located at 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 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Third Saturday of each month is free from 10 a.m. – 8 p.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.
Original sumi paintings and prints by Japanese modern master Toko Shinoda now in her 90’s and still working will be shown locally at Azuma Gallery. The show opens Nov. 3 and remains on view until Nov. 30, 2016. 530 First Ave. S. in Seattle. 206-622-5599 or go to azumagallery.com.
The work of Long Gao is included in a group show ending Oct. 29, 2016 at Jeffrey Moose Gallery. 1333 Fifth Ave. in Rainier Square downtown. 206-467-6951 or go to jeffreymoosegallery.com.
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. 206-770-270
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. Comes from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C. where it will be exhibited Feb. 23 – May 14, 2017. Other dates for this touring exhibit TBA.
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. 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 works of Patti Warashina and her late husband Robert Sperry and Lead Pencil Studio (Annie Han & Daniel Mihalyo) are included in a unique group show curated by Vicki Halper entitled “Matched Makers-Northwest Artist Couples” on view through Jan. 1, 2017. Museum of Northwest Art at 121 South First St. in La Connor, WA.
Seattle artist Carina del Rosario brought her “Passport Office” art installation to Burien’s Arts Aglow Festival on September 10, 2016. “Every time I have to fill out a form, I bristle at the boxes I have to squeeze myself into. I know a lot of people who feel that way too.” Instead the artist creates new passports that lets people fill out with what they want to say about themselves and the meaningful things in their lives. The artist wants to provoke deeper questions like “why do we have categories like race, gender and immigration status anyway?” A portion of this series will be featured in the exhibition “Liberty Denied” at the Museum of Culture and the Environment” in Ellensburg Spet. 21 – Dec. 10, 2016. For details, go to carina@cadelrosario.com.
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. Coming up is a meeting on Sat., Oct. 15, 2016 at Seattle Asian Art Museum at 1400 E. Prospect St. in Volunteer Park.
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.
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 through 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.
“Cosmic Leaves” is a show of new work by veteran Portland sculptor/artist Kanetaka Ikeda. Imagine larger than life-size white leaves filled with sections of patterned color fluttering down out of the sky and you might start to get an idea. Show runs Oct. 4 – 29 with a Wed. preview and artist talk on Oct. 5 from 6:30 – 7:30pm and a First Thursday opening on Oct. 6 from 6 – 9pm. Blackfish Gallery at 420 Ninth Ave. in Portland. 503-224-2634 or go to www.blackfish.com.
Artist Ayumi Takahashi is in a duo show with Ryan Bubnis on view through Oct. 7. Her work has mysterious figures staring out of a composition of bright palettes and playful patterns. At the Stephanie Chefas Project at 305 SE 3rd Ave. #202 in Portland, Oregon. Open wed. – Sat. from 1 – 6pm. Info@stephaniechefas.com.
“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 through 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. If you missed the “Juxtapoz x Superflat” group exhibition curated by Takashi Murakami and Evan Pricco, Editor of Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine that showed for a few days at Pivot Art + Culture during the Seattle Art Fair, you now have a second chance. It will be on view Nov. 5 until Feb. 5, 2017 here in Vancouver. The emphasis is on art outside the mainstream dipping into subcultures of contemporary design, anime and manga. Includes work by Chiho Aoshima, Toilet Paper Magazine, Kim Jung Gi, Lucy Sparrow, Takashi Murakami and many others. Vancouver Art Gallery is at 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver BC, Canada. 604-662-4722 or go to www.vanartgallery.bc.ca.
“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 first Honolulu Biennial looks at Hawai’i not as a remote outpost but more like the crossroads of the Pacific Rim showcasing work from Japan, the Pacific Islands, Maoris and local talent. Opens March 8, 2017 and on view until May 8, 2017 at various venues. To get the whole schedule, go to honolulubiennial.org.
The Denver Art Museum has the following shows. “Shock Wave: Japanese Fashion Design, 1980s—90’s” gives you a look at 70 works by avant-garde designers such as Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, Kenzo Takada, Junya Watanabe, Kansai Yamamoto and Yohji Yamamoto. On view now through May 28, 2017. “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.
“Japanese Photography From Postwar To Now” features over 400 recently acquired images from the 1960’s to the 1990’s with work by Daido Moriyama, Shomei Tomatsu and Miyako Ishiuchi. Opens Oct. 15 and remains on view through March 12, 2017. San Francisco Museum of Modern art. Go to sfmoma.org for details.
The Asian Art Museum, San Francisco at 200 Larkin St. 415-581-3500. In recent news, the museum is planning a massive expansion and renovation underwritten by donations from board members which include the wife of the original founder of Yahoo! and the President of Dreyer’s Ice Cream. Thai-born Kulapat Yantrasast’s wHY architectural firm of Los Angeles will oversee the project which begins in 2017. In an effort to step up its contemporary art programming, the museum recently hired curator Karin G. Oen from Dallas where she worked as curator at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. The museum better known for historical exhibitions in the past is adding more contemporary shows as well. “28 Chinese” is a group show opening this summer with Xu Zhen, Zhang Huang and Ai We Wei organized by Miami collectors Mera and Don Rubell. The museum’s recent acquisitions of new art will debut in the fall with a group show entitled “First Look: Collecting Contemporary at the Asian” with work by Ahmed Mater, RongRong & Inri, Zhu Jinshi, Okura Jiro, Lu Shoukun and C. C. Wang.
“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 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.
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.
Yuki Kimura’s photographs are like staged domestic environments with his own shots and those taken from other sources juxtapoxed with furniture, potted plants and various objects. This marks Kimura’s fist solo show in the US. Opens Dec. 8, 2016 and remains oon view through Feb. 25, 2017. CCA Wattis Institute in San Francisco. 360 Kansas St. 415-355-9670.
The Japanese American National Museum has the following shows –“Tatau: Marks of Polynesia” on view until Jan. 8, 2017 showcases the art and legacy of the over 2,000 year old Samoan tattoo tradition. Opening March 12, 2007 and remaining on view until August 20, 2017 will be “New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei” which looks at the life and career of Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu. 100 North Central Ave. in Los Angeles. 1-800-461-5266 or go to janm.org.
Currently on view through Dec. 4, 2016 is “Alternative Dreams: 17th Century Chinese Paintings From the Tsao Family Collection” which showcases works by many of the most famous painters of this period, including scholars, officials, and Buddhist monks. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6010.
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 through January 8, 2017. 725 Park Ave. New York City, New York. 212-327-9721 or go to www.asiasociety.org.
Alfonso Ossorio was one of the first contemporary Filipino American artists and lived on Long island near Jackson Pollock, a friend and contemporary. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery represents his estate. They have a show entitled Alfonso Ossorio- Congregations: The First Decade 1959 – 1969” now on view through Oct. 29, 2016. 100 Eleventh Ave. in New York City. Go to michaelrosenfeld.com for details.
The Japanese minimalist sculptor Kishio Suga gets his first US museum exhibition at DIA in Chelsea in New York City. Nov. 5 – April 2, 2017. Go to diaart.org for details.
Opening in the Spring of 2017 will be the Whitney Biennial which was started in 1932 and is still considered one of the pre-eminent biennials in the country. This 2017 edition is co-curated by Asian Americans, Christopher Y. Lew and Mia Locks. 99 Gansevoort St. in New York City. Go to www.whitney.org.
Drawings, paintings and photos illustrate the great architectural sites and buildings of Tibet in the exhibition entitled “Monumental Lhasa: Fortress, Palace, Temple” on view now through Jan. 9, 2017 at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Go to rubinmuseum.org for details.
“Isamu Noguchi – Archaic/Modern” explores how pyramids, burial mounds, temples and the gardens of the ancient world shaped one of America’s most innovative sculptors. Nov. 11, 2016 – March 19, 2017. Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. Free and open daily. 8th and G Streets NW. Go to AmericanArt.si.edu for details.
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. 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. “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 – A show by Yan Xing through Oct. 16, 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 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.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art will open their new South Asian Galleries starting Oct. 2, 2016. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Go to www.philamuseum.org for details.
Cleveland Museum of Art has a show entitled “Art And Stories From Mughal India” through Oct. 23, 2016. See over 100 detailed paintings and decorative objects on loan from museums across the country. 11150 East Blvd. 216-421-7350 or go to www.clevelandart.org.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has the following. “Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Metropolitan Collection” through Oct. 11, 2016. 1000 Fifth Ave. Go to metmuseum.org for details.
“Bingata! Only in Okinawa” is an exhibit on the textile art of that country that opens Nov. 5, 2016 and remains on view through Jan. 30, 2017 at George Washington University Museum’s Textile Museum in Washington D.C. Okinawa was an independent kingdom until 1879, with its own language, culture and distinctive textile traditions. This exhibition has textile treasures from Okinawan museum collections with brightly colored bingata traditional resist-dyed fabrics and contemporary works by Okinawan artists and fashion designers. Organized in partnership with the Okinawa Prefectural Government. 701-21st St. NW. Call 202-994-5200 or go to museuminfo@gwu.edu.
“Winter in Jeju-Do” is on view through Dec. 16, 2016. Photographer Caroline Philippone’s attempt to document this Korean island’s mountains, coastal towns and temples in winter. This island is located in the southernmost area of South Korea. Miami University Art Museum’s Douglass Gallery at 801 S. Patterson Ave. in Oxford, Ohio. Go to miamioh.edu/artmuseum for details.
Another large exhibit in Seoul 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.
The National Arts Council chose multidisciplinary artist Zai Kuning to represent Singapore at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
If current shows in Japan are any indicator, that country is in a navel-gazing mood with shows that look back to the past to evaluate the future.”1945+5: War and Reconstruction – How artists Faced the Turbulent Period” is on view through Oct. 10, 2016. The show looks at the oil painting tradition in the years before and after WWII and how it affected Japanese artists. At the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art at 1-1 Hijiyama Koen, Minami-ku in Hiroshima. In 1946 as Japan was reeling from WWII, the first Japanese woman manga artist – cartoonist Machiko Hasegawa gave the nation some light relief with her hit manga entitled “Sazae-san.” This exhibition entitled “The 70t