April 2, 2018—Arts Etc.

Visual Arts

The work of Yukio Iraha, Maggie Jiang and Miya Sukune are included in a juried group show with others  now on view through April 6, 2018. Hours are M – F from 9am – 9pm and Sat., from 9am – 2pm. Phinney Center Gallery. 6532 Phinney Ave. N. 206-783-2244 or go to phinneycenter.org.

To celebrate Women’s History Month this event highlights the work done by female photographers using Leica Lens in a group show entitled “#PhotographForProgress – A Journey Through The Female Perspective.” The work of Sarah Lee, Sofia Lee, Anna Indalecio, Liz Loh-Taylor, Satomi Sugiyama and many others is included. On view through  April 17, 2018 at the Leica Store in Bellevue. 221 Bellevue Square.

“Etsuko Ichikawa Vitrified” is the title of this new show by this Seattle artist. Since 2011, driven by the devastation caused by the nuclear incident at Fukushima, Ichikawa has explored the various impacts of human existence on our environment. In “Vitrified”, she uses photography, film, glass, sculptures and works on paper to express the fluidity of our life sustaining elements, and the urgency to protect them. Through April 25, 2018. Film screening of performance by the artist shot in the rain forest and coastline of the Olympia Peninsula followed by a Q & A on April 13. Doors open at 6pm and screening at 6:30pm. Refreshments include popcorn and whisky. Winston Wachter Gallery at 203 Dexter Ave. N. in Seattle. Hours Mon. – Sat. from 10am – 5pm. 206-652-5855 or try [email protected].

Louise Kikuchi has work in a group show entitled “I Am Nature” with Laura Thorne, Joshua Thompson and Jenny Vorwaller. Show runs through April 28, 2018. At Plasteel Frames &  Gallery at 3300 1^st Ave. S. #400 in Seattle. Go to www.plasteelframes.com for details.

Seattle-based artist Ko Kirk Yamahira deconstructs his paintings by painstakingly removing individual threads from the weave of the canvas, turning surface into form. Recent work offers a meditation on identity, duality and the relativity of perception. An exhibition of his work is at the Frye Art Museum On view through June 3, 2018. Curator Amanda Donnan gives a free talk and tour of the exhibition on May 20 at 2pm. 704 Terry Ave. 206-622-9250.

“Akio Takamori: Portraits and Sleepers”. Noted ceramic artist Akio Takamori did a Visiting Artist Residency at the Museum of Glass in August of 2014. During that time he created new work inspired by head-shaped Roman glass flasks. Each piece is embellished with enamel paints, creating a pictorial surface which plays with the transparency and opacity of the glass. In celebration of his extraordinary life and continually innovative career, the Museum presents a selective display which includes examples from his residency. 1801 Dock St. in Tacoma. 253-284-4750 or go to museumofglass.org.  On view through May, 2018 .

Interdisiplinary artist Mytrna Keliher presents “On Edge”, an installation of Broken Broadsides (fragmented poetry prints) alongside abstract paintings influenced by the prints and other texts. On view  at Core Gallery April 4 – 28. Opening reception is April 5 from 6 – 9pm. Jane Wong and Shin Yu Pai have poems in the series. Many of the featured poets will read at the gallery on April 25 at an event starting at 7pm. 117 Prefontaine Place S. Hours are Wed. – Sat. from 12 – 6pm. 206-467-4444 or email [email protected].

“My Shadow Is A Word Writing Itself Across Time” by Gazelle Samizay is a video installation using poetry and sweeping landscape imagery. The artist draws connections between her experience as a Muslim American from Afghanistan and the wrongfully imprisoned Japanese Americans during WWII. On view  now at 4 Culture’s E4C Media Screens in rotation with other videos. 101 Prefontaine Place South. 206-296-7580.

“The Time. The Place. Contemporary Art from the Collection” is the title of a museum-wide show of artworks that have entered the Henry Art Gallery’s contemporary collection during the last two decades. More than half the work here is being shown for the first time. Upper level galleries remain up until April 22. Alex Kang uses technology to explore the heartbreak of losing information in translation. His work is part of the “2018 University of Washington MFA+MDes Thesis Exhibition”, a group show of graduating art students set for May 24 – June 24, 2018. On the Seattle UW  campus in the University District.  206-543-2280 or email [email protected].

Seattle Art Museum has the following – “Talents and Beauties: Art of Women in Japan” through July 15, 2018. “Pure Amusements: Chinese Scholar Culture and Emulators”, an installation of Chinese works ranging from prints to sculpture and furnishings to ceramics. The focus is on objects created for, and enjoyed during the intentional practice of leisure. Ongoing. “Pacific Currents” & “Billabong Dreams” are two adjacent installations that feature the theme of water from New Guinea to Puget Sound through Oct. 21, 2018. “Walkabout:The Art of Dorothy Napangardi” opens May 5, 2018 and is ongoing. Third Floor Galleries. This Aboriginal artist was born in the Tanami Desert of Australia. Her work is a spiritual map of walking with her family across ancestral land. “Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India” opens Oct. 18, 2018 and remains on view through Jan. 21, 2019. 1300 First Ave.  206-654-3210  or try www.seattleartmuseum.org.

Seattle Art Museum presents a new series for SAM members entitled “Conversations With Curators” through June 2018. All lectures start at 7pm in the Auditorium with a Happy Hour starting at 6:30pm. Some highlights – June 20 brings Foong Ping, Curator of Chinese Art together with Xiaojin Wu, Curator of Japanese and Korean Art talking about “Transforming An Icon: Behind-The-Scenes At The Seattle Asian Art Museum.” You can buy tickets online at visitsam.org/conversations or call 206-654-3210 or stop by the Ticketing Desk at SAM.

As part of SAM & Gardner Center’s “Saturday University” & “Asia Talks” programs, check out the following. UW Professor Stevan Harrell talks about “Textiles of Southwest China” on April 7 at 10am at Seattle Art Museum. “Supporting Textile Artists of Asia” takes place on April 12 at 7pm at Rainer Arts Center. A panel discussion on collecting practices  and social business models that can sustain textile arts and artists. On April 14, at 10am, Susan Rodgers from the College of the Holy Cross will talk about “Textiles from Indonesia & Malaysia”  at Seattle Art Museum. April 17 will address “Islamic Architecture of Deccan India” at 7pm at Seattle Art Museum with architectural historian George Mitchell. April 26 will feature the topic of “The Social Life of Ink  Stones” with historian Dorothy Ko at Seattle Art Museum at 7pm.  On April 28, Rachel Silberstein of the University of Washington will talk about “19^th Century Chinese Fashion” at 10am at Seattle Art Museum. On May 9 at 7pm at Bellevue City Hall, Minh-Ha T. Pham of Pratt Institute will address the topic of “Race and Plagiarism on the Runway”. Pham returns on May 12 to Seattle Art Museum at 10am where she will talk about “From Factory to Fashion Blogs.   April 21 brings “A Living Treasure of Japan’s Textile Arts” which has Shoji Yamamura giving a talk at 10am at SAM and two textile workshops. Yamamura is an innovator in Japanese ikat known as Kurume Kasuri. The first workshop is on April 21 from 2 – 4pm at SAM. The last one takes place on April 22 from 11am – 4pm at SAM. 1300 First Ave. To register for tickets call 206-654-3210 or go to visitsam.org/tickets. If you have questions, try visitsam.org/customerservice. Go to seattleartmuseum.org for details.

“Akio Takamori: Paintings and Sculpture” is on view from May 3 – June 30, 2018 and pairs his drawings with related ceramic work in sculpture. James Harris Gallery. 604 – 2^nd Ave. in Seattle. 206-903-6220 or try [email protected].

Mixed media artists Cathy Woo and Jacqui Beck show together May 1 – June 2, 2018 at Michael Birawer Gallery. 1003 First Ave. in Pioneer Square. 206-624-7773.

STG presents “Re:definition-Celebrating 90 Years of Community, Culture and Space”, a group show in the lobby of the bar in the Paramount Theatre guest curated by Jean Alonzo Rodriguez, Tracy Rector and Tariqa Waters to help celebrate that cultural institution’s 90^th birthday. Included is work by Junko Yamamoto, Kenji Hamai Stoll and others. 911 Pine in downtown Seattle. 206-682-1919.

Traver Gallery has a show for Jiro Yonezawa who crafts sculpture out of woven metal, thread, and bamboo that keeping the folk craft tradition contemporary. May 3 – June 2, 2018. Jun Kaneko is one of main figures in the contemporary ceramics movement. Based in Nebraska, the Japanese artist is known for his massive outdoor sculptures of ceramic heads. June 7 – 30,  2018. 110 Union St. #200 in Seattle. 206-587-6501 or go to travergallery.com.

Leena Joshi is part of a group of artists that will create works that citizens will be able to experience throughout the city of Seattle in an on-going series entitled “a lone” on view from May 3 – 31, 2018. Go to the Mount Analogue website to see a map of locations.

The work of Cathy Nakamura is included in a group show entitled “Vibrant Colors of Spring” on view through April 7, 2018 at Vermillion on Capitol Hill. 1508 – 11^th Ave. 206-709-9797.

Pacific Bonsai Musuem shakes up this Japanese tradition with LAB (Living Art of Bonsai), an experimental collaborative for bonsai innovation This project is a re-sequencing in the order of influence between the bonsai artist, ceramicist and stand maker. The project kicks off in 2018 and continues through 2020. A video trailer from a film about this new process can be viewed at http://www.bonsaimirai.com. For more information, go to http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

Kent Arts Commission has announced completion and installation of vinyl art wraps on five traffic signal control boxes in Kent. The five artists commissioned to design artwork included Naoko Morisawa, Vikram Madan, Jean Bradbury, Jill Erickson and Fin’es Scott. Go to kentwa.gov for details.

Asian Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma presents  a show of artwork by Darishma Alphonse of Olympia. The work focuses on spiritual aspects of the mind. On view  through April with an opening reception on April 6 from 4 – 5pm. 4851 South Tacoma Way. 253-383-3900.

Portland Art Museum has “Modern Japanese Prints from the Carol and Seymour Haber Collection” on view through June 17, 2018.

Portland Art Museum. 1219 S.W. Park Ave. 503-226-2811 or try [email protected].

Internationally known ceramic artist and former UW Professor Patti Warashina has a show of new work set for the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center April 13 – August 5, 2018. She will do a 2 day workshop May 12 – 13 and give a talk about her work on Sat., May 12 at 6pm. One East Main St. in Mesa, Arizona. 480-644-6560 or go to [email protected].

“Making Our Mark – Art By Pratt Teaching Artists” is a group show featuring the work of nearly 300 teaching artists who worked at that institution that emphasizes making art education accessible to everyone, for people of all ages, all skill levels, and all backgrounds. Included in this show is the work of  Romson Bustillo, Lisa Hasegawa, Ron Ho, Kamla Kakaria, Mark Takamichi Miller, Shunji Omura, Boyd Sugiki, Bang Sun, Taiko Suzuki, Seiko Tachbana, Heinrich Toh and Sang-Mi Yoo. On view through April 15, 2018. Bellevue Arts Museum.

510 Bellevue Way N.E. Closed Mon. & Tues. Regular hours are Wed. – Sun. 11am – 5pm. Free First Fridays from 11am – 8pm. 425-519-0770.

“Between and Within: A Tenous Beauty” is a group show that includes the work of Jiyoung Chung, Gilchun Koh and Alan Lau (full disclosure, that’s me) on view from April 5 – May 26. The work explores the changing climate of nature’s textures from the chaotic to serene, impacted by human development and the accelerating diminishment of natural resources.  There will be an opening reception on First Thursday, April 5 from 5 – 8pm and a Second Reception on First Thursday, May 3 from 5 – 8pm. As part of gallery program activities, Alan Lau will give a reading on Thursday, May 3 at 5:30pm. The reading will consist of writing inspired by art & artists and conclude with a tribute to jazz pianist/composer Thelonious Monk with a bassist Geoff Harper. Free. ArtXchange Gallery at 512 1^st Ave. S.  206-839-0377 or go to artxchange.org.

KOBO  at Higo at 604 South Jackson features many small arts & crafts/textile shows and activities inspired by Asia or work by Asian American artists. There is another branch of KOBO on Capitol Hill at 814 E. Roy St. 206-726-0704.

New and recent shows /activities at the Wing include the following – “A Dragon Lives Here”, part 4 of the ongoing Bruce Lee exhibition series has just opened.  This concluding part hones in on Bruce Lee’s Seattle roots and how this region played a key role in shaping Lee and his groundbreaking career. A reminder  that Bruce Lee tours reopen on March 10, 2018. “Visions of Pacifika: Light from Another World” on view now through Nov. 11 2018 looks at Pacific Islander artists who incorporate tradition while looking towards the future. “Costumed Spectacle: Cantonese Opera from the So Family Collection shows off the intricately embroidered costumes that belonged to a Cantonese opera singer who performed in Hong Kong and later in Seattle. Through July 1, 2018.  “What’s In Your Cup? – Community Brewed Culture” is a new exhibit honoring the beverages that have given life to communities – from farmers and families who nurture the raw materials to friends & kin who bond over shared drinks. Hear histories of commerce, colonization and survival. Share tales from a Japanese family who brewed sake from Fukushima to Seattle, the Seko’s who ran the beloved Bush Garden, Carmel Laurino who pioneered the value of Filipino coffee, Lydia Lin who cultivated  tea appreciation through her Seattle Best Tea and Koichi Kitazawa, a brew master at Starbucks. On view through  Sept. 16, 2018. 206-623-5124×127 or email [email protected] for details.   “Teardrops that Wound: The Absurdity of War” is a group show that looks at how art can deflate war’s destructive weight by exposing its absurdity. Contemporary Asian Pacific American artists pull back the curtain and invite visitors to examine war from another angle. Curated by SuJ’n Chon. Ends May 20, 2018.  “Year of Remembrance: Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner” with poems by Lawrence Matsuda and art by Roger Shimomura is a small but potently meaningful show now extended until April 23, 2018 . Toddler Story Time set for Thursdays at 11am always has events centered around a kid’s book and an art activity afterwards.   A new addition to The Wing’s daily Historic Hotel Tour is “APT 507” which is the story of Au Shee, one Chinese immigrant woman who helped build Seattle’s Chinatown. Her living room is interactive with objects meant to be felt, opened  and experienced.   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 10am – 8pm. Third Saturday of each month is free from 10am – 8pm.

Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park is now closed for what is projected to be a renovation and extension that will take several years.

“Bring the Mind Home” by Minh Carrico is his latest public art commission for Storefronts and Shunpike. Drawn from “The Tibetan Book of Living And Dying” by Sogyal Rinpoche, the public art piece can be found at the corner of Mercer and Terry Ave. N. in South Lake Union.

“Familiar Faces & New Voices: Surveying Northwest Art” opens May 13, 2017 and stays on view through the summer of 2019. This group show is a chronological walk through of Northwest art history, illustrated with the works of noted artists from each time period as well as lesser-known but just as important figures. Different works will be displayed throughout the run of this show. Includes the work of Patti Warashina, Roger Shimomura, Joseph Park, Alan Lau (full disclosure, that’s me)  and many othersTacoma Art Museum at 1701 Pacific Ave. 253-272-4258 or email [email protected] or go to www.TacomaArtMuseum.org.

Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center presents the following – “Oregon Nikkei: Reflections of an American Community – Japanese American Life in Oregon” is an ongoing exhibit.  Beginning this year, visitors can see artifacts of the collection up close as the stacks will be open to see as the staff does filing. Opening Feb. 25 and on view through April 8, 2018   a show entitled “Baseball and Bowling: Sports Memorabilia from Minidoka and Post WWII Portland”. April 12 – June 10, 2018 brings a show entitled “Arts and Crafts Made in the Japanese American Incarceration Camps”. June 14 – August 5, 2018 will be a show entitled “A Soldier’s Story: The Photo Album of Yukimori Okimoto Who Served During WWII with the 522^nd Field Artillery, Liberators of the Subcamps of Dachau.”July 14 – August 5, 2018 brings a show entitled “Oshu Nippo: Artifacts from Portland’s Japanese Language Newspaper – 1909 – 1951”. 121 NW Second Ave. in Portland.503-224-1458 or go to www.oregonnikkeir.org.

Portland Japanese Garden has some interesting shows planned for this year. “Shokunin: Five Kyoto Artisans Look to the Future” is on view from May 12 – July 8, 2018. Includes the work of Hosai Matsubayashi (Asahi-yaki ceramics), Shuji Nakagawa (woodworking), Keihou Nishimura (lacquer), Ogawa Choraku (Raku tea ceramics) and Chiemi Ogura (bamboo basketry). There will be an Artisan’s Tea Cermony on May 12 from 1 – 3pm and Artisan’s Demonstrations on May 12 from 3 – 4pm with two of the artisans in the show. Sept. 15 – Nov. 4, 2018 is a show entitled “Gion Matsuri: The World’s Oldest Urban Festival”. This 900 year old festival in Kyoto, featuring elaborately decorated floats from all provinces of Japan. A wall of video monitors shows the festival procession, Kyoto’s top photographers provide still images and festival musicians will visit to perfrom the unique festival music. “Manga Hokusai Manga” comes Dec. 1 – Jan. 14, 2019. This is the only venue in the U.S. in which viewers can see the world famous manga woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai displayed alongside work by top modern manga artists. 611 South Kingston Ave. 503-223-1321  or try japanesegarden.org.

“Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America” chronicles a history of American basketry from its origins in Native American, immigrant, and slave communities to its presence within the contemporary fine art world. On view through May 6, 2018.  Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building in Bellingham, WA. [email protected] or go to www.whatcommuseum.org.

Vancouver Art Gallery –  “Emptiness: Emily Carr and Lui Shou Kwan” pairs Emily Carr’s forest paintings and charcoal drawings with the founder of the New Art Movement in Hong Kong. Kwan’s early Hong Kong landscapes and zen paintings will be placed in dialogue with Carr’s Northwest landscapes. On view through  April 8, 2018. Also featured, an offsite installation by New Delhi-based artist Asim Waqif which combines architecture with a strong contextual reference. Look for the current retrospective on the work of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami at Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago  entitled “The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg” to make its West Coast debut through May 6, 2018 (advance tickets for this show at murakami.vanartgallery.bc.ca). On view through June 17, 2018 is “Bombhead”. This is a thematic exhibition by guest curator John O’Brian that explores the emergence and impact of the Nuclear Age as represented by artists and their art.  Brings together drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, photographs, film and video that deal with this often dark subject matter. Includes work by Robert Rauschenberg, Wang Du, Adolph Gottlieb, Roy Kiyooka, Nancy Spero, Ishiuchi Miyako, Andrea Pinheiro, David Hockney and many others. Vancouver Art Gallery is at 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver, BC Canada. 604-662-4719.

Vancouver’s Poly Culture Art Center presents a “Zisha Teapot Exhibition” through May 31, 2018. Tea wares from this area in China have been prized as tea vessels for centuries. #100-905 West Pender St. 604-564-5766 or try polyculture.us/.

Art Beatus in Vancouver, BC present “Ebb and Flow” by Tony Yin Tak Chu. This solo exhibition by the Vancouver-based artist was inspired by the Chinese pictogram for water.  Mixed media  paintings and an installation.  On view through  April 20, 2018. 108-808 Nelson St. in Vancouver, BC. 604-688-2633 or go to www.artbeatus.com. Closed weekends and holidays.

Nikkei National Museum presents “Beta Vulgaris: The Sugar Beet Project”. This exhibit by Kelty Miyoshi McKinnon with Keri Latimer explores the relationship between the material of sugar and Japanese Canadian history in Western Canada (especially, BC and Alberta). During WWII, the labor shortage and other factors resulted in the BC Securities Commission Council organizing “The Sugar Beet Projects”. As part of the internment, Japanese Canadian families were allowed to remain together only if they agreed to move to the prairies or Ontario to work the sugar beet fields. The Museum will be transformed into a Japanese dry garden, punctuated by sculptural boulders made of molten, burnt and sculpted sugar. A wooden boardwalk will cover this landscape resembling the furrows of sugar beet fields. The video images of labor will be projected over  sugared surfaces  There will be a Wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) making workshop on April 7 from 2 – 4pm. The exhibit ends May 27, 2018. Kayla Isomura’s “The Suitcase Project” opens in June and will be on  view through Sept. 2018.The museum  has numerous online exhibits as well as offsite exhibits. Check their website for details. The Nikkei National Museum is at 6688 Southoaks  Crescent in Burnaby. 604-777-7000 or go to nikkeiplace.org.

The “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads” series by Ai Weiwei is a reinterpretation of the twelve bronze animal heads representing the traditional Chinese zodiac that  once adorned the famed fountain-clock of the Old Summer Palace outside Beijing. On view in the North  Courtyard through June 24, 2018. “Long Nineteenth Century in Japanese Woodblock Prints” features more than fifty works from the collection of Dr. Lee and Mary Jean Michels. Through July 1, 2018. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon in Eugene. 1430 Johnson Lane. 541-346-3027.

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco has the following – “When Pictures Speak – The Written Word in Japanese Art” on view through August 19, 2018.   On going are two installations. In front of the museum is “Dragon Fortune” by Taiwanese artist Hung Yi which meshes together Taiwanese folk art, Japanese textile design and pop art kids cartoons. In the lobby is “Collected Letters” by Liu Jianhua, a cutting edge installation of porcelain letters and fragments of Chinese characters suspended in mid-air. 200 Larkin St. 415-581-3500.

“Antidotal” is a new installation by Bay Area artist Masako Takahashi on view through May 1, 2018  at the C.V. Starr East Asian Library on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley.  It is in two parts. Colorful wool pompoms will be suspended from the ceiling throughout the library with hopes that their confident colors and soft comforting textures will neutralize the toxic stresses of contemporary life. Also her “Hair Text” pieces which feature the artist’s own hair embroidered into silk in an enigmatic text will be found displayed in cases and along the walls of the first floor. Opening reception will be on March 24, 2018 from 3 – 5pm. 510-642-2556 or [email protected].

The De  Young Museum in Golden Gate Park has the following –  “The Maori Portraits: Gottfiried Lindaver’s New Zealand” is on view through April 1, 2018. Thirty-one compelling historic portraits of men and women of esteem and rank at a time of great political, cultural and social change and complex intercultural exchange. 50 Hagiwara  Tea Garden Dr. 415-750-3600.

The Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive has the following shows –  “Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Avant Dictee” through April 22, 2018. View artworks and ephemera from the Cha archive in dialogue with her most famous work, the late artist’s book entitled “Dictee”. “Cal Conversations: Dreaming the Lost Ming” remains on view through May 13, 201`8. This show was created in collaboration with a UC Berkeley Chinese art history class. Here you can see the cataclysmic end of the Ming dynasty as evidenced by paintings and literature of China’s 17^th century. “Buddhist Realms” is a collection of exquisite examples of Buddhist art from the Himalayan region. On view  through April 22, 2018. 2155 Center St. in Berkeley, CA. 510-642-0808 or go to [email protected].

LACMA or Los Angeles County  Museum of Art has a show on Chinese master brush painter Wu Bin entitled “Wu Bin: Ten Views of a Lingbi Stone” through June 24, 2018. Also on view is “Unexpected Light: Works by Young ll Ahn, a contemporary Korean artist through June 2018. 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6010.

The Broad has had a Yayoi Kusama infinity room entitled “The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” in their permanent collection for some time. Now they have added a second one entitled “Longing For Eternity” to their collection. Visitors can see it on view beginning March 17, 2018. For tickets, go to [email protected].

The Japanese American National Museum has the following show  –A few years ago, a controversy brewed when a collection of artworks and artifacts from Japanese American internment camps were about to go on the auction block. A group of Japanese American activists did not want to see pieces of their own cultural history to be sold piecemeal to private collectors. Luckily through their intervention, the collection was instead given to the Japanese American National Museum. The original collector of these items was Allen Eaton who was researching a book later published as “Beauty Behind Barbed Wire: The Arts of the Japanese in Our War Relocation Camps.” Many of these objects were given to

Eaton by detainees with the  expectation that they would be used for educational purposes. Now that wish is fulfilled. An exhibition entitled “Contested Histories: Art and Artifacts from the Allen Hendershott Collection” is now on view at the Hirasaki National Resource Center (located within the confines of JANM). It includes more than 450 paintings, photographs, sculptures, pieces of jewelry and other handmade objects. On view through  April 8, 2018 after which the exhibit will go on tour to other-as-yet-undisclosed locations. 100 N. Central Ave. in Los Angeles. 213-625-0414 or go to http://www.janm.org.

The USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena is one of the few U.S. institutions dedicated to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. It closed its 1924 building for more than a year for a seismic retrofit and a makeover of its galleries. The museum has now re-opened to the public with a new exhibition entitled “Winds from Fusang: Mexico and China in the Twentieth Century” which explores the influence of  visiting Mexican artists on the development of art in China. Through June 10, 2018. 46 N. Los Robles Ave. 626-449-2742 or email [email protected].

“Chiura Obata: An American Modern” is the first retrospective of this noted Bay area artist whose work reflected the glories of the American landscape from the Grand Canyon to Yosemite. His influence could also be felt at UC Berkeley where he had a distinguished teaching career. He also helped found art schools in internment camps during WWII. On view at the  Santa Barbara Museum of Art through April 29, 2018. Curated by ShiPu Wang with a catalogue. 805-893-2951. After Santa Barbara, the exhibition travels to the following sites. May 25 – Sept. 2, 2018 at Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City. Jan. 18 – March 10, 2019 at Okayama Prefecture Museum of Art in Okayama, Japan (the artist’s hometown), June 23 – Sept. 29, 2019 at Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA.

Artist Wendy Maruyama explores the impact of Executive Order 9066 that put West Coast American citizens of Japanese ancestry into internment camps during WWII with a powerful installation “E.O. 9066” that uses replicas of ID tags used by internees made into sculptural bundles. On view  through May 27, 2018 at Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, CA. 3425 Mission Inn Ave. 951-684-7111. Comes with a full program of activities and Mark Izu and Brenda Wong Aoki as artist-in-residence. Email [email protected] for full details.

“The Disasters of Peace: Social Discontent in the Manga of Tsuge Tadao and Katsumata Susumu” looks at how this art form in the late 20^th century explored the dark chapters of modern history and ethically complex social issues. Through April 15, 2018. Honolulu Museum  of Art at 900 Beretania. Go to honolulumuseum.org for details.

Denver Art Museum  has the following – “Eyes On” is a show of work by contemporary Chinese artist Xiaoze Xie now on view through July 8, 2018. The show is the first in a series of exhibitions featuring contemporary artists that the museum feels  should have fuller exposure in the region. Xie has had a lifelong passion for books. In this show he has created still-life paintings of books, videos and installations based on banned and forbidden books in China. In the Logan Gallery and FuseBox in the Hamilton Building’s fourth floor. 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway in Denver, CO. Call 720-865-5000 or go to www.denverartmuseum.org.

“Cloud Column” was installed outside the new Glassel School of Art in Houston, Texas in March of 2018. In the shape of a bean and made of stainless steel, the public art piece was made by British sculptor Anish Kapoor back in the year, 2000.

The Freer/Sackler Gallery on the Smithsonian Mall shows you how religion and art mix in “Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia through Nov. 29, 2020. 202-633-1000 or go to FreerSackler.si.edu for details.

The National Museum of Women In The Arts presents the printed work of Bay Area-based Chinese-born painter Hung Liu whose portraits suggest sculptural possibilities. Through July 8, 2018  in Washington DC. 202-783-5000.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has the following – “Diamond Mountains: Travel and Nostalgia in Korean Art” through May 20, 2018. “The Poetry of Nature: Edo Paintings from the Fishbein-Bender Collection” through Jan. 21, 2019. “Celebrating the Year of the Dog” through July 4, 2018. Spirited Creatures: Animal Representations in Chinese Silk and Lacquer” through July 22, 2018. “A Passion for Jade: Heber Bishop and His Collection” through July 22, 2018. “Crowns of the Vajra Masters: Ritual Art of Nepal” through Dec.16, 2018. “Japanese Arms and Armor from the Collection of Etsuko and John Morris” through Jan. 6, 2019. “Streams and Mountains Without End: Landscape Traditions of China” through Jan. 6, 2019.1000 Fifth Ave. New York, New York. Go to metmuseum.org for details.

Artist/sculptor Huma Bhabha grew up in Karachi, Pakistan but has lived in the US for almost 30 years. She lives with her artist husband in the Hudson Valley. She will be the next artist to be featured in the popular roof-installation series at the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. She’ll be bringing a big ax, literally. The installation entitled “We Come in Peace” will be comprised of two alien figures rough-cut chopped with an ax out of a block of cork. She likes to work with unwieldy materials like cork, styrofoam and burned wood. The installation at the Met is on view from April 17 – Oct. 28, 2018. She has a solo show in Sept. at Contemporary Austin, a piece at the 57^th Carniege International in Pittsburgh and a retrospective at ICA Boston in March of 2019. The Met is at 1000 Fifth Ave. in New York City. Go to metmuseum.org for details.

The Rubin Museum of Art has the following shows.”Chitra Ganesh” through Nov. 4, 2018. “Sacred Spaces” through Oct. 15, 2018. “The Second Buddha” through Jan. 7, 2019. “Masterworks of Himalayan Art” through March 26, 2018. “Gateway to Himalayan Art” through July 16, 20198. “A Guided Tour of Hell” runs from April 20 – August 12, 2018. After collapsing in a hospital following surgery, longtime Buddhist teacher Sam Bercholz felt himself being pulled into an underworld of dramatic suffering. Telling his story to Tibetan American artist Pema Namdol Thaye, the artist drew on his training in traditional Tibetan arts as well as his childhood obcession with graphic novels to transform these visions into vibrant acrylic paintings of sufferers in hell. 150 W. 17^th St. New York, New York. 212-620-5000×344 or go to rubinmuseum.org.

A look back and a reappraisal of the Vietnam War and American’s involvement in that conflict this year has renewed interest what with a PBS series and numerous books coming out. The New-York Historical Society Museum & Library joins in with their exhibition entitled “Vietnam War – 1945-1975” which is on view through April 22, 2018. 170 Central Park West. Go to nyhistory.org for details.

The Asia Society Museum in New York presents the following –  Opening Feb. 27 and remaining on view through May 20, 2018 is “Unknown Tibet: The Tucci Expedition and Buddhist Painting”  which presents recently restored paintings collected by Guiseppe Tucci during his expeditions to Tibet and now in the collection of the MNAO Rome. 725 Park Ave. New York City, New York. 212-327-9721 or go to www.asiasociety.org for more details.

“A Giant Leap – The Transformation of Hasegawa Tohaku” is a special exhibition that focuses on the life and legacy of one of 16^th century Japan’s leading artistic innovators. It traces the artist’s evolution from a provincial painter of Buddhist subjects to a master favored by shogun, samurai and cultural luminaries. Viewers will see vibrantly painted screens, scrolls and Important Cultural Properties. Shown in two parts. First rotation runs from March 9 – April 8. Second rotation from  April 12 – May 5. At The Japan Society. 333 E. 47th St. 212-832-1155 or go to japansociety.org.

“A Colossal World: Japanese Artists And New York, 1950 – Present” is on view  through April 14, 2018 at White Box Gallery curated by Kyoko Sato. This group exhibition features video, sculpture, murals, installation and two-d work by over 50 Japanese artists who emigrated to New York during the formative stages of their careers. Includes work by Yoko Ono, Shigeko Kubota, Ay-O, Shunsaku Arakawa, Ushio Shinohara, Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami and many others. 329 Broome St. [email protected]  or call 212-714-2347.

“We The People – An International Group Exhibition of Contemporary Art Toward Ending the Korean War” includes the work of Kyungbo Han, Song Gwang Hong, Young Jun Hwang, Jihoe Koo,  Suh Youngsun, Emmanuel, Faure, Alicia Grulion, Nina Kuo, Gregory Sholette, Hank Willis Thomas and others. On view at Ozaneaux Art Space until May  24, 2018. 515 W. 20^th St.  4E in New York City, New York.

The Cleveland Museum of Art has the following –

The Yayoi Kusama “Infinity Mirrors” show continues its tour with a stop here July 7, 2018 – Sept. 30, 2018. 11150  East Blvd.  216-421-7350.

Museum of Fine Arts Boston has the following – “Black And White – Japanese Modern Art” is a show centered around  a large scale calligraphy piece by Inoue Yuichi. This exhibition showcases a selection of avant-garde works in the monochrome aesthetic. On view  through June 3, 2018.  9300  Avenue of the Arts. 465 Huntington Ave. Go to mfa.org or call 617-267-9300.

“Cao Jun: Hymns to Nature” is the renowned Chinese artist’s first exhibition in the United States. This exhibition consists of watercolor/mixed media paintings, calligraphy, porcelain and digital media. It examines the deep roots of Jun’s art in the experience of nature and how he performs his role within it. It also illuminates his noel responses to earlier paintings by Chinese masters and encourages views to ponder a dynamic dialogue between Chinese art of the past and the present. On view through  June 3, 2018 at Boston College’s McMullen Museum. 2101 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston. 617-552-8587 or go to www.bc.edu/artmuseum.

The Guggenheim presents a museum-wide, thematically organized survey of the work of Vietnamese-born Danish artist Danh Vo. It includes a focus on the dreamy collective self-image of the U.S.  Through May 9, 2018. Go to guggenheim.org for details.

The Art Institute of Chicago presents the following. “Mirroring China’s Past: Emperors and Their Bronzes” on view through May 13, 2018. Xu Longsen: Light of Heaven” is an installation specifically created for this museum and features a set of painted pillars with a number of monumental landscape paintings. Through June 24, 2018.Wang Dongling’s installation of five plexi panels of calligraphic paintings, color-infused abstractions of classic Chinese poems on view through May 13, 2018. “The Arranged Flower: Ikebana and Flora in Japanese Prints” through April 8, 2018. “The Wandering Landscape: Chinese Topographical Paintings of the 16^th Through 19^th Century” on view until April 8, 2018. “Modern Japanese Prints” includes the portrait prints of Onchi Koshino and Saito Kiyoshi from April 14 – July 1, 2018. “Rhythm of the Weave” includes a wide range of textiles from around the world from the 14^th century to the 20^th century on view from May 18 – Oct. 21, 2018. 111 South Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced they will begin the first comprehensive renovation and re-installation of its galleries in Chinese art in many decades. Beginning April 11, 2018, six galleries in the Asian Art wing will be closed for ten months, their installation re-imagined – and then re-open to the public in early 2019. The re-installation plan  will be led by Dr. Hiromi Kinoshita, Associate  Curator of Chinese Art.

“Hard Bodies – Contemporary Japanese Lacquer Sculpture” on view through June 24, 2018 and curated by Andres Marks. Minneapolis  Institute of Art.  For centuries, the making of lacquer ware has served a utilitarian and decorative function. But now with modern advances in technology, contemporary artists are pushing into new frontiers. This show is a window into the future of abstract sculpture and installation using the sheen of lacquer as another texture. 2400 Third Ave. S. Call toll free at 888-642-2787

The Dallas Museum of Art has the following – “The Keir Collection of Islamic Art Gallery is on view through April 26, 2020.  “Yayoi Kusama: All the Eternal Love I have for the Pumpkins” installation is on view through Feb. 25, 2018. “Asian Textiles: Art Along the Silk Road”  stays on view until Dec. 9, 2018. 1717 N. Harwood  in Dallas, TX. 214-992-1200.

“Master Hands in the Meiji Period” is a group show and the 40^th Anniversary Exhibition from the Museum’s Crafts Gallery. Includes about 100 crafts masterpieces from the Museum Collection. Through May 27, 2018. National Museum  of Modern Art, Tokyo. 1-1 Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda-ku,  Tokyo, Japan.

“Geneses of Photography in Japan:Nagasaki” on view through May 6, 2018. Nagasaki was one of the first places in Japan where photography first appeared. Presents a visual record of one of Japan’s most dynamic cities as the country went through a transition from feudalism to a modern society. Tokyo Photographic Art Museum,  Yebisu Garden Place, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 03-3280-0090.

“Materials, Methods, and Geometries: 30 Years of Creative Exploration by Architect Kengo Kuma” through May 6, 2018. One of Japan’s most well known architects. The show is unique in that it emphasizes the materials the architect loves to work with rather than the buildings themselves. Tokyo Station Gallery. 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. +81-3-3212-2485.

“Tomoko Konoikei: Little Fur Anger” through April 15, 2018. This artist is internationally known for her monumental dreamscapes of feral creatures but in the confines of a smaller gallery, she zeros in to show the textures of their bodies using the techniques of carving and etching. Gallery Kido Press in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. 03-5817-8988.

Noted Japanese modern art collector Toshio Hara, head of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo curates his first show at the institution that bears his name. Part II of “My Favorites: Toshio Hara selects from the Permanent Collection”  will consist of the modern Japanese artists in his collection including work by Nobuyoshi Araki, Yasumasa Morimura, Yoshiyomo Nara and Miwa Yanagi. Through June 3, 2018. “Mami Kosemura: Phantasies Over Time” on view June 16 – Sept. 2, 2018. Go to www.haramuseum.or.jp for details.

“The 120^th Anniversary of the Birth of Seiji Togo: A Retrospective of Togo’s Depiction of Women”  is on view through April 15, 2018 and looks at this Japanese painter who spent years in Europe and the influences he brought back to Japan. Abeno Harukas Art Museum in Osaka, Japan. Go to www.aham.jp.

“The 40^th Memorial of Shoji Hamada: From Tamesaburo Yamamoto Collection” on view until April 8, 2018. Yamamoto made most of his money from beer but he loved collecting folk art, expecially the pottery of his good friend Shoji Hamada. Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art outside of Kyoto. 075-957-3123 or go to http://www.asahibeer-oyamazaki.com/english/.

“Sarugaku Maska: Shaping the Culture of Noh” is a show of 350 traditional performance masks, 80 of which are designated “Important Cultural Properties”. Through  June 3, 2018. Miho Museum in Shiga. Go to www.miho.or.jp/en for details.

“Travelers: Stepping Into The Unknown” through May 6, 2018. This show celebrates the museum’s 40^th Anniversary and comes in two parts. Section 1 features work that addresses the multi-layered aspects of memory and time. Section 2 focuses on performance works and their documentation.  Coming after that will be “The Myriad Forms of Visual Art: 196 Works With 19 Themes” May 26 – July 1, 2018. The National  Museum of Art, Osaka. 4-2-55 Nakanoshima,  Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. +81-3-3212-2485.

“Collection Exhibition 3 – ‘Adventures in ‘Seeing.’ ” Is a group show on view through June 24, 2018. Includes work by Suzuki Hiraku, Anish Kapoor, Yamazaki Tsuruka, Monique Frydman, Koganezawa Takehiro, Kadonaga Kazuo, Tony Cragg, Zygia Clark, Isa Genzken and Jeppe Hein.  21^st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan. 81-76-220-2800 or email [email protected].

The MMCA Gwacheon in Seoul presents two overviews of contemporary Korean art through April 29, 2018. “Crack in the Concrete” is an overview of modern art in Korea seen from a new perspective. Paired with “Layers and Spaces: Prints from MMCA Collections” which is a group show of print works by Korean contemporary artists. 313 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwancheon-Si,  Gyeonggi-do in Seoul, Korea.

Looking for some art workshops to try out as summer approaches? Below are some ideas –

Scott McCall and Mari Shibuya teach “Portfolio Intensive”  for teenagers  (ages 15 – 18) July 16 – August 17, 2018 at Gage Academy of Art. You’ll learn observational drawing and painting by working from casts, live models and still life set-ups.  1501 – 10^th Ave. E. Ste. #101 in Seattle. Go to gageacademy.org/summer-kids for details.

Pratt Fine Arts Center has a full schedule of classes and events from March – May 21018. Learn from working professionals like Romson Regarde Bustillo, Lisa Hasegawa and Mark Takamichi Miller. Bustillo teaches a “Collage Crash Course” and “Mixed Media Collograph.” Haegawa teaches “Beginning Letterpress.” Miller is definitely a jack-of-all-trades as he will be busy teaching workshops in “Figure Proportion: the Intuitive Approach”, Liquid Portraiture Painting”, “Oil Mediums and Effects”, “Mysteries of Acrylic”, “Expressive figure Drawing” and “Beginning Experimental Painting.” 1902 Main St. in Seattle. 206-328-2200. Go to www.pratt.org to register and get full class descriptions online.

Seattle artist Tori “Baby” Kurihara is profiled on the “Lifestyle” page of the April, 2018 issue of CityArts magazine.

Performing Arts

The Wayward Music Series presents performances of new music in all genres at their Chapel Performance Space on the 4^th floor of the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.  4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. April 6 brings a piece entitled “Things That Break” which is a collaboration between composer Jessi Harvey, animator Becky Joy Aitken, Performer Aimee Hong and photographer/narrator Sonya Harris. It explores the idea of breaking in all forms. All performances at 8pm. Suggested donation is $15. Email [email protected] for details.

There will be a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration (free with museum admission) on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 2:30pm. On the  Third Floor Galleries level of Seattle Art Museum. 1300 First Ave. 206-654-3210 or go to www.seattleartmuseum.org.

[email protected] presents “MA”, a performance that creates a world between presence and absence, practice and performance, certainty and the unknown with choreography by Noelle Chun. Visual artist Tara Tamaribuchi creates an installation that adds layers of energy, weight and emotion to the environment. Performers include Seattle dancers Vanessa DeWolf, Linsyanne Owen and Hendri Walujo. April 27 at 8pm and April 28 at 5pm. YAW Theater at 6520 5th Ave. S. For tickets, go to madance.brownpapertickets.com.

Theatre critic and educator Misha Berson curates a new series presented by UW School of Drama entitled “State of the Theatre: Seattle Artists in Conversation” with some of Seattle’s most accomplished theatre people. All events are free and open to the public. Dates and topic titles are as follows – “The Sound and the Fury” on Mon., April 30 at 7pm. Features a panel of sound designers, names TBA. All talks at the Jones  Playhouse on 4045 University Way NE in Seattle’s University District. Go to https://drama.washington.edu/events/2018-01-22/state-theatre-playwriting-age-trump for details.

ReAct Theatre, a multicultural company run by David Hsieh. In the summer, they encore “Aliens” by Annie Baker, a comedic drama with music that explores the friendship between three millennial misfits June 29 – July 29, 2018. At 12^th Avenue Arts on Capitol Hill. All tickets at Brown  Paper Tickets.

The following acts play The Royal Room. Earshot Jazz presents New York-based jazz singer/songwriter Kavita Shah in duo with noted French bassist Francois Moutin in a concert of acoustic bass and voice. They will perform a mix of standards and originals from their new recording “Interplay” (Dot Time records). April 6 at 7pm at The Royal Room. Comfort Food is a Seattle group that plays African-laced jazz and was nominated for the Earshot Best Alternative Jazz Band Award in 2015. Bob Antolin plays sax, woodwinds and guitar in this group. They play on Wed., April 11 at 8pm. $8 advance and @10 at the door. Advance tickets available at Stranger Tickets online. To guarantee a good seat, make a dinner reservation by emailing [email protected]. A ticket alone does not guarantee seating. For sold-out shows, standing room may be the only option. 5000 Rainier Ave. S. 206-906-9920 or go to www.theroyalroomseattle.com.

Tor Teng, Kim Yee, Srikari Pasumartnhy, Yuhan Xiao & Joy Park are part of the large cast in “The Penelopiad: The Play” directed by Grecia Leal. A different version of  The Odyssey from the book by Margaret Atwood. Presented by The Undergraduate Theatre Society of UW. April 15 – 18 and again  on April 18 – 22, 2018 at 7:30pm. 145  UW Hutchinson Hall in Room #205 on the Seattle UW campus. Try https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3378296.

Kathy Hsieh plays Titania in “ASL Midsummer Nights Dream (Spoken & Signed)” April 19 – May 12. Presented by Sound Theatre Company. Co-directed by Howie Seago and Teresa Thuman. 12^th Ave. Arts Mainstage. 1620 – 12th Ave. Try soundtheatrecompany.org for details.

The Seattle University School of Law hosts a discussion of the infamous Supreme Court cases that upheld the Japanese incarceration during WWII, the legal challenges that successfully re-opened them and their haunting present-day-relevance. “Japanese American Incarceration: Civil Liberties, Then and Now” takes place on Friday, April 13 from 8:30am – 12:30pm. Includes special guest Karen Korematsu, daughter of Fred Korematsu, who challenged the wartime orders. Seattle University School of Law located at 901 – 12^th Ave.

“Ghosts of Hell Creek” is a collaboration between paleontologists Greg Wilson & Dave Evans and choreographer Ari Rudenko. Rudenko directs a prehistoric animal dance that combines Japanese butoh theater and Indonesian traditional/contemporary dance influences with a science-based comparative examination of the anatomy. May 5 & 6 at Meany Center For The Performing Arts  on the Seattle UW campus. Meanycenter.org or 206-543-4880.

Asia Pacific Cultural Center presents “Thousand Faces”, a touring production of Chinese opera. See it on Sat., May 12 at 7:20pm at Chief Sealth International High School at 2600 SW Thistle St. in Seattle and again on Sun., May 13 at 7:20pm at Pantages Theatre  at 901 Broadway in Tacoma. Call 253-383-3900 for tickets and information.

The Converge Dance Festival 2018 stages works by eight choreographers just coming into their own. This year’s festival takes place at Velocity Dance Center May 25 – 26. Includes the work of Warren Woo. 1621 12^th Ave. 206-325-8773.

On the Boards will  present the 2018 NW New Works Festival June 8 – 10 & June 15 – 17, 2018. Susan Lieu and Majinn are two of the performers for the Studio Theatre Showcase on June 8 at 8pm & June 9 – 10 at 5pm.Pam Tzeng is on the bill at the Studio Theatre Showcase June 15 at 8pm & June 16 – 17 at 5pm. 100 W. Roy St. 206-217-9886 or go to https://www.ontheboards.org for details.

The UW keyboard program presents their “Catch A Rising Star”, a quarterly guest artist series featuring younger talent making their presence felt.  On April 29, 2018 at 4:30pm  in Brechemin Auditorium, catch thirteen-year old Yesong Sophie Lee, winner of the 2016 International Menuhin Competition in a free recital.   Go to www.music.washington.edu for details.

ARTSWEST in West Seattle presents the following –Next up is Branden Jacobs-Jenkins “An Octoroon” directed by Brandon J. Simmon which is a genre-defying play on the performance of race. April 19 – May 12, 2018. The season closes with Kiss of The Spider Woman” June 7 – July 8, 2018. 2018.S.W.  in West  Seattle.

The Aha Mele Hawaiian Festival takes place at Chief Leschi Schools in Puyallup. Enjoy Hawaiian culture with delicious food, Hawaiian and Polynesian entertainment and checking out goods from Hawaiian vendors. April 14 from 11am – 9pm.  $5 admission. 5625- 52^nd St. E.

The annual Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival takes place April 20 – 22 at the Seattle Center Armory Main Level & at Fisher Pavilion. Enjoy Japanese cultural arts with live performances, visual arts, hands-on activities, food, games, taiko drumming and artisan demonstrations. Free.206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

The Meany Center For The Performing Arts has released their 2017/2018 schedule. Some of the many highlights include the following –The Juilliard String Quartet with Joseph Lin in the lead violin chair performs on Thurs., Nov. 9 2017 at 7:30pm. Calidore String Quartet with David Finckel and Wu Han perform on Tues., April 24 , 2018 at 7:30pm. “Feathers Of Fire – A Persian Epic” updates the classic shadow play traditions of Asia & the Near East with cinematic “live animation” shadow-casting actors and puppets along with projected imagery in the magical tale of star-crossed lovers from the 10th century Persian epic “Shahnameh (The Book of Kings)” set for Wed., March 14, 2018 at 8pm. With  an original score by Loga Ramin Torkian & Azam Ali. Calidore String Quartet with David Hinckel and Wu Han perform April 24 – 29 at 7:30pm. All concerts at Meany Center located on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington. Series tickets  on sale now. Single tickets go on sale on August 1, 2017.  You can order online at meanycenter.org or call 206-543-4880 or visit the ticket office at 41st Street between University Way  NE & Brooklyn Ave. NE. tickets available via FAX too at 206-685-4141.

Seattle singer/songwriter Daniel Pak sheds his KORE IONZ title and celebrates his solo re-emergence and his birthday as well with friends like Prometheus Brown (Blue Scholars) and Totem Star Youth. He performs on Friday, April 20 at 8pm. All ages. $12 advance ticket. Two of the biggest stars in Korean pop music, Mad Clown and San E take their American tour to Seattle when they hit the Crocodile on Thurs., April 19, 2018. Both rappers like many stars on the K-Pop music circuit are actually Korean Americans now based in Seoul. San E hails from Atlanta and Mad Clown comes from Chicago. The Crocodile  at 220 – 2^nd Ave. [email protected].

The Music of Remembrance organization exists so that the voices of musical witness can be heard. In the past they have organized music of composers who perished in the Holocaust. This year, they shine their light on Japan and the internment camp experience of Japanese Americans. A concert set for Spring is entitled “Gaman” by Christophe Chagnard. After Pearl Harbor, more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent – a majority of them American citizens – were forced into detention camps scattered across the United States. Chagnard explores this dark chapter of American history incorporating the stories of individuals, families and artists based on their personal accounts, journals, letters and art works. This multi-media work will tell the story through the imagery and words of Seattle artists Takuichi Fujii and Kamekichi Tokita who were interned at Minidoka Relocation Center in Idaho. Instrumentation will combine traditional Japanese and classical Western instruments along with a narrator/singer combined with visual media projections. Completing the program are the following – “August 6” is a composition for violin and double bass by Shinji Eshima that makes an eloquent plea about the urgency of preventing nuclear war. The other pieces feature Erwin Schulhoff’s “Five Pieces for String Quartet” (1923) which includes a sixth piece. Baritone Erich Parce sings songs written and performed by prisoners in the Terezin concentration camps. “Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes for Violin & Piano” by Mieczyslaw Weinberg who suffered under both Nazi and Soviet hands completes the bill.Set for May 20, 2018 at 5pm at Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. A new composition on WWII  by Ryuichi Sakamoto has been postponed until next year. For details, go to musicofremembrance.

Crossroads Bellevue, the Eastside’s live music venue presents free live performances every weekend. On the 2nd Saturday of every month at 5:30pm is 2nd Saturday Family Night with free kid-friendly music performances. On the 3rd Saturday of every month at 6:30pm is Northwest Folklife which presents diverse, family-friendly cultural arts performances. To see the schedule, go to crossroadsbellevue.com. 15600 NE 8th in Bellevue. 425-644-1111.

The Seattle World Percussion Society presents their annual World Rhythm Festival which includes music, drum and dance and “community building through rhythm.” Music traditions from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, India, Brazil, North America and other countries across the globe are showcased. April 27 – 29, 2018 at Seattle Center. Free.

The Dragon Boat Festival takes place in Olympia on April 28, 2018. Go to www.stmartin.edu/news-events/university-events/dragon-boat-festival.

“String” is a world premiere musical with a mythological twist. What happens when a goddess comes to earth and falls in love and upsets the balance? Stars the ever busy Sara Porkalob. Part of Village Theatre’s 2017-2018 season. Plays through April 22, 2018  in Issaquah and April 27 – May 20 in Everett. 425-392-2202 for Issaquah  and 425-257-8600 for Everett. Go to villagetheatre.org for details.

Edmonds Center for the Arts presents the following –   Mystical Arts of Tibet conclude a 5 day residency with a performance of traditional music and the creation of a mandala sand painting. The performance with multi-phonic chanting, music and dance takes place May 11, 2018 at 7:30pm. 425-275-9595.

Daisha, a classical trio composed of UW undergraduates Halie Borror on violin, Daniel Richardson on piano and Isabella Kodama on cello give a concert at Brechemin Auditorium on  May 4, 2018. At 7:30pm and admission is free. On the Seattle  UW campus. Go to www.music.washington.edu for details.

The Horse in Motion presents an immersive multi-room staging of Hamlet in the historic Stimson-Green Mansion. New York City-based director Julia Sears comes to Seattle to direct and Kevin Lin and Jocelyn Maher will share the role of Hamlet. April  12 – 29, 2018. Th. – Sun. at 7:30pm. For tickets & info., go to www.thehorseinmotion.org.

Zhenni Li of the McGill School of Music in Montreal has been hailed as a classical pianist with a gorgeous tone and mesmerizing touch.  On April 24, 2018 she will give a recital at Brechemin Auditorium at 7:30pm. The following day she leads a master class with UW piano students at the same location  on April 25 at 4:30pm. Both events are free. Seattle UW campus in  the Music Building. Go to  www.music.washington.edu for details.

Playwright Laureen Yee has a Seattle World Premiere of her play “The Great Leap” set for March 23 – April 22, 2018 at Seattle Repertory Theatre. The company shares this world premiere with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company. The plot revolves around Beijing University basketball coach Wen Chang and Manford, a young rough-around-the edges basketball talent from San Francisco’s Chinatown and how their worlds intersect. Cast includes Bob Ari, Keiko Green, Linden Tailor & Joseph Steven Yang. Directed by Eric Ting. At the Leo K. Theatre. 155 Mercer St. Box Office # is 206-443-2222.

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month takes place at Seattle Center  with entertainment and cultural activities celebrating this vibrant culture. May 6, 2018 at Seattle Center’s Armory Building. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

“A Glimpse of China” is a free festival in which you can discover a 5,000 year-old cultural tradition, learn Chinese folk arts, make art and more. May 19, 2018 at Seattle Center. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

The annual Northwest Folklife Festival brings together the community’s cultural traditions in one place with music, dancing, poetry, films and storytelling from around the city and around the world. May 25 – 28 at Seattle Center. $10 suggested donation.

The UW faculty chamber group Frequencies welcomes special guest violinist Yura Lee in a concert entitled “Dialogues” set for May 27, 2018 at 7:30pm. Lee, the recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant will perform duos with each member of Frequency and the trio will then perform Erno Dohnanyi’s “Serenade”. At Meany Theater on the  UW Seattle campus. Go to  www.artsuw.org for details.

MAD TV comic star Bobby Lee returns to the area for stand-up on June 7 & 9 . At Parlor Live Comedy on the 3rd floor of Lincoln Square at 700 Bellevue Way NE Ste. 300 in Bellevue,WA. 206-602-1441 or go to www.parlorlive.com.

Indo Canadian singer/songwriter Kiran Ahluwalia who mixes her Indian inspired tunes with Saharan beats will share the bill with North African singer/songwriter Squad Massi on April 19, 2018. Rockers Anders Osborne and Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd fame do two shows on April 18, 2018. All concerts at The Triple Door  in downtown Seattle.216 Union St. 206-838-4333 or go to thetripledoor.net.

The Theatre Off Jackson has Hari and Ashok Kondabolu, the Kondabolu Brothers whose zany, sharp comedy will be taped for a live podcast. Come and be part of the fun. Shows are April 20 and May 1, 2018. The Sunday Night Shuga Shaq is the only monthly all people of color “burlesque revue” in Seattle. Produced by Briq House Entertainment and Sin De la Rosa with shows on April 8, May 13 and June 10 at 7pm. 409 – 7^th Ave. S. in the CID.Go to www.theatreoffjackson.org for complete details.

Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival takes place June 2 – 3, 2018. Includes workshops, exhibits, demonstrations and performances that showcase Filipino history, art and culture. Free. Seattle Center. 206-684-7200 or try www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

Conductor Ludovic Morlot ends his tenure with the Seattle Symphony with a varied and stimulating series of concerts. Some highlights include  noted soprano Yasko Sato who is featured in Seattle Symphony’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Dec. 28 – 30, 2018. At the Taper auditorium. The annual “Celebrate Asia” concert is back on Jan. 27 at 4pm in Taper Auditorium. The theme this year is Korea. The orchestra will be led by highly touted conductor Shiyeon Sung known for finding the right balance between dynamic passion and even handed music making. Pianist Seong-Jin Chao won the Gold Medal at the Chopin International Competition and has never looked back. He will be a featured soloist. Soprano Kathleen Kim is a regular guest at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera and will grace the stage with her beautiful voice. The program consists of work by John Adams, Rachmaninov, Narong Prangcharoen, Unsuk Kim and traditional Korean folk songs. Taper Auditorium. The Silkroad Ensemble (featured in a documentary film) returns with the world premiere of Kinan Azmeh’s clarinet concerto, composer/pianist Vijay Iyer’s “City of Sand”, Edward Perez’s “Latina 6/8 Suite” and a world premiere by noted composer Chen Yi. Wed., Feb. 6 at 7:30pm in the Taper Auditorium. All concerts at Benaroya  Hall in downtown Seattle. Go to seattlesymphony.org for details.

Emerald City Music presents the duo of Hyeyeon Pak on piano and Dmitri Atapine on cello in a selection of cello sonatas. May 12 at 7:30pm. Resonance at  SOMA Towers in Bellevue. 288 – 106^th Ave.  NE 425-443-2585 or [email protected].

Hawaiian-born, Seattle-based comedian Kermit Apio performs stand-up May 18 & 19 at Laughs Comedy Club in Seattle. 5220 Roosevelt Way NE. 206-526-5653.

Seattle Pro Musica presents a concert of sacred choral music in “Sacred Ground” on May 18 & 19 at 8pm. Included in the program is Hyo-Won Woo’s “Amazing Grace”. St. James Cathedral  at 9^th & Marion in Seattle. 206-781-2766  or try seattlepromusica.org.

Korean American saxophonist, singer and composer Grace Kelly plays Jazz Alley on June 5 & 6 at 7:30pm. 2033 – 6^th Ave. 206-441-9729 or try jazzalley.com.

The Seattle International Dance Festival takes place June 8 – 24 at various locations around Seattle and always includes a generous sampling of local talent and visiting international companies. Go to seattleidf.org for details.

The Tibet Fest showcases that country’s arts and culture with entertainment, food and activities. August 25 – 26 at the Seattle Center Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

September 9, 2018 marks the “Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival” held at Seattle Center’s Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

The city of Renton celebrates their diversity with a Multi-Cultural Festival held September 14 – 15. 425-430-6600 or go to rentonwa.gov.

October 20, 2018 marks the day of “Diwali: Lights of India Festival” at Seattle Center Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

November 3, 2018 is the “Hmong New Year Celebration” at Seattle Center’s Armory. 206-684-7200 or try  www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

Congratulations to local dancer/choreographer Angel Alviar-Langley who received an ARC Artist Fellowship from 4Culture. Other winners include Earl Debnam, Tara Hardy and Michael Rowe. Go to 4culture.org for details.

Portland Opera’s new season includes “Faust”, “La Cenerentola”, “Rigoleto” and “Orfeo Ed Euridice”. Some of the singers in these productions include Shi Li and Helen Huang plus conductor Carolyn Kuan is also involved. Performances are at the Hampton Opera Center in Portland. 503-241-1802 is the box office number.

Bay Area-based composer/musician Mark Izu and storyteller/performer Brenda Wong Aoki keep busy. On April 29, 2018, they appear with Robert Honda on “Asian Pacific America”  on NBC TV. They also have a spring performance entitled “Aunt Lily’s Flowerbook: 100 Years of Legalized Racism” on Thurs., May 24 at 7pm at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco as the closing event for CAAM Fest 2018. Go to www.firstvoice.org for details.

In October of 2011, Pvt. Danny Chen suffered a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head while on guard duty at a military base in Afghanistan. It was later revealed that the soldier suffered racial taunts and hazing from fellow soldiers before he committed suicide. Now the Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents a world premiere of a new two-act opera based on the Danny Chen case entitled “An American Soldier – Out of Many, One” by composer Huang Ruo and a libretto by playwright David Henry Hwang. Andrew Stenson stars as Danny Chen, Wayne Tigges as Sgt. Aaron Marcum, Mika Shigematsu as Mother Chen, and Kathleen Kim as Josephine Young. The orchestra is  conducted by Michael Christie. The opera is directed  by Matthew Ozawa. Performances  on June 3, 6, 9,14, 16 & 22. At Loretto-Hilton Center at 130 Edgar Rd. in St. Louis, MO. Go to opera-sti.org or call 314-961-0644.

Young American conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong picked up two jobs within weeks of each other. He was named music director of the Eugene Symphony in Oregon and then was also named music director of Santa Rosa Symphony in California.

K-Pop star Seo Min-Woo known as Minwoo and lead singer of the boyband 100% died at 33 in March, 2018 apparently of cardiac arrest. The famed group was due to tour Japan in April. It is the second casualty in the K-Pop world within a year. Stars in the Korean pop music scene often work under great stress on a non-stop schedule of touring and performing.

Viola specialist John Hsu died recently. A professor at Cornell for many years, he wrote the definitive book on French Viol techniques and edited the works of Marin Marais. He was a member of the Amade Trio.

Film & Media

Screening April 6 – 12, 2018 is a documentary film entitled “The China Hustle” by Jed Rothstein that reveals how China entered the US stock markets. “Home Movies – Oxhide II (Niupi er) is a documentary film by Liu Jiayin. It screens on April 14 at 4:30pm. The director films her parents as they make dumplings on a cramped table and discuss business with their daughter. The film reveals how a simple task illuminates life on a grander scale. All films screen locally at Northwest Film Forum on Capitol Hill at 1515 12^th Ave. 206-329-2629.

For foodies who love ramen, a documentary film entitled “Ramen Heads” looks at Tamita Osamu, an award-winning chef from Japan who starts his routine at 4:30am. So wide is his reputation that customers line up at 6:30am just to assure  themselves a seat at the counter for lunch. Screens March 30 – April 5, 2018.  Wes Anderson’s new animated feature entitled “Isle of Dogs” takes place in Japan. Opens March 29.  “Saturday Morning Cartoons” is a monthly celebration of animated films from across the globe. Coming to the series on April 28, 2018 is Studio Ghibli director Isao Takahata’s 1999 film, “My Neighbors the Yamadas”. This is a multi-generational look at the hardships and joys of a Japanese family. Both at SIFF Uptown. 511 Queen Anne Ave. N.  206-464-5830 or [email protected] or try Go to siff.net for details.

Central Cinema brings back this Asian classic. April 13 – 17 is Ang Lee’s foray into the martial arts genre with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. 1411 21^st Ave. 206-328-3230.

Cascade International Women’s Film Festival screens 25 films directed by women from around the world at Bellingham’s Pickford Film Center April 12 – 15, 2018. Some of the films screened include the following.  “Ascent” by Fiona Tan is a drama composed of still shots of Mt. Fuji. A woman remembers her late lover through letters dealing with his attempts to climb the iconic peak. Fiona Liu’s “To Be Fiona” is part of a School of Visual Arts showcase. Yassamin Malekasr’s “Women of the Silk Road” looks at the lives of four women from four countries that line that route. “Angels Wear White” by Jia Nian Hua of China tells this story. When two school girls are sexually assaulted in a seaside motel, the only witness is a teenage girl working reception. She keeps silent in order to preserve her job but then… No festival passes but individual tickets on sale now.1318 Bay St. in Bellingham, WA. 360-738-0735 or go to pickfordfilmcenter.org. For more details on this film festival, go to cascadiafilmfest.org.

Opening April 20 in many theatres is Indian Canadian director Jay Chandrasekhar’s “Super Troopers 2” about the clash between American cops and Royal Canadian Mounties in a slapstick comedy of cultural manners.

If you have enjoyed an animated feature film from Japan’s Ghibli Studios and wished you could see more, here’s your chance. Fathom Events brings a Studio Ghibli Film Festival starting in March and going through November, 2018. The films will screen at Pacific Place 11, The Varsity in the University District & Thornton Place 14 in Seattle and Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue. All screenings at  12:55pm in the afternoon. Here are the titles and dates. Please note that some screenings will be dubbed and others will be with subtitles.  “The Cat Returns” screens April 22 (dubbed), April 22 (subtitled) and April 25 (dubbed). “Porco Rosso” screens May 20 (dubbed), May 21 (subtitled) and May 23 (dubbed). “Pom Poko” is on June 17 (debbed), June 18 (subtitled) and June 20 (dubbed). “Princess Mononoke” is July 22 (dubbed), July 23 (subtitled), July 25 (dubbed). “Grave of the Fireflies” is August 12 (dubbed), August 13 (subtitled) and August 15 (dubbed). “My Neighbor Totoro” is Sept. 30 (dubbed), Oct. 1 (subtitled) and Oct. 3 (subtitled). “Spirited Away” is Oct. 28 (dubbed), Oct. 29 (subtitled) and Oct. 30 (subtitled). “Castle in the Sky” is Nov. 18 (dubbed), Nov. 19 (subtitled) and Nov. 30 (dubbed).

Lawrence Loh conducts the Seattle Symphony in a live performance of John Williams’ iconic score with a screening of “Star Wars: A New Hope” at Benaroya Hall on July 13 at 8pm, July 14 at 8pm and July 15 at 2pm. Loh is active as a guest conductor with an affinity for pops programming and conducting concerts synchronizing live orchestral music with film. He is Music Director of Symphoria of Syracuse, New York and Music Director of the West Virginia Symphony.  200 University St. in downtown Seattle. Box Office # is 206-215-4747.

The 16^th Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles takes place from April 11 – 15, 2018. For details, go to www.indianfilmfestival.org

“Ugly Delicious” is famed Momofuku” restaurant entrepreneur/chef David Chang’s new series on American comfort food now airing on Netflix.

Robin Lung’s documentary film “Finding Kukan” which was well received at the 2017 SIFF International Film Festival has been given funding from the Center for Asian American Media and will be broadcast on PBS shortly. Lung continues to tour with the film at festivals/events across the country. For more information, go to nesteggproductions.com.

Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights to the Japanese animated drama “Fireworks” directed by Nobuyuki Takeuchi. The story involves a shy boy who discovers a rainbow ball in the sea that has the power to turn back time which gives him a chance to be with the girl he loves. That is, until complications develop. Probable release date here is in the summer of 2018.

The Honolulu International Film Festival has announced films for their spring showcase screening April 6 – 15, 2018 in Honolulu. Go to https://www.hiff.org for details. Below are some short details on the Asian-related films. Hopefully this will whet your appetite for our own Seattle International Film Festival coming here  May 17 – June 10, 2018 (Go to siff.net/festival2018 for tickets and information.). With luck, perhaps some of these same films will be playing at SIFF 2018 or show in Seattle later  in the year.  “Life in Overtime” (Japan) is a dramedy based on an acclaimed novel. When a retired bank executive finds his new life of leisure empty, a younger woman and a tech entrepreneur offer him a new lease on life with fresh opportunities. “Little Forest” (South Korea) is directed by Yim Soonrye. This is a Korean re-make of a famous Japanese manga and film that looks at a young woman who teaches herself to live with the seasons of life. “Love Education” (China) by Sylvia Chang follows three women of different eras as a metaphor for modern Chinese history. “Mixed Doubles” (Japan) by Junichi Ichikawa is a romantic comedy about a retired ping pong champ who must pick up the paddle again to defend her honor. “Omotenashi” (Japan/Taiwan ROC) by Taiwanese American director Jay Chern explores the deep cultural and filial bonds between Taiwan and Japan through the rich tapestry of a family owned inn in Kyoto. “Mori, The Artist’s Habitat” by Shuichi Ota captures the genteel life of one of Japan’s celebrated painters who shunned notoriety to live in his country home, painting the animals and plants in his backyard garden. Koko Shigeno’s “Ramen Heads” (Japan) recently played in Seattle and takes a look at the regimen of one of Japan’s best ramen chefs and what he has to do to keep it real. “Out of State” (U.S.) is a documentary film   that tells the story of two native Hawaiians who discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate in an Arizona prison. Returning to civilian life on the islands with this new found life discovery however, proves to be a challenge. “1987: When The Day Comes” (South Korea) by Joon-hawn Jang. Taken from the news, this drama traces how a student’s death by torture becomes a catalyst for the overthrow of  a military dictatorship under Chun Doo-hwan. “Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura” (Japan) by Takashi Yamazaki. Based on a 1980’s manga, this film tells the fantastical tale of a mystery author and his wife and their adventures in the supernatural town of Kamakura. “The Fortress” (South Korea) by Dong-hyuk Hwang. In 1636, China invaded Korea forcing the king and his court to a mountain fortress. As people die from cold and hunger, the king must make a difficult decision. “The Hungry” (India/UK) by Bornila Chatterje. Based on Shakespeare, this is a tale of corruption, false celebration and murder. “Jimami Tofu” (Japan/Singapore) by Jason Chan/Christian Lee. When an ambitious Singaporean chef in Tokyo finds his wife missing, he journeys to her hometown in Okinawa in pursuit. Along the way, he discovers new and delicious flavors at her father’s restaurant. “Kiss and Spell” (Vietnam) by Stephanie Gauger. A supernatural romantic comedy about a  magician and a girl who has the ability to see ghosts and their relationship. “Kusama – Infinity” (U.S.) by Heather Lenz captures the power of this artist’s work and embodies the majestic voice of her unique vision. “The Satellite Girl And Milk Cow” (South Korea) by Jang Hyun-yu. When a rejected, heart-broken musician turns into a cow, his plaintive song lures a non-working satellite who has accidentally turned into a rocket girl. Together with an enchanted roll of toilet paper, they battle the forces of evil. “Sexy Durga” (India) by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan is a psycho-thriller that tells the story of a couple on the run from petty hoodlums who encounter numerous obstacles on the road. Looks at the brutality towards women juxtaposed with the reverent worship of female goddesses in Kerala. Power, politics and patriarchy form an explosive mix. “Tremble All You Want” (Japan) by Akiko Ooku. A romantic comedy based on a popular novel. An office girl who is outspoken with her family but shy to the rest of the world can’t shake her obsession over a junior high crush even though a male friend is in love with her. “The Third Murder” (Japan) by Hirokazu Kore-eda. This noted director departs from the theme of family life to look at a murder in which the killer freely admits to have done the deed. But below the surface lie many secrets. This film swept the Japanese academy awards. With the powerhouse duo of  Koji Yakusho and Masaharu Fukuyama. “ULAM: Main Dish” (U.S.) by Alexandra Cuerdo. This documentary looks at how Filipino food is rising from its humble origins and taking the foodie world by storm. A look at the chefs and their  family history. “Japan – We Make Antiques” (Japan) by Masaharu Take. A comedy about two scammers in the antique field who team up to dupe a distinguished appraiser and his trusted dealer at their own game.

The Written & Spoken Arts

Town Hall Seattle is undergoing renovation but that hasn’t stopped this ambitious city forum from staging activities in communities and neighborhoods all across Seattle in the interim. On Friday, April 13 at 7:30pm, Town Hall Seattle and Phinney Neighborhood Association present “In Residence – Kathleen Alcala with Donna Miscolta: History is An Act of the Imagination” in the Isaac Studio at Taproot Theatre located at 204 N. 85^th. Both writers will explore the concept of the author as researcher, helping us inform our artistic connections through understanding the social fabric of history. On Wed., April 18 at 7:30pm, Town Hall Seattle and Phinney Neighborhood Association present noted author William T. Vollmann talking about his latest book entitled “No Immediate Danger: The Risks and Impact of Nuclear Power” at Greenwood Senior Center at 525 N. 85^th St.  Vollmann recounts visits to ghost towns in the nuclear disaster zone of post-tsunami Fukushima, Japan and explores the ecological ramifications of nuclear power. On May 4 at 7pm at Hillman City Collaboratory at 5623 Rainier Ave. S., join Town Hall Seattle Inside/Out Resident Jordan Alam in a workshop entitled “Telling Stories of the Body.” Alam will use body-based activities to get participants into the act of writing. All activities are free. 206-652-4255 or email [email protected].

Friends of the Libraries 13^th Annual Literary Voices takes place on Wed., May 2, 2018 at 6pm. Keynote speaker is Ted Chiang, noted science fiction author of the novella “Story of Your Life” which became the 2016 film, “Arrival.” At the  North Ballroom at the HUB on the Seattle UW campus. 206-616-8397 or go to [email protected].

Elliott Bay Book Company continues to sponsor readings in their Capitol Hill bookstore as well as co-producing events all over the city. Below you will find a partial listing of some of their events. Events are at the bookstore located at 1521 Tenth Ave. unless otherwise noted. 206-624-6600. Weike Wang comes to Elliott Bay to read from the new paperback edition of her award-winning novel “Chemistry” (Vintage), a coming-into-adulthood  story with a twist that explores the stereotype of the model minority. On Thurs., April 12 at 7pm. Masatsugu Ono reads from “Lion Cross Point” (Two Lines Press), a novel translated by Angus Turvill that unravels the many layered mysteries of the family. Ono won the Akutagawa Prize in 2017. On Sat. April 21 at 7pm at the book store. On Mon., April 23 at 7pm at Hugo House, noted novelist Alexander Chee returns to Seattle to read from his first collection of non-fiction entitled “How To Write an Autobiographical Novel” (Mariner Books). Co-presented by Elliott Bay. Hugo House is at 1021 Columbia St. near Frye Art Museum. Nancy Singleton Hachisu, author of the best-selling “Japanese Farm Food” returns to Seattle with a comprehensive volume on Japanese cuisine entitled “Japan the Cookbook” (Phaidon) to talk about. A definitive tome  with over 400 recipes from every category of Japanese cooking. On Tues., April 24 at 7pm at the book store.  On May 17 at 7pm, Rahna Reiko Rizuto reads from her latest novel entitled “Shadow Child”.And a reminder – Sat., April 28  is “Independent Bookstore Day.” Visit three or more independent bookstores in Puget Sound and get a general prize. Visit all 19 of them and receive a grand champion prize. For details, check in at your local independent bookseller.

On April 14, Mohsin Hamid reads from his novel about illegal immigrants entitled “ExitWest” at 7pm. Advance tickets required for this event. All readings at Third Place Books in Seward Park at 5041  Wilson Ave. S. 206-471-2200.

The UW Alumni Association presents their “Public Lectures – Spring 2018” series.  Some selected titles include the following – On May 2 at 7:30pm in Kane Hall 120 on the Seattle UW campus, hear UW Psychology Professor Sheri Mizumori and Michael Yassa, Professor of Neuroscience at UC Irvine address the topic of “New Directions in Our Understanding of Aging and Memory”. On May 9 at 7:30pm in Kane Hall 130 on the Seattle UW campus, hear Yuichi Shoda, Professor of Psychology at UW and David Laibson, Chairman of the Department of Economics at Harvard address the topic of “Taking the Self out of Self-Control”. On May 8 at 6:30pm at Kane Hall 225 on the UW campus, hear Professor Ronald Egan, Confucius Institute Professor of Sinology at Stanford University address the topic of Chinese poetry and Song dynastic aesthetics & poetry as part of the 2018 Andrew L. Markus Memorial Lecture under the department of Asian Languages & Literature. To register or to get more information on the complete series, call 206-543-0540 or go to

Open Books is a Seattle treasure and one of the few bookstores in the country that specialize in poetry. Their events calendar is chock full of workshops, poetry discussions and poetry readings the year around. They have the following readings scheduled. Poets Amy Glynn and Garrett Hongo read together on April 6, 2018 at 7pm. In Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood at 2414 N. 45^th St. 206-633-0811 or try openpoetrybooks.com.

Seattle Arts & Lectures continues to bring their wonderful program of readings to Seattle. On May 4 on Friday, at 7:30pm their “Sherman Alexie Loves” Series brings two New York Times bestselling young adult authors to town. Jenny Han and Nicola Yoon engage in conversation with Martha Brockenbrough at Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall. On May 7 at 7:30pm, scholar/fiction writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of “The Sympathizer”, “Nothing Ever Dies”, “The Refugees” and winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction comes to Seattle to read. At S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium  at Benaroya Hall. Noted poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil reads from her new book entitled “Oceanic” (Copper Canyon Press) on Monday, May 21 at 7:30pm at McCaw Hall – Nesholm Family Lecture Hall. 206-6212230 or go to [email protected] for details.

On March 17, 2009, American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling were apprehended by North Korean soldiers while filming a documentary about North Korean defectors along the China-North Korea border and charged with illegal entry for crossing into North Korea. They were sentenced to 12 years hard labor in a prison camp. Lisa Ling, Laura’s sister who was a special correspondent on The Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN worked tirelessly to publicize the women’s ordeal. Finally in August, 2009, former President Bill Clinton was sent to Pyongyang as a special envoy and secured their release. The sisters are co-authors of “Somewhere Inside – One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and The Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home”. In light of the current situation between North Korea and the U.S., Laura Ling’s Seattle appearance should bring an insightful perspective on the situation when she speaks on Mon., May 7, 2018 at 7:30pm as part of the “Live At McCaw Hall – Unique Lives” speaker’s series. At Seattle Center. Call 1-844-827-8118 or visit uniquelives.com for details.

In 2011, photojournalist David Guttenfelder helped Associated Press open a news bureau in North Korea. He will talk about that and his coverage of Fidel Castro’s funeral as part of “National Geographic Live – A Rare Look: North Korea to Cuba.” May 13 – 15, 2018 in Taper Auditorium . Seattle Symphony’s  Benaroya Hall downtown. Go to seattlesymphony.org for details.

On Tues., May 29 at 7pm, catch “Tech Tales: Engineering Family Storytelling”, a workshop with UW Professor Carrie Tzou, Megan Bang and Philip Bell  in which they talk about how parents and children can interweave their personal histories and stories with robotics and coding. Haynes’ Hall  at McMenamins Anderson School 18607 Bothell Way NE in Bothell. Go to mcmenamins.com/history for details.

Seattle writer Richard Chiem gets the last word on the “Epilogue” page of the April 2018 issue of CityArts magazine with an essay on self esteem entitled “Ten Times Gravity.”

Ethnic Seattle celebrated March Women’s History Month by listing “5 Women of Color Writers From Seattle You Should Know.” On that list were Donna Miscolta (“Hola and Goodbye”), Monica Sone (“Nisei Daughter”), Maliha Masood (“Zaatar Days, Henna Nights”), Ijema Oluo (“So You Want to Talk About Race”) and Octavia Butler (“Parable of the Talents”).

Yoon Ha Lee is an American science fiction/fantasy writer most known for his “Machineries of Empire” space opera novels and his short fiction. His first novel “Ninefox Gambit” received the 2017 Locus Award for Best First Novel. He will be in Seattle for a Clarion West workshop in July. The latest installment of his series will be out at the same time.  He will appear for a presentation at the Wing Luke Museum at that time as well. 206-623-5124. To find out about the workshop, try [email protected].

Congratulations to Vietnamese American poet Duy Doan who was the Yale Series of Younger Poets selection this year as judged by Carl Phillips. His “We Play A Game” is just out on Yale University Press. Also congratulations to former Seattlite and Hugo house resident, Anna Maria Hong who won the Cleveland State University Poetry Center 2017 First Book Poetry Competition as selected by Suzanne Buffam. Hong’s book of poetry entitled “Age of Glass” comes out April 1, 2018. A second poetry collection entitled “Fablesque” is forthcoming from Tupelo Press in 2019.

The March 26, 2018 issue of The New Yorker has a story by Hua Hsu on the pop-culture crossovers of 88rising in “Asian hip-hop Comes to America.”

The March-April 2018 issue of “World Literature Today” has a special section on Philippine-American Lit Guest-edited by Joseph O. Legaspi. Includes work by Jason Bayani, Eugene Gloria, R. Zamora LinmarkJanine Joseph, Washington native Oliver de la Paz, Sabina Murray and Jake Micafrente. Comes with “A Recommended Booklist” of Filipino American Writing.

The National Book Critics Circle Awards have been announced. Finalists in the “Fiction” category included Mohsin Hamid for his book entitled “Exitwest” (Riverhead). In the “Autobiography” category, Thi Bu’s “The Best We Could Do – An Illustrated Memoir” (Abrams) and Xiaolu Guo’s “Nine Continents: A Memoir In And Out of China” (Grove) were finalists. Congratulations to Xiaolu Guo who won the National Book Critics Circle Award in the “Autobiography” category.

One finds it hard to keep up with the steady stream of new titles coming out even in the limited categories of works by or about Asian Americans and new titles on Asia but here’s a recent sampling. Please contact me if anyone is interested in reviewing any of the below titles for the International Examiner. Thanks! –

New from Japanese Canadian writer Kerri Sakamoto (“The Electrical Field”) is “Floating City” (Knopf Canada). The novel looks at a young man in a harbor town who finds himself placed in an internment camp in the interior when WWII comes. After the war, he moves to Toronto where he finds a spiritual mentor in the persona of Buckminster Fuller. Comes out in a USA hardback edition in April, 2018.

“Someone to Talk To” (Duke University Press) is a novel by Liu Zhenyun as translated by Howard Goldblatt & Sylvia Li-chun Lin. It is a generational novel of loss and miscommunication in a Chinese village.

“An American Picture Bride” by Toy Kay with Janine Gates is the memoir of this Chinese American woman in Olympia. At the age of 16, she traveled from Billings, Montana to become the child bride to a restaurant owner in Olympia, Washington. This book tells the story of the early Chinese American community in that city as well as one woman’s personal journey to her own self-discovery.

Edgar Award-winning author  Naomi Hirahara concludes her popular Mas Arai detective series with “Hiroshima Boy” (Prospect Park Books). This one has her hero returning to the place of his birth to bring back the ashes of his best friend to a sister. Soon enough, he finds himself embroiled in the mysterious death of a teenage boy on an island off the coast of Hiroshima.

“The Chinese Kitchen Garden – Growing Techniques and Family Recipes From a Classic Cuisine” (Timber Press) by Wendy Kiang-Spray tells her family story through the lens of gardening, cooking and what each season brings.

“Godsong – A Verse Translation of the Bhagavad-Gita with Commentary” (Knopf) by Amit Majmudar is a new translation of that  Indian classic by a contemporary American poet who attempts to see it in a new light.

“Double Visions, Double Fictions – The Doppelganger in Japanese Film And Literature” (University of Minnesota) by Baryon Tensor Posadas analyzes now this device functions as a conceptual practice as utilzed by some of Japan’s most important modern writers and filmmakers.

“Project Mulberry” (HMH) is a new paperback edition of Linda Sue Park’s classic young adult novel about how a Korean American seventh-grader learns about her own culture through a silkworm project for a state fair.

“Daybreak in Myanmar” (Verve Photo) by Geoffrey Hiller documents this Portland photographer’s many visits to that isolated Asian country and its’ slow transition. 170 images of that country from dawn to dusk are accompanied by interviews with prominent Burmese figures.

“The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes” (Abrams) by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrated by David Roberts re-tells the Hans Christian Anderson tale of a boy emperor taken advantage of by corrupt ministers. In this story, can this boy outsmart his enemies and save his country?

Ruby Lal retells the fascinating story of a Muslim woman who ruled an empire in “Empress- The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan” (W.W. Norton). She receives her due in this deeply researched, evocative biography that opens up a window to a hidden history.

“Eye Level” (Graywolf) is Jenny Xie’s debut book of poetry. The apt title brings us a poet with a sensitive eye that surveys the world in intimate detail as it and the observer continually change. Winner of  the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets.

“American Panda” (Simon & Schuster) is the debut young adult novel by Gloria Chao. It tells the story of Mei Lu whose life seems planned out until in college, she sees things change. Forced to confront the secrets around her, she learns powerful lessons about family, love and staying true to yourself.

“Verax – The True History of Whistle Blowers, Drone Warfare and Mass Surveillance” (Metropolitan) is a graphic novel by Pratap Chatterjee and Khalil that links the US government’s reliance on inaccurate electronic surveillance and the dangers it poses to ordinary citizens.

“The Art of Resistance – Paintings by Candlelight in Mao’s China” (UW Press) by Shelly Drake Hawks takes a look at those artists who pursued independence during a time of severe political repression. Forbidden to do their art, they persisted in painting secretly by candlelight.

Using simple text and clear line drawing, Japanese children’s book author/artist Taro Gomi takes children on a magical journey in “Little Truck” (Chronicle).

“Yaks Yak – Animal Word Pairs” (Clarion Books) is a clever, fun picture book by Newbery Medal winner Linda Sue Park illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt. In it, she pairs animal names and actions in unlikely, comical pairs for a special kind of wordplay.

“The Heart Is A Shifting Sea – Love And Marriage In Mumbai” (Harper Press) by Elizabeth Flock looks at life in India through the ritual of marriage. Flock examines three middle class marriages and how they play out over a decade.

Gavin Aung Thai showed his graphic illustration skills in the New York Times. Now he turns them to two of his own graphic novel-style books for kids. In “Zen Pencils – Inspirational Quotes For Kids (both titles on Andrews McMeel), he takes philosophical quotes by influential figures and matches them with his creative illustrations. In “Zen Pencils – Creative Struggle: Illustrated Advice from Masters of Creativity”, he does a mash-up of cleaver cartoons and inspirational stories that features creative geniuses from history.

“Oceanic” (Copper Canyon Press) is a fourth collection of poetry by noted poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil. In it are poems of love to the earth and its inhabitants from the grief of the elephant to the icy eyes of a scallop. She comes to Seattle under the auspices of Seattle Arts & Lectures to give a talk on May 21 at 7:30pm at McCaw Hall. 206-621-2230 or try [email protected].

“Adventures in Starry Kitchen” (Harper One) by Nguyen Tran. When an unemployed  couple start an illegal restaurant out of their North Hollywood apartment, celebrity chefs and food writers beat a path to their door. But so does the city health inspector. Interesting stories and recipes fill this book that tells the true story of an underground restaurant that turns legit and becomes an established culinary landmark in the city of angels.

“Moon Brow” (Restless Books) by Shahriar Mandanipour is a stunning novel of love and war, steeped in Persian folklore and contemporary Middle East history.

“Interpreting Anime” (University of Minnesota) by Christopher Bolton is a thoughtful introduction to Japanese animation and what makes it  such a unique medium and adaptable art form.

“Emergency Contact” (Simon & Schuster) by young adult author Mary H. K. Choi is a story of a relationship for modern times. When Penny goes to college to learn how to become a writer she bumps into a guy who works at a café, sleeps upstairs but dreams of becoming a famous movie director. Through text messages they share the deepest anxieties and secret dreams without having the added stress of actually having to see each other.

“Ghosts of The Tsunami – Death And Life in Japan’s Disaster Zone” (Farrar Straus & Giroux) by Richard Lloyd Parry is the definitive account of what happened, why and how it felt when this catastrophe hit Japan. He examines the social and political ramifications of this post-disaster landscape and the impact upon its people.

“The Epic Crush of Genie Lo” (Amulet) by F. C. Yee. This young adult sci-fi story is about a hopeful overachiever in high school bent on cracking that elusive Harvard entry code until her world is turned upside down when her hometown comes under siege from a monster. A mysterious kid in her class helps her channel the powers she’ll need to defeat evil while the lives of her loved ones hang in the balance.

Patty Chang emerged from the New York City alternative art scene in the 1990’s with her deeply personal work in videos, photographs and performances. “The Wandering Lake” is both Queens Museum exhibition catalog and journal of her journeys of travel to locations of mythological culture and personal significance. From a mystic body of water in Yughur to  a beached whale in Newfoundland to Uzbekistan, we see the workings of a creative,restless, inquisitive mind.

In “Ruby’s Chinese New Year” (Henry Holt) by Vickie Lee and illustrated by Joey Chou, a young girl meets every animal in the Chinese zodiac in an effort to deliver a new year’s message to her grandma. Which animal will get her message delivered?

The Diamond Mountains – studded with rocky peaks, waterfalls, lagoons and filled with temples and holy sites is perhaps the most iconic site in all of Korea though few have seen it in modern times since it is located in North Korea. “Diamond Mountains – Travel and Nostalgia in Korean Art” (The Met) is the exhibition catalog on this theme and is currently on view at the Met in New York.

“Running Through Sprinklers” (Simon & Schuster) by Michelle Kim  is a young adult story about two best friends who think they’ll stay friends forever until everything changes. How can one girl save this friendship yet still discover her own true self as well?

“Record of Regret” (University of Oklahoma Press) is a novel by Dong Xi as translated by Dylan Levi King. Set during China’s cultural revolution, it’s the story of a young man trying to find his place in an upside-down world as he engages in dubious loyalties and learns life’s lessons.

“Ba-chan – The Ninja Grandma” (Little Bigfoot) by Sanae Ishida continues the adventures of this popular series. What happens when the Ninja Girl visits her grandma with her little brother in tow? Find out when this new book comes out in September, 2018.

“Sheep Machine” (Black Sun) by Vi Khi Nao is yet another page torn from this inquisitive and prolific experimental poet. Influenced by Leslie Thornton’s film of sheep feeding in the Swiss alps, she fashions a deep look into  the behavior of hunger and grazing with essays that glow with the luminous gaze of intense perception.

“The Astonishing Color of After” (Little Brown) by young adult author Emily Pan tells the story of a teenage girl who, following her mother’s suicide, traces her spirit to a bird. She travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents uncovering family secrets and forging new relationships.

“Soap For the Dogs” (Gramma) by Stacey Tran is the refreshing debut book of poetry from this Seattle-based press. Tran’s poetics combine a poetic present tense with a look back towards her parent’s immigrant past that unlocks many stories.

“Where Will I Live?” (Second Story) by UN Ambassador Rosemary McCarney is a photo-based picture book that conveys the danger and resilience of child refugees around the world to young readers.

“A Village With My Name – A Family History of China’s Opening to the World” (University of Chicago) by Scott Tong. Tong went to China to establish an office for American Public Media’s “Marketplace” radio program but along the way found personal ties. He shows us China through the lives and experiences of his extended family in both China and America.

‘Front Desk” (Scholastic) by Kelly Yang is a young adult novel taken from the author’s own growing up. When her family immigrated to the U.S. from China, her family managed a motel in California and tried to assist other immigrants to this new land.

“ Buddhism Illuminated – Manuscript Art from Southeast Asia” (UW Press) by San San May and Jana Igunma. The British Library has one of the richest collections of Buddhist manuscripts from Thailand and Burma. This book illustrates over 100 examples of the Library’s collection.

“Moon Goddess” (Loose Moose) by Niti Sampat Patel tells the story of a young woman whose mother’s death forces her to look into the past and unlock the secrets of Indian folktales told by a grand aunt from her childhood. Patel reads at Elliott Bay Book Company (see listings elsewhere).

“Paper Sons” (Autumn House) by Dickson Lam won the 2017 Autumn House Nonfiction Prize. It combines memoir and cultural history, the quest for an absent father and the struggle for social justice, naming traditions in graffiti and in Chinese culture. Violence marks the story at every turn – from Mao to Malcolm X, from the projects in San Francisco to the lynching of Asians during the California gold rush.

“Go Home!” (Feminist Press) is an anthology of new writing that looks at the theme of home as explored by a variety of Asian American writers. Edited by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan with a foreword by Vet Thanh Nguyen.

“How To American – An Immigrant’s Guide to Disappointing Your Parents” (Da Capo) is by Jimmy O. Yang, stand-up comic and actor in the HBO series “Silicon Valley”. This is his memoir of growing up as a Chinese immigrant who pursued a Hollywood career against the wishes of his parents.

“Everything Here is Beautiful” (Pamela Dorman/Viking) is a novel by Mira T. Lee that tells the story of two sisters  – physically words apart with distinctly different personalities that still have a unique bond and what happens when one sister travels to save the other.

“Confucius – Great Teacher of China” (Shen’s Books) is the latest picture book by noted children’s book author/illustrator Demi. It chronicles the life of this philosopher whose teachings shaped the beliefs of a whole nation.

“Arranging Marriage – Conjugal Agency in The South Asian Diaspora” (Minnesota) by Marian Aguiar looks at the tradition of arranged marriage historically and geographically and shows how it’s changed over time and according to place.

“How Do I Look?” (Metatron) by Chinese Canadian poet Sennah Yee is a poetry that encompasses whole words in just a few sentences.

“Muncie, India(na)” (University of Illinois) by Himanee Gupta-Carlson looks at middle America from another perspective and wonders what do non-whites, non-Christians and other non-natives mean when they call themselves American. The author reads at Elliott Bay Book Company (see listings elsewhere).

“Ghost Boys” (Mawenzi House) by Shenaaz Nanji. When a fifteen year old boy from a poor family in India ends up at a camel farm in a gulf country, he is put in charge of training camel jockeys, young boys brought from South Asia. Starved and mistreated by masters whose only goal is winning, the boys’ lives are in constant danger. In time our hero hatches a plot to save the boys and himself by winning the Gold Sword Race.

“Postcolonial Biology: Psyche And Flesh After Empire” (Minnesota) by Deepika Bahri looks at how minds and bodies have been shaped by colonial contact and the impact of colonialism on the colonized body.

“The Place Between Breaths” (Caitlyn Dlouhy/Antheneum) by  young adult author An Na tells the story of a strong young girl whose life crumbles with the onslaught of a mental illness that runs in the family.

“Jottings Under Lamplight” (Harvard) by Lu Xun is an anthology of essays by this seminal contemporary Chinese writer as edited by Eileen J. Cheng and Kirk A. Denton. It shows his versatility of prose forms and his brilliance as a cultural critic. Includes sixty-two essays, twenty of which are translated for the first time.

“Girls Burn Brighter” (Flatiron) by Shobha Rao is a novel that looks at the deep friendship between two girls in India and how that bond is broken by an act of cruelty When one woman tries to find her long lost friend, it takes her to the darkest corners of India’s underworld all the way to Seattle. She reads at Elliott Bay Book Company (see listings elsewhere).

“Salvage” (Triquaterly/Northwestern University Press) by  Cynthia Dewi Oka is a new book of poems by this poet originally from Bali. Her immigrant experience allows her to craft poems that defy history’s dislocation and gives us revealing images of power and elegance.

“Draw The Line” (Roaring Brook) by Kathryn Otoshi. This acclaimed author/illustrator pairs black and white illustrations with splashes of color to create a powerful, multi-layered statement about friendship, boundaries and healing after conflict. Without a line of dialogue, the author provides important life lessons to children.

“The Friend” (Riverhead) by Sigrid Nunez explores friendship and grief in the relationship between a woman and a great dane left to her care by a life-long friend and mentor.

“Under The Skin” (Hatje Cantz) by Chiharu Shiota is the first retrospective exhibition catalogue of this internationally known Japanese installation artist based in Berlin who received world recognition for her 2015 work at the Venice Biennale. To enter her work is to enter another world instantly recognizable yet startlingly strange.

“China – A History in Objects” (Thames & Hudson) by Jessica Harrison-Hall takes the daunting task of unpacking the long history of China and breaks it down to understandable pieces through a detailed look at objects from China’s civilization from the Neolithic age to the present.

“Go In Clean, Come Out Dirty” (Rabbit Fool Press) by Kevin Minh Allen is a second book of poetry by this former Seattle-based poet now on the East Coast. This book is a philosophical exploration of the internal and external halves that comprise our self-identity. This American adoptee poet peers into the legacy of war and resettlement with a sharp and sensitive lens.

News/Opportunities

Jack Straw announced recipients of their 2018 Artist Support Program Grants. They include the following – Seattle vocalist Srivani Jade for work on “Peace Mantra”, a musical composition for female voices. Nic Masangkay, a spoken word poet Felipinx queer trans disabled survivor to work on “The Park at Dusk”, a project featuring original music and spoken word poetry.

Seattle artist Megumi Shauna Arai is working on an installation entitled “Unnamed Lake” for a group show opening at the Wing in June 2018. She needs volunteers to participate. If interested, go to https://unnamedlake.com/ for details.

Friends of Asian Art Association is an all-volunteer organization that connects its members and the community to educations, cultural and social events tied to Asia and its diverse art forms and culture. Enjoy year-round activities and meet new friends who share similar interests by becoming a member. All are welcome to the activities but members get special discounts and perks. Some upcoming program events include the following –Go to FriendsOfAsianArt.org or call (206) 522-5438. On Sat., April 14, 2018 from 9:30am – 3pm, they stage an “Asian & Global Treasures Sale.” Quality collectables  from Seattle’s world travelers and collectors. Includes antiques, artifacts and craft items from Asia, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. St. Mark’s Cathedral’s Bloedel Hall at 1245 10^th Ave. E. (on Capitol Hill). Free  admission and free parking. Purchases by  cash or check only. Call 206-285-4936 for more information.

Artist Trust offers workshops state-wide and webinar workshops on topics of interest to artists of all genres such as assistance on how to apply for an Artist Trust Fellowship, a Twining Humber Award, resources on how to get to know local arts organizations, cultivating professional relationships, organizing your resume and much more. Artist Trust can be found at 1835 – 12^th Ave. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill or go to artisttrust.org for more details.

The Robert Chinn Foundation announced four new inductees for their 2018 Class into their  Asian Hall Fame. Kourtney Kang, writer/producer of “Fresh Off The Boat”, Kevin Kan, best-selling author of “Crazy Rich Asians” (soon to be a movie) Melissa Lee, host of CNBC’s “Fast Money” and Roy Yamaguchi, chef/founder of Roy’s. The four will be inducted at a ceremony on May 5, 2018 at Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

“American Muslims: An Anthology of Contemporary Writing” as edited by Kazim Ali will be published by Red Hen Press. Send poetry (5 – 10 poems) or prose (no more than 3,000 words) to Kazim Ali at [email protected] no later than Sept. 15, 2018.

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