Art Etc. – 10/20/2010

Alan Chong Lau

October 21, 2010

729

Highlights
Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Film/Media
Written Arts
Art News/ Opportunites

Highlights

The Butoh-influenced Japanese dance group Sankai Juku (see preview article in this issue) return to Seattle with a new piece entitled “TOBARI As If In An Inexhaustible Flux” which is performed in near darkness. One night only on November 3 at 7:30pm. Presented by STG at the Paramount Theatre. (877) 784-4849 or go to stgpresents.org.
Earshot Jazz presents their 2010 Jazz Festival through November 7 featuring local, national and international jazz, experimental and ethnic musicians performing at various venues around the sound. Local jazz singer Valerie Joyce joins fellow vocalists Ben Black and Lincoln Birney in a concert entitled “Channeling Chet” in which they pay tribute to the late jazz trumpet player/vocalist Chet Baker with songs and anecdotes. October 27 at 9:30pm at The Triple Door downtown. Former Seattle pianist Gary Fukushima (now based in L.A.) returns to town as part of the Mark Taylor Quartet in a concert set for October 27 at 7:30pm at Tula’s downtown. Co-presented with STG on October 30 is a concert with Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Moore Theatre. Co-presented with the Crocodile Café, the Cuong Vu/Andrew D’Angelo Quartet shares the bill with the Dafnis Prieto Proverb Trio on November 1. Local violist Eyvind Kang is part of the Bill Frisell Beautiful Dreamers Trio & guests on Nov. 3 at 7pm & 9:30pm at the Triple Door downtown. Visit www.earshot.org or call (206) 547-6763.
The Intiman Theatre presents a new adaptation of “The Scarlet Letter” (see preview article this issue) written by Naomi Iizuka and directed by Lear deBessonet. October 29 – Dec. 5. 201 Mercer at Seattle Center. (206) 269-1900 or email [email protected]
If you have visited Wing Luke Museum of the Asia Pacific American Experience to see the exhibits only, you’re only getting part of the picture. November 4 is the Museum’s First Thursday from 10am – 8pm. Get free gallery admission as well as the historic hotel tour at a discount (free for members). Also opening that night is “Born Into Identity: The Asian Pacific American Adoptee Experience from 4 – 6pm. Thorough artwork by APA Adoptee artists and oral histories, you can explore the complexities of being an APA Adoptee. 719 South King. (206) 623-5124 or www.wingluke.org
Interested in seeing new plays by Asian American playwrights? Check out “Insatiable!”, a festival of new play readings by local playwrights Kathy Hsieh, Maggie Lee, May Nguyen and Roger Tang Nov. 4 – 8. Presented by The SIS Writers Group. Prima
Vera Arts Center at 112 – 5th Ave. N. on the 2nd floor. (206) 323-9443 or email [email protected]
The Chinese Arts & Music Association celebrate their 25th Anniversary with a concert entitled “A Touch of the Orient – East Meets West” on October 24. With a Chinese Art Exhibition at 1pm in the lobby and a performance at 3pm. A rare chance to hear traditional and modern Chinese classical and folk music performed live. At UW’s Meany Hall. 15th Avenue N.E. & N.E. 40th Streets. (206) 817-6888 for details.

Visual Arts

Seattle artist Diem Chau has work in a group show entitled “Media Mix” Nov. 1 – Dec. 2 at Eavelt Gallery at Columbia Basin College at 2000 N. 20th Ave. in Pasco, WA. Chau is also written up in the Fall 2010 issue of Hyphen Magazine.
The work of Carina del Rosario and Christine Tran and many others is included in a group show entitled “Picture Us Center of Attention – Photo Center NW Faculty Exhibition.” On view through November 24. Faculty talks are set for November 19 at 7pm. 900 – 12th Avenue. (206) 720-7222×11.
Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the U.S. government created the Public Works of Art Program – the first federal government program to support the arts nationally. From the Smithsonian American Art Museum comes a selection of the paintings made with the support from this program. “1934 : A New Deal For Artists” is on view from through January 9, 2011. Whatcom Museum at the Lightcatcher. 121 Prospect Street inBellingham. (360) 778-8930 or visit www.whatcommuseum.org
“Waste Not” is a monumental installation that is a collaboration between the contemporary artist Song Dong and his mother. All of the everyday objects collected during her entire life are piled up within the frame of her house. In an interview with the artist by Sus Van Elzen (from “Dragon & Rose Garden – Art And Power in China) the artist goes on to say, “ However it is also a very personal history that revolves around my mother, because four years ago her husband, my father, suddenly died of a heart attack. My mother then went a little mad. She no longer wanted to leave it and only talked about her things, she lived in the middle of them, watched TV and refused to talk to anyone. Because I am an artist I had the idea of making this exhibition, also to help my mother deal with her ties to the past.” He goes on to say that the process of putting together the installation drew her mother out of isolation and regained her interest in the world. October 2 – January 16, 2011. Vancouver Art Gallery. 750 Hornby Street in Vancouver, B.C. (604) 662-4719.
The work of Saya Moriyasu, Yuki Nakamura, Arun Sharma, Brendan Tang, Patti Warashina and others is included in “BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown”. This is Bellevue Arts Museum’s new juried exhibition competition where artists are asked to make work expressly for the show. Continues on view through January 16. Noted ceramic artist and UW Art Professor Akio Takamori was one of the judges. 510 Bellevue Way N.E. (425) 519-0770.
Ordinary Household Gods” is a mixed media show by Tommer Peterson on view through November 6. The 5th Annual “KOBO Simple Cup Show” opens November 13 from 6 – 8pm and stays on view till December 5. KOBO Gallery at HIGO. 604 South Jackson. (206) 381-3000 or www.koboseattle.com
“Trace Series” is a solo show of new work by Etsuko Ichikawa who uses the fire and smoke of molten glass as a paint brush. On view until the end of this year. At Tramel-Gagne in the Design Center located at 5701 – 6th Avenue S. #105. (206) 762-1511 or visit www.tgshowroom.com
Cora Edmonds, Photographer and founder of ArtXchange Gallery will have on display a veritable photographic quilt of images taken on her many travels around the world. On view through October 30. (206) 838-0377 or visit www.artxchange.org
“We Are Pilgrims: A suite of Woodblock prints by Annie Bissett” is the latest show at Cullom Gallery. This series of hand-printed Japanese woodblock prints is an exploration of the artist’s own heritage as a Mayflower descendent and a critique of the immediate and far-reaching impact of the lives of the earliest settlers. Through November 27.603 S. Main (206) 919-8278 or www.cullomgallery.com
Calligrapher Iyoko Okano has work in the group show entitled “The Varied Art of Calligraphy” on view through Oct. 26 at the Frances Anderson Center at 700 Main St. in Edmonds. (425) 771-0228.
The current trend towards abstraction is shown in contrast to the use of the figure in a group show of photography entitled “Contemporary Works from the Monsen Collection” on view through Nov. 28 in the North Galleries of the Henry Art Gallery. The work of Weng Fen is featured. Also in the works is an exhibition of photography by the Seattle Camera Club, a turn-of-the-century photographers group started by Dr. Kyo Koike and other Japanese Americans. 15th Ave. NE & NE 41st St. (206) 543-2280 or visit www.henryart.org
“Paradoxes of Living on Holy Land” is a show that features photographs from Jerusalem and the West Bank by Rajiv Kapoor in Seattle University’s Vachon & Kinsey Galleries. On view through December 3. (206) 296-5360.
“From Edo To Tacoma – Three Eras of Japanese Woodblock Prints: Edo, Meiji, and 20th Century Works” remains on view through February 13, 2011. ”Know More Art Sunday Lecture Series happens every Sunday at 1:30pm. The last talk in the series is “Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World” on October 24. Tacoma Art Museum is at 1701 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. (253) 272-4258 or tacomaartmuseum.org
The Burke Museum mounts their first major exhibition of their international textile collection showing work from the peoples of the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Islands in “Weaving Heritage: Textile Masterpieces From the Burke Collection”. Through February 27, 2012. (206) 543-5590 or go to www.washington.edu/burkemuseum.
Paul Komada has a show of paintings and fiber art at Gallery4Culture. November 5 – 24. (206) 296-8674 or go to www.4culture.org.
Work by Paul Horiuchi is included in a group show of paintings by Northwest masters. Through November 5. Woodside/Braseth Gallery at 2101 Ninth Ave. (206) 622-7243 or go to www.woodsidebrasethgallery.com
The work of Frank Kunishige is included in the current exhibit entitled “The Arts and Crafts Movement in the Pacific Northwest” on view now through November 28. “ With Our Hands – Folk Art Treasures”. Vietnamese paper folding is just one of the many folk arts gathered from across the state for this exhibit that attempts to answer the question, “What is folk art?” On view through December with various folk art demonstrations and activities planned. Washington State History Museum. 1911 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma.
“New/Old: Recent Acquisitions of Chinese Painting” is on view through October 31. Ping-Kwan Wong emigrated from Hong Kong to Seattle in 1996. He used the McCaw Foundation Library at Seattle Asian Art Museum for years to study calligraphy and classic poems. He created hundreds of bookmarks featuring famous Chinese poems and well-known sayings before passing away in February of 2010. A small show of his bookmarks will be on view through October 2010 in the library. Also “First Saturdays from 11am – 2pm feature programs that connect your family with the arts and cultures of Asia. Free and no registration is required. 1400 Prospect in Volunteer Park. (206) 654-3100 or www.seattleartmuseum.org
“Order and Border” is an onging exhibit on the third floor World Textiles Gallery at Seattle Art Museum downtown. The selection from SAM’s permanent collection puts stripes in the spotlight with Japanese bedcovers and undergarments, a meditation cloth from Laos, an African teacher’s disguise and items from many other global cultures. Call (206) 654-3121 or visit seattleartmuseum.org.
“A Refugee’s Journey of Survival And Hope” is the latest show to open at the “Wing”. See life through the eyes of a refugee through personal stories, photographs and multimedia. Show continues on view till Dec. 12, 2010. “Sacred Seattle” is a new exhibit opening September 16 from 6 – 8pm. It traces spaces, places and paths where Asian Pacfic Americans both belong to and long for the sacred. ”Home Revealed: Artists of the Chinatown-International District” remains on view till April 17, 2011. “APIA Adoptees” is a new exhibition opening on November 4 from 6 – 8pm. Calligraphy artist Chiyo Sanada shows you how to create sumi gift bags on November 20 at 1pm. “Local Refugee Organizations Speak” is a forum set for November 20 at 4:30pm about working with local refugees and how you can get involved. For details on all of the above, go to www.wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.
Iyoko Okano’s Japanese calligraphy is on view in the Edmonds Arts Festival Museum through Oct. 30. Located at the Frances Anderson Center at 700 Main St, in Edmonds. (425) 771-1984 or www.eaffoundation.org
Seattle-raised artist Rogwer Shimomura keeps busy with four one-man shows around the country. ”Yellow Terror” is at the Richmond Center for Visual Arts in Michigan September – October. “Minidoka on my Mind” is at the Gardner Art Gallery at Oklahoma State University September – October. “Three Print Suites on the Internment” is at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota September – October. Finally “An American Knockoff” is at the Flomenhaft Gallery in New York City October – December. Go to www.rshim.com for more information.
“Dropping the Urn (Ceramic works, 5000 B.C.E.-2010 C.E.)” is the title of an exhibit by contemporary Chinese photographer/ceramic/installation artist Ai Weiwei now on view through October 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland. Through October 30. (503) 223-2654 or www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org
Fans of Japanese Pop culture, anime, and manga won’t want to miss “Aki Con 2010”. This festival includes 24 hour anime viewing, panels, workshops and more. Coming November 5 – 7 at the Bellevue Hilton Hotel. For details, go to www.akicon.org

Performing Arts

“People Bridges” is a series of historic narratives dramatically presented by a single actor. “Code of Silence” showcases the story of a Japanese Kibei who served as a code-breaker for the U.S. military during WWII on October 24 at 2:30pm. Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience at 719 S. King. (206) 623-5124 or www.wingluke.org
Nikkei Concerns’ 35th Anniversary Dinner and Auction takes place on October 30 starting at 5:30pm. Westin Seattle at 1900 – 5th Ave. Go to www.nikkeiconcerns.org or call (206) 726-6465 for more details.
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center is a Japanese American history museum in Portland. The following two exhibitions are on view till November 14. “Oregon Nikkei: Reflections of an American Community” and “Echoes of Struggle and Hope: 20 Years of the Japanese American Historical Plaza”. 121 Northwest 2nd Avenue. (503) 224-1458 or email [email protected]
To mark the conclusion of a week-long residency at Cornish College of the Arts by French-Vietnamese jazz guitarist Nguyen Le and his Saiyuki Trio with Mieko Miyazaki on koto/shamisen and Prabhu Edouard on tabla present a special concert with guest artist, Rudresh Mahanthappa on alto saxophone. At PONCHO Concert Hall at 710 East Roy Street on November 20 at 8pm. Co-presented with Earshot
SEED Arts presents “ARTS Gumbo 2010 – The China Experience with the Seattle Chinese Orchestra”. Expect an evening of traditional and contemporary Chinese music in an intimate setting. (206) 760-4285 or visit www.artsgumbo.com
The Kirkland Performance Center presents “Hooray For Bollywood” is a dance revue of top Bollywood hits with a Vegas-style twist. Only northwest performance. Featuring authentic costumes and choreography from many regions of India. Set for October 29 at 7:30pm.. 350 Kirkland Avenue in Kirkland. Visit www.kpcenter.org or call (425) 893-9900 for tickets.

Film/Media

Mark Romanek’s film version of British writer Kazuo Ishiguro’s award-winning novel, “Never Let Me Go” with Carey Mulligan is currently in Seattle theatres. The script was written by Ishiguro as well.
The documentary film about the effects of seperation on a Chinese family entitled “Last Train Home” (see preview article in this issue) by Lixin Fan that played SIFF returns for a one week run on October 22 at the Varsity. 4329 University Way N.E. (206) 781-5755.
The 15th Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival returns to Puget Sound with screenings at various venues through October 24. Quentin Lee’s latest film entitled “The People I’ve Slept With” stars Lucy Liu as a free spirit who when she becomes pregnant, feels pressure to figure out who the father is. Screens October 22 at 7:30pm at the Admiral Theater in West Seattle. Go to www.threedollarbillcinema.org for details.

Written Arts

The Elliott Bay Book Company now situated in their cozy new digs on Capitol Hill hits the group running this fall with readings on almost every day of the week. Some highlights –Rahna Reiko Rizzuto turns to non-fiction to explore her experience alone away from her family interviewing survivors of the atom bomb attacks in Japan in “Hiroshima in the Morning” (The Feminist Press) and how it changes her life. She reads on October 21. Yi Yun Li reads from a book of delicately written short stories of encounters between between people in conflict on the cusp of change entitled “Gold Boy, Emerald Girl” (Random House) on October 25. Madhur Jaffrey shares a new book “At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka” (Knopf) on October 28 and Barbara Pollock reads from “The Wild, Wild East: An American Art Critic’s Adventures in China” (Timezone 8) November 21 at 3pm in readings co-sponsored with the Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas at Seattle Asian Art Museum. All readings at Elliott Bay unless otherwise noted. Please see www.elliottbaybook.com for more details.
The Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas present “Saturday University-Sacred Sites of Asia”, a series of talks set for Saturdays from September 25 – November 15 and January 15 – 22.9:30 – 11am at Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. Coming up is Christian Novetzke talking about “The Sacred Site of the Self in Hinduism: Temple, Society, and the Yoga Body” on October 23 and Mimi Garner Gates talking about “The BNiuddhist Caves of Dunhuang: Treasure Trove in the Chinese Gobi Desert” on October 30. Call (206) 442-8480 or visit seattleartmuseum.org/gardnercenter for more details.
Archipelago Books presents Buddhadeva Bose’s “My Kind of Girl” as translated from the Bengali by Arunava Sinha. Set for October release. The book tells the story of four strangers stuck on a December night at a railway station and how the sight of a young loving couple prompts them all to share stories of love and loss and the vagaries of the human heart. Go to www.archipelagobooks.org for details.
Samrat Upadhyay’s “Buddha’s Orphans” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) tells a story that covers over a half century of political and social upheavel in contemporary Nepal. Just released.
Monique Truong follows her debut novel, “The Book of Salt” with something a little more autobiographical with “Bitter in the Mouth” (Random House), the story of a a young woman’s experience growing up looking “Asian” in the rural South. Just released.
“A Cold Wind from Idaho” (Black Lawrence Press) is local writer Lawrence Matsuda’s(see related article this issue) debut collection of poetry that details his experience at Minidoka internment camp, the facility that most Japanese Americans from this area were sent for lock-up during WW II. For ordering information, go to www.blacklawrence.com. Matsuda visits Bainbridge Island County Libraries. On October 29 at 7pm, he reads at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle.1521 10th Avenue on Capitol Hill. (206) 624-6600 or www.elliottbaybook.com
Ron Chew and Ken Mochizuki have co-authored a new book entitled “Years of Caring, The Story of Nikkei Concerns”. For information, go to www.nikkeiconcerns.org

Art News/ Opportunites

Applications for the 2011 Jack Straw Residencies for emerging artists in diverse disciplines available now. Deadline is November 1, 2010. Go to www.jackstraworg/programs/asp/a011/2011_apps.shtml.
Poets and Writers offer matching grants up to $300 to pay writers who are speaking as part of literary programming. To download details, go to http://www.pw.org/funding.
The idea for a collective art gallery in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District neighborhood is in the planning stages. Plans call for a gallery space that will showcase visual art by new & emerging artists of color. If you want more information or want to attend a meeting, email Carina at [email protected] or log on to www.flickr.com/photos/cadelrosario
Artist Trust is accepting nominations for the Irving and Yvonne Twining Humber Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement to a Washington state female artist, age 60 or over. Deadline is December 15, 2010. Go to www.artisttrust.org for details.