Home Arts Arts Etc. Art Etc. – 12/15/2010

Art Etc. – 12/15/2010

Alan Chong Lau

December 16, 2010

693

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

Highlights

Some of you may remember Maki Tamura’s naughty yet artfully crafted installation inspired by the Japanese pop phenomenon of “Hello Kitty!” on view at the Seattle Asian Art Museum a few years back. Now she has her second solo exhibition at James Harris Gallery. The work here features carefully constructed drawings and hanging sculpture that riff off motifs found in 18^th and 19^th century European decorative arts. The distinction between drawing and sculpture is playfully blurred by crafting the entire object out of paper. Drop by and get lost in another world. Through Jan. 15. James Harris Gallery, located at 312 Second Ave. S. Call (206) 903-6220 or visit www.jamesharrisgallery.com.
“Songlines”, a London-based world music magazine always includes free music sampler CDs attached to their cover. The latest issue with the late Nigerian musician Fela on the cover includes a superb music sampler CD entitled “Into The Light – World Music of Korea – Classical & Contemporary Traditional Music” that shows how today’s younger musicians are interpreting the Korean musical tradition with a modern twist. Notes to the songs and groups appear within the pages of the magazine. Available at magazine stalls around the city like the University Book Store, Bulldog News on University Avenue and local music stores.
As we move into winter do you find yourself craving more light? Then why not check out a group show entitled “Light” (see review in this issue) with lighted sculpture featuring Elaine Hanowell, HiiH Lights of Portland (courtesy of KOBO), June Sekiguchi and Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn. At the Artxchange Gallery through Dec. 31 with many activities and workshops planned. Artxchange Gallery, located at 512 First Ave. S. Call (206) 839-0377 or visit www.artxchange.org.
“Celebrate Asia!” is the annual concert that features musical traditions of China, Japan, Korea and India. Set for Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. With Carolyn Kuan, Sumi Jo and Msayo Ishigure. Located at the Benaroya Hall downtown, 200 University Ave. Call (206) 215-4747 or go to www.celebrateasia.org.
The making and pounding of rice cakes is an annual Japanese New Years’ tradition which can be shared by the public at the following places. JCCCW’s Mochi Tsuki event takes place Dec. 30 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. NVC Memorial Hall at 1212 S. King St. Call (206) 568-7114 or go to www.jcccw.org. Bainbridge Island’s Mochi Tsuki takes place on Jan. 2 at IslandWood located at 4450 Blakely Ave. NE on Bainbridge Island. Call (206) 842-4722 or go to www.bijac.org.
The gravity defying, ever agile and ever so playful Peking Acrobats return to this area with a show at the Pantages Theater in Tacoma. Jan. 9, 2011 at 3 p.m. Call (253) 591-5894 or visit www.broadwaycenter.org.

Visual Arts

“A History of the Japanese Community in Washington” exhibit opens at Tacoma Art Museum on Jan. 12 at 10:30 a.m. Go to www.tacomaartmuseum.org.
The work of Diem Chau is included in a group show of small works entitled “Neo-Kitsch” on view through Dec. 24 at ArtsWest Gallery, located at 4711 California Ave. S.W. Call (206) 938-0399 or visit www.artswest.org.
An exhibit entitled “History of Pacific Northwest Japanese Restaurants” is on view till June 1, 2011 at the Northwest Nikkei Museum in the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington. Included are excerpts from interviews with those who owned, worked and grew up with the restaurants. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center, located at 1414 S. Weller. Call (206) 568-7114 or visit www.jcccw.org.
Award-winning former Seattle Times photographer Barry Wong had his piece, “Jasmine Tea and Black Teapot” exhibited in the Department of Commerce’s Diplomatic Room in Washington D.C. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke’s office. Wong’s “Japanese Yellow Plums” was also on display at Tea House Kuan Yin recently in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. Go to www.teahousekuanyin.com for details.
Woodside/Braseth Gallery presents “Reflection and Abstraction: George Tsutakawa Centennial and Gerard Tsutakawa New Sculpture” on view through December 23. A rare opportunity to survey the life and art of educator, sculptor and painter George Tsutakawa (1910 – 1997) and also see the new work of his son in “Abstraction” by Gerard Tsutakawa. An additional group show entitled “George Tsutakawa And Friends” is also on view. Woodside/Braseth Gallery, located at 2101 Ninth Ave. at Lenora in Seattle. Call (206) 622-7243 or go to www.woodsidebrasethgallery.com.
Seattle artist Randy Hayes’ new work deals with his impressions of Japan from a recent trip as well as his inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints. On view on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 22 at Marquand Books located at 1400 Second Ave. in downtown.
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 is located at 121 Prospect Street in Bellingham. Call (360) 778-8930 or visit www.whatcommuseum.org.
“Waste Not” is a monumental installation 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. Through January 16, 2011. Vancouver Art Gallery, located at 750 Hornby Street in Vancouver, B.C. Call (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. Bellevue Arts Museum is located at 510 Bellevue Way N.E. Call (425) 519-0770.
KOBO Gallery at HIGO features their annual “Simple Cup” show with hundreds of ceramic cups from artists from the Northwest and Japan. Also on view is a sampling of lighting products by HiiH of Portland. Both shows on view through Dec. KOBO Gallery at HIGO is located at 604 South Jackson St. Call (206) 381-3000 or visit 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 6^th Avenue S. #105. Call (206) 762-1511 or visit www.tgshowroom.com .
“From Edo To Tacoma – Three Eras of Japanese Woodblock Prints: Edo, Meiji, and 20^th Century Works” remains on view through February 13, 2011. The second rotation of new work means what is currently on view is an entirely new show. Tacoma Art Museum is at 1701 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. Call (253) 272-4258 or visit 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” (see review in this issue). Through February 27, 2012. Call (206) 543-5590 or go to www.washington.edu/burkemuseum.
“Wang Huaiqing: A Painter’s Painter in Contemporary China” traces the artist’s development through 23 innovative works. Recognized as one of China’s leading contemporary artists for his ability to blur the line between abstract and naturalistic art. Nov. 18 – July 17. Seattle Asian Art Museum, located at 1400 Prospect in Volunteer Park. Call (206) 654-3100 or visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.
“Order and Border” is an on-going 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.
“Born Into Identity: The Asian Pacific American Adoptee Experience” is the latest show to open at the “Wing.” 13 APA Adoptee artists and oral histories from community members explore the complexities of being an APA adoptee. “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. Jan. 6 is “First Thursday” and gives you a chance to experience the historic hotel tour at a discount (always free to members). 10am – 8pm.Local community activist Vera Ing reads from her new memoir “Dim Sum: The Seattle ABC (American Born Chinese) Dream” on Jan. 6 at 6pm in the Tateuchi Story Theatre. Also an opening reception for a new exhibit entitled “Cultural Confluence: Urban People of Asian and Native American Heritages” takes place on Jan. 13 from 5:30 – 8pm. Also opening on Sat., Jan. 15 is a new exhibit entitled “New Years All Year Round” that looks at Asian traditions for the new year from various Asian cultures. For details on all of the above, go to www.wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.
Local artist MalPina Chan curates a show on book art entitled “The Art of the Book: Hand to Hand” through Jan. 9. Columbia City Gallery is located at 4864 Rainier Ave. S. Call (206) 760-9843 or visit www.columbiacitygallery.com.
The work of Paul Horiuchi and George Tsutakawa is included in a group show entitled “Guy Anderson and other Friends – the Paul I. Gingrich, Jr. Collection” on view through Jan. 2 at Museum of Northwest War, locate at 121 South First St. La Connor, Wash. Call (360) 466-4446 or visit www.museumofnwart.org.
The work of local artist Naoko Morisawa was selected as one of the award-winners in a juried group show now on view through Jan. 3. Northwind Arts Center is located at 2409 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend. Thursday – Monday from 12 – 5 p.m. Visit www.northwestarts.org/news.
“Face Fruits and Leaves and Branches of the Tree of Life” is a show of new work by Kanetaka Ikeda that uses the image of a Christmas tree to depict the unity and individuality of all things. Black Fish Gallery in Portland through Dec. 31. Black Fish Gallery is located at 420 NW Ninth Ave. Call (503) 224-2634 or visit www.blackfish.com.
“TAKEN: FBI” is a new exhibit that examines the experiences of Japanese American families in the Portland area imprisoned by the FBI and Department of Justice shortly after the bombing at Pearl Harbor. On view at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center through May 30, 2011. A series of monthly programs will be held to accompany the exhibit. For details, go to www.oregonikkei.org.
Seattle-raised artist Roger Shimomura keeps busy with four one-man shows around the country. His latest, “An American Knockoff” at the Flomenhaft Gallery in New York City through December. Go to www.rshim.com for more information.
SOIL Art Collective is now accepting proposals for shows in their exhibition space from June – Dec. 2011. Deadline is Jan. 21, 2011. Go to [email protected] or go to www.soilart.org.
Art4Culture’s gallery space is accepting applications for shows for their 2011-2012 season now with a deadline of Jan. 10, 2011. Artists, artist teams and independent curators in King County not affiliated with a commercial gallery are eligible to apply. Call Esther at (206) 296-8674 for questions.
In celebration of the 125^th Anniversary of the Kansas City Art Institute, the school presents “(Re)Form – Recent Work by graduates of the Kansas City Art Institute ceramics program” on view through Dec. 19. Noted local ceramics artist and UW Professor Akio Takamori went to KCAI and his work is included in this show. [email protected].
“Skowhegan – A Residency Program for Emerging Visual Artists” presented by Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture annually affords artists the opportunity to work and workshop by internationally known artists in residency. Takes place June 11 – August 13, 2011. Apply online at www.skowheganart.org by Feb. 1, 2011.

Performing Arts

“Jai Ho! East West Masala: Garam Masala” is a dance performance event at the Little Red Studio on Dec. 18 from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. Little Red Studio is located at 400 Dexter Ave. N. To RSVP, e-mail [email protected]. For information, call (971) 344-2022 or go to www.bollywoodpdx.com.
Shen Yun Chinese Dance and Music performance is set for Dec. 29 & 20 at 7 p.m. and Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. Enjoy traditional Chinese dance and music on stage. 1-800-745-3000 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.
“The Wing” helps sponsor a “Chinatown/ID & Little Saigon Shop-O-Rama”. Shop, eat and get festive with neighborhood shops with artist workshops and a treasure hunt. Through Dec. 22 (every Th. & Sat.). Call (206) 623-5124 x203 or go to www.wingluke.org/marketplace.
The Killerbees (with Bob Antolin on sax, flute and guitar) continue their weekly stand at Waid’s every Thursday at 8 p.m. $5 cover. Location at 1212 E. Jefferson. Call (206) 328-6483. They also have a new self-titled CD which will be available for purchase at the club.
Portland State University Center for Japanese Studies will host the only West Coast performance by the prestigious Kashu-juku Noh Theater from Kyoto, Japan set for March 16, 2011. They will be performing one of the centerpieces of their repertoire entitled “Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi) adapted from Lay Murasaki’s “The Tale of Genji.” For details, go to http://www.pdx.edu/cjs.
The Portland Japanese Garden will have an “O-Shogatsu New Year’s Festival on Jan. 9 from noon – 3 p.m. and an “O-Shogatsu Dinner with Chef Naoko” on Jan. 16 from 1 – 3 p.m. For details, go to www.japanesegarden.com/events or call (503) 542-0280.

Film/Media

Master Japanese film animator Miyazaki’s fairly recent feature film “Ponyo” (dubbed in English) screens Dec. 17 & 18 at midnight at the Egyptian. Location at 805 E. Pine. Call (206) 781-5755.
Award-winning director Tran Anh Hung (“The Scent of Green Papaya”, “Cyclo”) took four years to gain permission from Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami to bring his best-selling novel of male/female relationships, “Norwegian Wood” to the silver screen. The film will star Rinko Kikuchi and Kenichi Matsuyama. The film was nominated for the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award last fall. It opens in Japan this month and will subsequently be released in over 35 countries after that.
Kazunari Ninomiya (“Letters From Iwo Jima”) and Kenichi Matsuyama star in the movie “Gantz” as directed by Shinsuke Sato. The film is based on the popular manga and anime written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. The story revolves around two friends caught in a demon-hunt in purgatory after dying in a train wreck. The dubbed English version of the film is released in America on Jan. 20 ahead of the release date in Japan. Like many multi-storied epics, “Gantz: Part II” was shot back to back with the original and will be released later in the spring.
“Today’s Special” is a new film inspired by Aasif Mandvi’s Obie-Award winning play, “Sakina’s Restaurant”. When a young chef is bypassed for a promotion, he decides to go to Paris to study with a prominent chef only to see his plan derailed when he is forced to take over a fading neighborhood Indian restaurant owned by his estranged father. With little or no expertise in Indian cuisine, the young chef will need all the help he can get. Stars Harish Patel and Madhur Jaffrey. Playing at the Harvard Exit Theatre, located at 807 E. Roy. Call (206) 781-5755.
A new Chinese language film entitled “Bruce Lee, My Brother” will focus on memories of his siblings of his formative year growing up in Hong Kong. Hong newcomer Aarif Lee (no relation) was cast in the lead. Lee’s daughter and widow were not consulted. The film is based on memories from Lee’s younger brother and his two older sisters.
Noted Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, known for his realist films that depict the way Chinese youth and working class cope with China’s changing economy is taking a break from his usual serious subject matter to take on his first king-fu epic, “In the Qing Dynasty” set to began shooting early next spring.

The 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. All readings at Elliott Bay unless otherwise noted. React Theatre led by David Hsieh will present a series of holiday story-time hours for kids. Go to the Castle in the Children’s section to hear the stories with your kids. Dec. 18 & 21, all beginning at 11:30 a.m. Please see www.elliottbaybook.com for more details.
Noted Portland-based children’s author Allen Say has a new book out entitled “The Boy in the Garden” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). He was honored with a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Japanese American National Museum a few years back.

Art News/ Opportunites

Congratulations to Washington State artists, writers, filmmakers and performers Karen Hsiao Savage, Eliaichi Kimaro, Larissa Min, David Hoon Kim, Maritess Zurbano, Zhi Lin and Yuki Nakamura who all received 2010 Grants for Artist Projects from Artist Trust. For details, go to www.artisttrust.org.
The application deadline for the YMCA’s Global Teen Leadership trips to Japan, Koream China and Latin America has been extended till Dec. 20, 2010. If you are interested in living with a host family and immersing yourself in the local culture, then contact Monica Quill Kusakabe for details. Her email is [email protected].
Kaze Daiko’s Winter 2011 Youth Taiko Workshop takes place Jan. 24 – Feb. 28, 2011. If you are 8 to 17 years old and interested in learning taiko, then e-mail Peter Matsudaira at [email protected].
Sogetsu School of Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) teacher Mitsuko Hakomori will offer two five-week classes from Jan. – March at Community Center at Mercer View. For details, contact Shirley Hill at (425) 558-0889 or e-mail [email protected].
The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission works with the National Endowment for the Arts to sponsor the U.S./Japan Creative Artists Program. Up to five outstanding contemporary and traditional artists from the U.S. from various genres can spend a three-month residency in Japan to pursue their individual and artistic goals. A month stipend and money for transportation and language lesions is provided. Deadline is Feb. 1, 2011. Go to http://www.jusfc.gov/creativeartists.asp for details.
The Ethnic Art Gallery was established by a coalition of City of Seattle employees to showcase emerging and established artists of color. For general questions, go to [email protected]. Asian & Pacific Islander artists can call (206) 386-0043 or e-mail [email protected].
NEA’s Literary Fellowships: Translation Projects supports projects for the translation of specific works of prose, poetry or drama from other languages into English. Deadline is Jan. 6, 2011. Go to http://bit.ly/cNrQPC for details.
Calyx, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women seeks submissions. Deadline is Dec. 31, 2010. Go to www.calyxpress.org/submission for details.
Artworks on or of paper are wanted for an exhibit in Budapest. Work must fit into a 9 x 12 envelope. Deadline is Jan. 30, 2011. Go to http://bit.ly/9xzKAS for details.