Visual Arts
The work of Jason Hirata and Rumi Koshino is included in a group show at SOIL entitled “11 Most Dangerous Toys of 2011” curated by Klara Glosova. Opening reception is Dec. 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. SOIL Gallery at 112 – 3rd Ave. S., Seattle.
Cambodian-born artist Soheap Pich immigrated to the US with his family to escape the Khmer Rogue and attended art school here, earning an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After a few years of meaningless jobs less than conducive to making art, he returned to his home country where he transitioned to sculpture using rattan and bamboo which suggests Cambodia’s basket-weaving tradition. He comes to Seattle’s Henry art Gallery to construct an installation entitled “Compound.” On view till April 1, 2012. Other related events include the following-“Red Earth, Gold Gate, Shadow Sky” (see related story in this issue) is a workshop performance of a play that follows a young Cambodian man who survives Pol Pot only to face more hurdles living in the US. Also Boreth Ly will talk about “The Legacy of Displacement, Memory, Identity – Homeland and the Refugee Experience in the Contemporary Arts of Cambodia and its Diaspora” on Wed., Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Henry Auditorium. Henry Art Gallery on the UW campus located at 15th Ave. NE & NE 41st. Call (206) 543-2280 or visit www.henryart.org for details.
The work of promising ceramic sculptor Kensuke Yamada is introduced with a new show at Pucini Lubel Gallery through Nov. 207 – 2nd Ave. S. Call (206) 326-5555 or go to www.pucinilubel.com.
Jason Hirata has a new solo show entitled “Bubble Tea.” It consists of a series of photo-based, poster scale works revolving around the preparation, distribution, consumption and enjoyment of this drink. Through Nov. Gallery4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Place S., Seattle. Call (206) 296-8674 or go to www.4culture.org.
The work of Minh Carrico and Kevin Uehara is included in “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Columbia City Gallery’s 6th annual juried exhibit is on view through Nov. 20. Columbia City Gallery, 4864 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle. Call (206) 769-9843.
“Luminous: The Art of Asia” showcases the jewels of SAM’s Asian art collections. On view till Jan. 8, 2012. Fresh from a tour of Japan, the show includes Chinese bronzes, Japanese lacquers, Korean ceramics and Indian sculpture. Noted contemporary artist Do Ho Suh, who created SAM’s famous “dog-tag,” sculpture will create “Gate,” a new multimedia installation that responds to the collection and explores the movement of objects and people from the past to the present. Activities surrounding the show include the following – Enjoy tours of “Luminous” Wed. – Friday at 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. and Sat.- Sun. at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. & 2 p.m., all on the fourth floor. “A Conversation with Do Ho Suh” is an evening presentation at SAM downtown with contemporary artist Do Ho Suh and Asian Art Curator Catherine Roche set for Nov. 17 at 5:30pm. Free but the event is sold out. Unclaimed tickets will be released five minutes before the event on a first-come, first-served basis. A live simulcast of the program is screened in the Nordstrom Lecture Hall nearby. Free to SAM members only on a first-come, first-served basis. On Fri., Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. in the SAM auditorium, exhibition curator Catherine Roche and Liz Brown, SAM Associate Curator will discuss highlights of the collection with tea served afterwards. On the third floor, explore a new show entitled “The Seattle Art Museum & Seattle Artists in the 1930s and 1940s” which celebrates the work of Northwest artists whose careers were fostered by the director and patrons of the museum. Includes work by Mark Tobey, Morris Graves and Emilio Amero. SAM Next series is Seattle Art Museum’s contemporary art exhibition program intended to shed light on cutting-edge contemporary young artists and the work they are doing. Selected sixth in the series is New York-based multi-media artist Mika Tajima. Tajima combines painting, sculpture, design, performance, video and sound to create immersive installations that expand the possibilities of each medium. On view through June 17, 2012. More activities include the following – tea ceremony demonstrations on the Third floor galleries take place Nov. 17 and Nov. 20 at various times. Registration required, visit website calendar to reserve times. Chief Curator at Nezu Museum and former SAM Asian Art Curator will talk about Chinese subjects popular in Japanese painting on Sat., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. in the SAM auditorium. SAM is located at 1300 First Ave. in Seattle. Call (206) 654-3100 or go to www.seattleartmuseum.org for details. For advance tickets, call (206) 654-3121.
On view through January 2012 is “The Safeco Gift And New Acquisitions: Collecting for the Future.” The work of Tram Bui, Diem Chau, Fay Chong, Saya Moriyasu, Norie Sato, Chang-ae Song and Chao-Chen Yang are included in this show. Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave. Call (253) 272-4258 or go to www.tacomaartmuseum.org more details.
“North, South, East, West” is a group show curated by June Sekiguchi at University House in the Wallingford neighborhood. It looks at the multicultural fabric of America as exemplified by Seattle artists from Ethiopia, Poland, Vietnam, Iraq etc. Includes work by Carina del Rosario Minh Carrico, Tina Koyama and others. The show will be on display until Feb. 13, 2012. University House, 4400 Stone Way N. at N. 45th, Seattle. Call (206) 545-8400.
“Buoyancy” is a new installation by Jay Antherton and Cy Keener on view through Dec. 16. Suyama Space, 2324 Second Ave., Seattle. Call (206) 256-0809 or go www.suyamapetersondeguchi.com/art.
A new video installation by Minh Carrico sparks reflection on 9/11. “States of Demise” is an installation on view through September at IDEA Odyssey Gallery. The gallery is a newly formed art collective formed to provide cultural diversity, community and economic development in the ID. A member exhibition featuring Star Rush and Valentina Vitols through Nov. 27. IDEA Odysssey Gallery, 66 S. Jackson St., Seattle. Go to www.ideaodysseygallery.com.
Opening Sept. 15 as part of the art galleries at The Seattle Design Center is a group show of artists associated with ArtXchange Gallery. Open until 8 p.m. on Third Thursdays. Regular hours are M – F from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. E-mail [email protected] for more details.
“Paintings from Vietnam” is a group show of five artists in today’s Vietnam. Work by Phong, Hai & Thanh, To Duy and Bui Cong Khanh. Remains on view till Dec. 23. On Jan. 5, “New Work”* by sculptor June Sekiguchi inspired by a 4-Culture-supported residency in Laos. Modular collaborative body of scroll-cut wood sculpture, a 3-D and wall hung sculpture and an immersive sound and light collaborative installation (done with Rob Mills and Spar Wilson). ArtXchange Gallery, 512 First Ave. S. For more information, call (206) 839-0377 or go www.artxchange.org.
A show of new illustrations by Junichi Tsuneoka runs from through Dec. 3. The artist teaches at Cornish and has received numerous awards from Print magazine. The 6th Annual Simple Cup Show showcases over 200 cups from the Northwest & Japan. Runs through December. Co-sponsored by Seward Park Clay Studio. This year, a portion of the profits will go to benefit the potters at Mashiko who lost kilns/studios during the recent earthquake. Also on Dec. 3 from 12 – 6 p.m., don’t miss a Trunk Show with Karazi Design. KOBO Gallery at Higo, 604 S. Jackson St., Seattle. Call (206) 381-3000 or go to www.koboseattle.com.
The Cullom Gallery specializes in Japanese prints and modern artists influenced by them. Located at 603 S. Main St., Seattle. Call (206) 340-8000 for more information or e-mail: [email protected].
In November, there will be a show of new work by print artist Eunice Kim. Davidson Galleries, 313 Occidental Ave. S. Call (206) 624-7684 or go to www.davidsongalleries.com.
Local artist Thuy-Van Vu is in a two-person show with Joann Verburg entitled “New Work” on view through Nov. 19. Vu has a perceptive eye that takes on abandoned buildings and gives them life through her use of line and color. British photographer Michael Kenna has a new series on Huangshan Province in China which will be up from Nov. 25 – Jan. 7, 2012. There will be a reception/book-signing at the gallery on Dec. 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. Kenna also gives a lecture at Tacoma Art Museum on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. Saya Moriyasu is in a group show entitled “Small Works” with Gala Bent and Rachel Maxi from Nov. 25 – Jan. 7, 2012. All shows at G. Gibson Gallery, 300 S. Washington St., Seattle. Call (206) 587-4033 or go www.ggibsongallery.com.
A new show opening Oct. 22 is “Painting Seattle: Kamekichi Tokita & Kenjiro Nomura.” The show remains on view till Feb. 19, 2012. In the 1930’s these two artists documented the landscape of the city and the farmland on weekends and ran their day job of sign-painting on the weekdays. You can still find evidence of their daily labor in signs around Japantown and ID/Chinatown from the “Blue Funnel Line” sign on a door near the Wing to the curtain of painted ads of neighborhood businesses once in the Nippon Kan and now in the Wing’s little theatre. But their own painting of cityscapes and landscapes won recognition in the 1930’s as well. Tokita died too young from poor health after getting out of an internment camp but Nomura would live long enough to see his work turn abstract and receive the honor of being the first Seattle artist to get a one-person show at Seattle Art Museum. Tours of the show will begin on weekends at noon starting at the Fuller Garden Court. Coming March 15 and on view till August 5, 2012 will be a show entitled “Colors of the Oasis, Central Asian Ikats” which features 40 colorful robes created during the 19th century using the labor intensive process known as ikat. All at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 Prospect Ave., Seattle. For more information, call (206) 654-3100 or visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.
“Meet Me at Higo: An Enduring Story of a Japanese American Family” is a new show of a famous neighborhood general store that opens with a reception on Dec. 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. Just opened is “From Fields to Family: Asian Pacific Americans and Food” which explores the traditions, techniques and mouth-watering stories of food through culture and cooking techniques passed on through home and restaurant over the years “Schooled” is a new show which is an interactive exhibit that explores education within the Asian Pacific American communities and how it continues to be a diverse and varied experience. “Vintage Japantown through the lens of the Takano Studio” is another show which looks at portrait photography from one studio active from the 1930’s to the early 1940’s. Studios like this once thrived in the neighborhood and captured the everyday life of its inhabitants. Through Feb. 12, 2012. Another new exhibit is “Epic Tails: Legendary Animals and Creatures” through Dec. 23. “Dual Nature – Contemporary Glass and Jewelry” with work by Cynthia Toops, Vina Rust, Midori Saito, Ron Ho, Boyd Sugiki, Jeffrey Sarmiento, Masami Koda and Eunsuh Choi continues on view through January 15, 2012. Nov. 19 is Family Fun Day with artist Maggie Ho teaching kids and family how to create a panda using Chinese calligraphy from 1 – 3 p.m. Wxperience the Historic Hotel Tour at a discount with free gallery admission on First Thursday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Also on Dec. 3 from 2 – 4 p.m. is “Member Appreciation Day where you can have your photo taken with an Asian American Santa, enjoy refreshments, holiday crafts and up to 20& off at the Marketplace Shop-0-Rama. For details on all of the above, go to www.wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.
Had a chance to see the Chinese Garden in Seattle yet? If not, there are activities to check out such as weekend workshops, mixed media workshop, chrysanthemum Festival and docent tours. Go to www.seattlechinesegarden.org for more details.
Coverage of early Japanese American history in the region is included in the permanent exhibit at White River Valley Museum, 918 “H” St. S.E. in Auburn. Call (253) 288-7433 or go www.wrvmuseum.org.
Portland Art Museum has a large collection of over 2500 Japanese prints dating from the late 17th century to the present day. In “The Artist’s Touch, The Craftsman’s Hand: Three Decades of Japanese Prints from the Portland Art Museum” on view through Jan. 22, 2012, viewers can see the first major show of this extensive collection. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave. Call (503) 226-2811 or go www.portlandartmuseum.org.
The Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center preserves the history and culture of Japanese Americans in the area. Their permanent exhibit is “Oregon Nikkei: Reflections of a Community.” “Kip Fulbeck: Part Asian, 100% Hapa” is a photo show on mixed race people on view through Dec. 31. Forthcoming shows will be “Kokeshi: From Tradition to Tools,” “Coming Home: Japanese Americans in Portland After WWII” and “Roger Shimomura: Shadows of Minidoka.” Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, 121 Nw 2nd Ave. in Portland. Call (503) 224-1458 or e-mail: [email protected].
The Portland Japanese Garden offers the serenity of a Japanese garden plus numerous classes, art shows and workshops year around. Portland Japanese Garden, 611 S.W. Kingston Ave. Call (503) 233-1321.
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene has the following exhibits. On view now till Dec. 31 is “Xiaoze Xie: Amplified Moments, 1993 – 2008”. Born in Guangdong China, Xie is a prominent Chinese contemporary artist teaching at Stanford. His ink wash paintings focus on news images buried under the immersion of time and memory. Also on view till Jan. 15 is a group show of Chinese artists who merge Eastern and Western visual languages entitled, “East-West, Visually Speaking”. Coming next spring is a show entitled “Visions of the Orient: Western Women artists in Asia, 1900 – 1940”. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, 1430 Johnson Lane, Seattle. Call (541) 346-3027.
“Hiroshima: Photographs by Miyako Ishiuchi” on view through Feb. 12. This noted Japanese photographer chose the objects she photographed from more than 19,000 personal effects left behind by those who perished in the bombings. Museum of Anthropology, 6393 NW Marine Dr., Vancouver, B.C. Call (604) 822-5087 or go to www.moa.ubc.ca.
“Waterscapes: Migration along the Vancouver Island, Fraser and Yangzi Rivers” by Gu Xiong on view till Jan. 7. This is the work of a Vancouver-based mixed media and installation artist originally from China. During the Cultural Revolution, he was sent to the countryside for “re-education.” In the shadow of Tianamen, he fled China. As a former refugee, Xiong address questions of identity and mixed-culture paradoxes generated by globalization. Nanaimo Art Gallery (Campus Gallery), 900 Fifth St., Seattle. Call (250) 740-6350 or go www.nanaimoartgallery.com.
“Collected Resonance: Shelly Bahl, Sarindar Dhaliwal and Farheen HaQ” brings together the work of three prominent Canadian artists who have created multi-media installations that explore their South Asian traditions and the mythologies of their Punjabi, Sikh and Muslim cultures. On view through Jan. 8, 2012. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss St., Victoria, Canada. Call (250) 384-4171 or go www.aggv.ca for details.
Performing Arts
The Hokubei Houchi Foundation’s first fundraising event features sake tasting and music by Deems Tsutakawa Trio on Wed., Nov. 16 at 5:30pm. The North American Post Nagomi Teahouse Space is at 519 – 6th Ave. S. (20-6) 623-0100 or email: [email protected]
The 30th Annual Ayame Kai Holiday Craft Fair takes place Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church, located 3001 – 24th Ave. S., Seattle. Call (425) 255-8723.
“Take Me America” is a musical about seven refugees from various countries seeking political asylum in the U.S. and the agents who measure the worthiness of their claims. When read at Village Theatre’s Annual Festival of New Musicals in 2009, it received a standing ovation. Plays through Nov. 20 in Everett. Both are produced by The Village Theatre. Call (425) 257-8600 or go www.villagetheatre.org.
Spend the evening with Mashiko’s Chef Hajime Sato on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Sato talks about the local sustainable concept for his restaurant and sushi bento will be available. The North American Post’s Nagomi Teahouse Space, located at 519 – 6th Ave. S., Seattle. Call (206) 374-0180.
The Seattle Symphony’s new season comes with a new conductor, Ludovic Morlot and some surprises. Some highlights include the following –Mei Ann Chen guest conducts the symphony in the annual “Celebrate Asia” program with guests Jie Ma on pipa, Hahn-Bin on violin and Cuong Vu on trumpet. Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Jennifer Koh is violin soloist on March 22, 24 & 25 performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto under the baton of Morlot. On April 16 at 7:30 p.m., Myung-Whun Chung and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra come into town with Wu Wei on sheng performing a mix of Eastern and Western compositions. For a complete schedule, call (206) 215-4747 or go to www.seattlesymphony.org.
California-based composer Ken Ueno presents selections and talks about his works for extended vocals and rock band. Gamelan Pacifica presents a concert of traditional and new works for gamelan on Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. Cornish School’s Poncho Concert Hall/Kerry Hall, 10 E. Roy St., Seattle. Call (206) 726-5011.
Film/Media
November brings Alexander Payne’s (“Sideways”) new film “The Descendants” starring George Clooney as a father and descendant of missionaries who own large holdings of land in Hawai’i.
“Sita Sings the Blues”* is an animated feature by Nina Paley that uses shadow puppets in an interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayama. Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. Seattle Asian Art Museum auditorium, 1400 E. Prospect in Volunteer Park. Call (206) 442-8480 for more information.
Coming in November is another Harold and Kumar sequel, this one entitled “A Very Harold And Kumar 3-D Christmas” John Cho and Kal Penn return to reprise their roles as our heroes bent on finding the perfect Christmas tree. Also stars Bobby Lee, Patton Oswalt, Neil Patrick Harris and a host of others. Look for corny 3-D effects.
Also in November is “Immortals,” Greek mythology done in 3-D by director Tarsem Singh (“The Fall”). With Freida Pinto and Mickey Rourke.
Takeshi Kitano returns to the genre in which he became known when he directs and acts in “Outrage”, his new film about a war between two clashing yakuza clans. Set for December.
At Seattle Asian Art Museum they offer a unique program for kids and family that combine kids activities with a movie. “Free First Saturday + Kids Flicks” happen on first Saturdays of each month through Dec. 3 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dec. 3’s program “Family Treasures” gets kids to sketch from paintings by Japanese American artists Tokita and Nomura in the galleries and then screens Yoichi Higashi’s “Village of Dreams” about twin brothers encountering mysterious spirits in a Japanese village. Free and open to the public with no registration required.
“Asian Light: Films Traditional and Modern” is a movie series that compliments the Asian exhibition “Luminous: The Art of Asia” at Seattle Art Museum. Screens Sundays at 1:30 p.m. in the SAM auditorium. Nov. 20 has Tran Anh Hung’s “The Scent of Green Papaya,” a sensitive meditation about a Vietnamese village girl who grows up in Saigon. The rituals of peeling fruit never seemed so poetic. Dec. 4 brings Japanese director Seijin Suzuki’s surrealist twist to the gangster-thriller in “Branded to Kill.” You can buy the series at www.seattleartmuseum.org/tickets or any SAM Ticketing Desk. Single tickets available at the door when available.
The Written Arts
Shiro Kashiba, owner of Shiro’s in Belltown will read from his memoir, “Shiro: Wit, Wisdom And Recipes from a Sushi Pioneer” (Chin Music Press) on Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. A book-signing, sushi demonstration and tasting will follow. At the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, 719 S. King St., Seattle. Call (206) 623-5124 www.wingluke.org.
The Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas present the series “Expressions of Emotion: Asian Literature and Arts”*. The Saturday University Lecture Series component brings three lectures each on China, Japan & India. Every Saturday through Dec. 3 from 9:30 – 11 a.m. Co-sponsored by the Jackson school of International Studies at UW and Elliott Bay Books. On Nov. 19, Laura Weinstein, Curator of South Asian Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will talk about “The Ramayama in Indian Art”. The series wraps up with UW Professor Heidi Pauwels who will talk about “Sita in Bollywood: Film Ideals of Conjugal Love’ on Dec. 3. Tickets on sale from the SAM Box Office. Call (206) 654-3121 or visit www.tickets.seattleartmuseum.org/public.
Art News/Opportunities
Seattle photographer Barry Wong has a new set of his photo cards of Asian food is now available. Order before end of Nov. and get free shipping. Call (206) 510-7725 or go to www.barrywongphoto.com.
Poets & Writers’ Readings/Workshops Program offers small grants for literary events taking place in Seattle and covers writers’ fees for public readings and workshops. Go to www.pw.org/funding for details.
The Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery showcases emerging and established artists of color from ethnic and cultural communities. For details and deadlines, e-mail: [email protected].
Applications for artists to have shows next year at Gallery4Culture opens Dec. 1 and the deadline is Jan. 9, 2012. Go to www.galleries.4culture.org.
Donate your Asian items for the friends of Asian Art Association’s Holiday Bazaar & Auction Fundraiser. Donations accepted until Nov. 30. For pick-up, call or email Margaret Jones at [email protected] or call (206) 932-7403.
VALISE Artist Collective and Gallery on Vashon Island seeks applications for an artist residency and exhibition in Jan./Feb., 2012. Deadline is Nov. 20, 2011. E-mail: [email protected] or go to www.valisegallery.org for more details.
Congratulations to the following who received 2011 Artist Trust Grants for artist projects (GAP Grants). Writer Bharti Kirchner, composer/performer/musician Paul Kikuchi and visual artist Saya Moriyasu. Winners of 2011 Artist Trust Fellowships include the following – Brent Watanabe in the “Emerging & Cross-Disciplinary Arts” category, Choreographer/dancer Hengda Li in the “Performing Arts” category and UW Art Professor/visual artist Zhi Lin in the “Visual Arts” category. Go to www.artisttrust.org for more details.
Congratulations to two local poets who were nominated for the 2011 Washington State Book Awards in the poetry category. Don Mee Choi for “The Morning News Is Exciting” and Oliver de la Paz for “Requiem for the Orchard.”
Seattle artist Joseph Park now represented by Rena Bransten Gallery in San Francisco creates scenes that haunt because they evoke familiar images from childhood, art history and culture gone awry. Now his work has been reproduced into a postcard book entitled “I Am Yours” (Chronicle Books). Available in shops and bookstores nation-wide and locally at The Wing’s Marketplace. Go to www.chroniclebooks.com.
Vashon Island musician /composer Eyvind Kang who plays viola was one of the eight finalists for the 2011 Arts Innovator Award sponsored by Artist Trust. He was one of four winners. Congratulations, Eyvind!
