Highlights
Young Sub Lee is an up-and-coming performer of Korean traditional music and his specialty is the “daegeum” or Korean bamboo flute. He will perform and talk about Korean traditional music and instruments while accompanied by janggo drums. Lee is the musician-in-resident for the UW Ethnomusicology program and will be teaching in Spring. Witness this performance on June 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Jack Straw Productions located on 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E.
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) brings the world to you in one of the largest film festivals in the country. Free film guides are available around town (see short reviews of some of the films in the festival on page 15). The festival runs through June 12 at various venues around the Puget Sound. Visit siff.net for details.
The Wing sponsors “Jamfest”, a summer music festival that combines music, discounts on food, outdoor art and cinema all summer long. The June 18 event features music by guitarist Angelo Pizarro, a discount at House of Hong and art fun at Cullom Gallery. The event runs every third Saturday from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. through August in Chinatown. Tickets are available at the Wing Luke museum. For full details, go to www.wingluke.org/jamfest.
AIA Seattle Design Gallery presents “Tight Urbanism”, an exhibit by Daniel Toole, a 2010 AIA Seattle Emerging Professionals Travel Scholarship Recipient. Daniel traveled to Chicago, San Francisco, Melbourne, Osaka and Kyoto to study the potentially vibrant in-between spaces of the built environment. The first display will be in Canton Alley in the International District, on Saturday, July 16. Visit www.aiaseattle.org/node/5601 for more information. The AIA gallery is located on 1911 1st Ave and the event is free.
Novelist Lisa See reads from her new novel entitled “Dreams of Joy” (Random House) on June 9 at 7 p.m. at Seattle Central Public Library’s Microsoft Auditorium at 1000 Fourth Ave. See’s previous book has been turned into a movie by Wayne Wang and will premiere at SIFF. Look for an interview with See in our July summer issue of Pacific Reader Book Review Supplement. Call (206) 624-6600 or go to www.spl.org for more information. The event is co-sponsored by the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library and Elliott Bay Book Company.
Cheryl Lu-Lien tan reads from “A Tiger in the Kitchen – A Memoir of Food and Family” (Voice) on June 10 at Elliott Bay Book Company. This event is co-sponsored by the Asian American Journalists Association. When the author finds her most vivid childhood memories are of the treats made by aunties and grandmothers in her family’s Singapore kitchen, she returns to discover their magic. This reading takes place at Elliott Bay Book Company, located on 1521 Tenth Ave. Call (206) 624-6600 or go to www.elliottbaybook.com for more information.
Noted Washington author/poet/Washington State University Professor Alex Kuo reads from his new novel, “The Man Who Dammed The Yangtze” (Haven Books) and “A Chinaman’s Chance – New and Selected Poems 1960-2010” (Wordcraft of Oregon). He reads on June 13 at 7 p.m. This reading takes place at Elliott Bay Book Company, located on 1521 Tenth Ave. Call (206) 624-6600 or go to www.elliottbaybook.com for more information.
“Galaxies of Hope: The Japan Tsunami/Earthquake Memorial installation by choreographer/dancer/calligraphy artist Yoko Murao features messages of hope hung in the branches of bamboo trees. Mithun, an architectural firm dedicated to sustainable design in Seattle will collaborate. This exhibit is on view through June 16 on 1201 Alaska Way, Ste. 200. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, e-mail [email protected]
Brian Chen reads from his timely titled book, “Always On: How The iPhone Unlocked
The Anything-Anytime-Anywhere Future And Locked Us In” (Da Capo Books) on June 13 at Town Hall Seattle, located on 1119 8th Ave. Call (206) 652-4255 or go to www.townhallseattle.org for more information.
“Shinjiru – Japan Relief Taiko Concert” features a diverse group of Northwest Taiko groups united in performance to benefit the Japan earthquake relief. This includes Kaze Daiko, Seattle Kokon Taiko, Northwest Taiko, and Inochi Taiko. The performance will take place on Sunday, June 5 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Kane Hall 130 on the Seattle UW campus. Advance tickets can be purchased at http://uwjapanrelief.ticketbud.com/shinjiru. For information, e-mail [email protected]
“Ganbare Japan BCA (Bellevue Children’s Academy) Concert for Japan Earthquake Relief Fund” takes place on June 5 at 2 p.m. at Sammamish High School located on 100 140th Ave. S.E. Call (425) 649-0791 for advance tickets or get tickets at the door. For further information, visit www.bcacademy.com.
The Seattle Butoh Festival will feature performances, workshops and forums on the unique Japanese dance form that is now a world phenomenon. Performers will include butoh masters Koichi and Hiroko Tamano of Harupin Ha Butoh Group from San Francisco and Michael Sakamoto of Los Angeles, and many others. Performances will be in various locations around the Puget Sound from June 3 – June 18. For details, visit http://daipanbutoh.com.
“What remains: Japanese Americans In Internment Camps” is a show that features quilts by Cathy Erickson and poetry by Margaret Chula. This exhibit is on-view through June 26 and is open Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Appointment-only dates are on Monday and Tuesday at La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum in the Historic Gaches Mansion located on 703 S. Second St. in La Connor. Call (360) 466-4288 or visit
www.laconnerquilts.com.
Ceramic artist Wanxin Zhang responds to China’s unearthed army of terra cotta soldiers with life-size ceramics of his own. “Warhol/Mao” is just one of many contemporary responses by this artist in “Wanxin Zhang: A Ten Year Survey” at Bellevue Arts Museum located on 510 Bellevue Way N.E. This exhibit runs through August 4. For more information, call (425) 519-0770 or visit www.bellevuearts.org.
Frye Art Museum presents a new exhibit by Degenerate Art Ensemble led by Haruko
Nishimura and Joshua Kohl through July 5. The show features props, photos, videos from past performances with various live mini-events and artist tours throughout the run of the exhibit with the premiere of a new work entitled “The Red Shoes” (set for performance on May 12 through June 2). The museum is located at 704 Terry Ave. Call (206) 622-9250 or visit www.fryeart.org for more information.
Seven Seattleites traveled to Hong Kong to learn more from one of the world’s leading examples of sustainable land use and transportation planning. They share their results in
a forum entitled “The Success Damage Ratio – Rethinking the Balance Sheet: Lessons from Hong Kong” on June 7 at Town Hall Seattle at 8th & Seneca. Go to http://runstadfellows.wordpress.org for more information.
Festal 2011 is a year-round celebration of ethnic and cultural festivals at Seattle Center’s
Center House. Admission is free and open to the public on June 18 from noon to 7 p.m. There will be music, dance, poetry/literature and childrens activities. Appearances will be made by comedian Reza Peyk and writer Jasmin Parznik. Visit Iaca-seattle.org for more information on this event, along with other summer festivals.
Visual Arts
“Art by Attrition” is a group show celebrating “negative” creativity. This show features works extracted from solid materials with the help of saws, chisels, burrs, and a bird from Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG). Artists include Teresa Faris, Julia Harrison, Shinji Nakada, Jon Ryan, Emily Watson and Hiroko Yamada. The show is on view through June 25 at KOBO at Higo Store located on 604 S. Jackson. For more information, call (206) 381-3000 or visit www.koboseattle.com.
The work of artist Michelle Kim is included in a group show entitled “Introductions
2011” that will be on view till June 10 at the SAM Gallery – Art Sales and Rental located on 1220 Third Ave. in downtown Seattle. For more information, call (206) 343-1101.
“The Talent Show” is a group exhibit that examines a range of relationships between artists, audiences and participants’ competing desires for notoriety and privacy. The exhibit includes work by Tehching Hsieh and Shizuka Yokomizo. Organized by Peter Eleey for the Walker Art Center. The exhibit is on view through August 21 at UW Henry Art Gallery located between 15th Ave. N.E. and NE 41st streets. Go to www.henryart.org for details.
Seattle artist Romson Bustillo’s latest site-specific installation entitled “Dinhi sa Paraiso – Here in Paradise” can be seen through July at Hing Hay Park on the corner of S. King
St. and Maynard Ave. S. The artist will also have an Open Studio on June 5 from 2 – 6 p.m. located on 4446 44th Ave. S. in Columbia City. Go to romson.tumblr.com for more information or visit the Facebook event page.
Fiber sculpture by Tina Koyama is included in a group show entitled “Fiber And
Metal: Organic Transformations” that will be on view at Phinney Center Gallery from June 8 – July 1. The opening reception is on June 8 from 7 – 9 p.m. The gallery is located on 6532 Phinney Ave. N. For more information, call (206) 783-2244 or go to www.phinneycenter.org.
“Burbujismo:Pure Color:Bubblism: Pure Color” is a show of new paintings by Marcio
Diaz that will be on view through June 30 at ArtXchange Gallery, located at 512 First Ave. S. For more information, call (206) 839-0377 or go to www.artxchange.org.
Seattle photographer Barry Wong has a new set of color cards featuring his images of Asian vegetables and fruits. A set of 6 cards is $27.38 including tax. Recipients will receive free shipping until June 15. The cards are also available at Wing Luke Museum Marketplace, Northwest Craft Center and KOBO Galleries. Go to www.barrywongphoto.com for details.
The Cullom Gallery specializes in Japanese prints and modern artists influenced by them.
In Japan, views of Mt. Fuji from different perspectives was a popular theme for Japanese artists. “36 Views of Rainier” is a group show by artists who offer their contemporary takes on our own grand mountain. This show is available throughout the month of June, and is located at 603 S. Main Street. Call (206) 340-8000 for more information.
Local artist Romson Bustillo shows his media print collages in a group show of ten local artists entitled “The Chair Project” now on view at Seattle Design Center located at 5701
Sixth Ave. S. until August. For details go to www.romson.tumblr.com.
The work of Diem Chau is included in a group show entitled “The Mysterious Content of
Softness”. The show brings together national and international artists in an exploration of the transformative power of fiber and its connection to the human body. Chau’s work is on view through June 26 at the Bellevue Arts Museum, located on 510 Bellevue Way NE. Call (425) 519-0770 or go to www.bellevuearts.org for more information.
Together with Nicholas Nyland and Maki Tamura, Saya Moriyasu has created a collaborative installation work entitled “A Clearing in the Clouds”. Works may be viewed at Seattle’s ACT Theatre located at 700 University Street. This event is ongoing.
The work of Tacoma Artist Fumiko Kimura is included in a group show entitled “Seven
Wonders of the West” and is on view through June 25. Special artist demonstrations are from noon to 4 p.m. on May 21 and June 11. The American Art Company is located on 1126 Broadway in Tacoma. Call (253) 272-4327 or visit americanartco.com for more information.
“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, his work is on view through July 17. “Artful Reproductions” that opened on April 1 looks at how Chinese fabricate complex objects in great quantity. On display are pairs and sets of similar objects that are a result of that productivity. On April 30 through
September 9 is “Modern Elegance: The Art of Meiji Japan”. “Books on Meiji Art” is an installation that showcases book selections from the McCaw Foundation Library’s collection on Japanese art during the Meiji era, and will be on view until June. All of these events are at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 Prospect Ave. For more information, call (206) 654-3100 or visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.
The Wing opens a new exhibit entitled “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. This event is available through January 15, 2012. Jeffrey Sarmiento, a Filipino American glass artist in the show will talk about his work in “From The Northwest to The Northeast and Beyond” on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. “Born Into Identity: The Asian Pacific American Adoptee Experience” includes 13 APA Adoptee artists and oral histories from community members explore the complexities of being an APA adoptee, which is on view through June 19. “Cultural Confluence: Urban People of Asian & Native American Heritages” will also be on view through September 18. An exhibit entitled “New Years All Year Round” that looks at Asian traditions for the New Year from various Asian cultures will be on view through June 26. A group show entitled “From The Ground Up” which features artwork of teenagers involved in the Museum’s YouthCAN program will also be on view. For details on all of the above, go to www.wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.
“New Gifts And Acquisitions: Collections Selections Two” is a group show with much of the featured art coming via donation of the Safeco Art Collection to the Washington Arts Consortium. This show includes work by George and Gerard Tsutakawa and will be on view through June 5. Whatcom Museum at the Lightcatcher located on 121 Prospect
St., Bellingham, WA. Call (360) 778-8930 for more information.
The work of Seattle jewelry artist Ron Ho and nationally known ceramic artist Toshiko
Takaezu is included in a group show of handmade objects entitled “Process and Presence” on view through July 4 at Maryhill Museum of art in Goldendale, WA. For more information, call (509) 773-3733 or visit www.maryhillmuseum.org.
A retrospective show of Ken Lum, one of Canada’s well-known modern conceptual artists is on view through September 25, 2011 at Vancouver Art Gallery located on 750
Hornby. For more information, call (604) 662-4719 or www.vanartgallery.bc.ca.
Performing Arts
Local reggae group, Kore Ionz with lead singer Daniel Pak have a new EP titled “Love
You Better”. Go to koreionz.com for details.
Seattle native Emi Meyer (and former IE contributing writer) has just released a new CD out full of her own songs entitled “Suitcase Of Stone.” Meyer is currently touring in Japan. For more information, go to www.emimeyer.com.
American Asian Performing Arts Theatre & Hengda Dance Academy present the HAD
Annual Performance entitled “Rhythm of Dance – 2011, A Cultural Kaleidoscope”. This takes place June 3 at 7:30 p.m. and June 4 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Intiman Theatre at 201 Mercer St. in Seattle Center. Call (206) 287-9998 or go to www.AAPAT.org for details.
Trumpeter/composer/educator Cuong Vu has not slowed down a step since returning to Seattle from New York to take a teaching position at the University of Washington’s jazz program. A new CD by his AGOGIC group is just released by new Seattle-based label, Table and Chairs. The group features Seattle native Andrew D’Angelo on sax with local young players Luke Berman on bass and Evan Woodie on drums. For details go to
www.tableandchairsmusic.com. The other new release by the Cuong Vu quartet is entitled “Leaps of Faith” (Origin Records) and features unique covers of classics, “Body & Soul” and “My Funny Valentine” with Ted Poor on drums, Stomu Takeshi and Luke Bergman on electric basses and Cuong Vu on trumpet. For details, go to www.origin-records.com.
Seattle jazz group, the Killerbees co-led by Bob Antolin plays weekly on Thursdays at Waid’s Hatian Cuisine at 1212 E. Jefferson.
Film/Media
Japanese director Takashi Miike, a filmmaker known for spilling copious amounts of gore and blood on screen has taken on the “samurai” film genre in “13 Assassins” and critics are comparing it to classics such as “Seven Samurai”. It features Koji Yakusho in a masterful, nuanced performance as the leader of a group of samurai out to seek revenge on a cunning official. This is on view at the Varsity located on 4329 University Way N.E. Call (206) 781-5755 or go to www.magnetreleasing.com for more information.
Bay area filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem explores family themes in two of her documentary films set to screen at the Wing on June 5 starting at 1 p.m. “In The Matter of Cha Jung Hee” follows the filmmaker as she journeys back to Korea to find out who the real Cha Jung Hee was, the name she was given before being adopted by an American family. “Resilence” follows the journey of a Korean mother and her own son adopted by Americans as they meet again for the first time after many years apart. This is on view at 719 S. King. For more information, call (206) 623-5124 or go to wingluke.org.
The New York Times recently ran a preview of summer films. Here are some highlights:
Koji Wakamatsu’s “Caterpillar” tells the story of a Japanese soldier who returns from the war in China an amputee with a stump of a body.
Lu Chuan’s (“Mountain Patrol”) “City of Life and Death” looks at the siege of Nanking during WWII from many perspectives. This film has a one-week run in Seattle at a Landmark Theatre starting July 8.
“Kung Fu Panda 2” is the sequel to the successful original animation feature as directed by Jennifer Yuh for DreamWorks Animation. Some voices done by Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, James Hong and Michelle Yeoh.
Wayne Wang’s (“The Joy Luck Club”) highly anticipated adaptation of the best-selling novel by Lisa See of two Chinese female friends, “Snow Flower And The Secret Fan” with Bingbing Li, Gianna Jun, and Vivian Wu hits theatres July 15.
In August, look out for “The Hedgehog,” a French tale of a troubled young girl in Paris who makes unexpected friends with people in her apartment. The film is directed by Mona Achache and stars the delightful character actor Togo Igawa.
“Amigo,” scriptwriter/director/writer John Sayles’ latest production centered around the Philippine/American war in 1900. Joel Torre plays a village mayor.
“Iron Crows” looks at the hard lives of Bangladesh’s “ship breakers” who tear down vessels in the port of Chittagong. Bong-nam Park directed this documentary.
“Summer Pasture” tries to tread the fine line between tradition and innovation in this documentary by Lynn True, Nelson Walker III and Tsering Perlo.
“Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog” is Yoichi Sai’s film about a puppy who grows up to be a seeing-eye dog for a sour old man. This film is directed by Kaoru Kobayashi.
The Written Arts
Washington State University Professor Alex Kuo was one of an earlier generation of
Asian American writers when the term was just being coined. He has written a number of strong books of poetry throughout the years but many have fallen out-of-print. Luckily,
Wordcraft Books has come out with a new collection entitled “A Chinaman’s Chance” which includes selected poems from previous collections and some new poems as well. A reading and book signing is set for June 8 at 7 p.m. at the University Book Store located on 4326 University Way N.E. For more information, call (206) 634-3400.
Local writer Shahana Dattagupta reads from her debut collection of short stories entitled “Ten Avatars” on June 18 at 3 p.m. This event is free at the Wing Luke Museum located on 719 S. King. Call (206) 623-5124 or go to wingluke.org for more information.
The Asian American Literary Review has published their second issue entitled “Counting
Citizens.” It features new writing by Japanese Canadian novelist Joy Kogawa, an interview with Chang-rae Lee and also new work by Kimiko Hahn, Prageeta Sharma, Eric Gamalinda and others. To learn more or subscribe, go to www.aalrmag.org.
Art News/Opportunities
Lead Pencil Studio (Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo), a Seattle-based art and architecture collaborative will create a multi-gallery installation that references the urban landscape and increased pace of contemporary life. This gallery is on view June 25 – October 25 at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scottsdale, AZ. For information, go to www.smoca.org.
British artist Anish Kapoor is creating a huge work for the Monumenta series at the Grand Palais in Paris. The artist says the piece will be “a single object, a single form, a single color” and that it “will offer a completely new emotional and philosophical experience.” Kapoor will also create an observation tower for London’s 2012 Olympic Games.
Minidoka was the location for an internment camp in Idaho that many Japanese
Americans from this area were imprisoned during WWII. The annual pilgrimage to the site takes place June 30 – July 3 in Twin Falls, Idaho. For details, go to www.minidokapilgrimage.org.
The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience seeks a Museum
Store Manager for Marketplace. Send cover letter and resume to: Human Resources, Wing Luke Museum, 719 South King, Seattle 98104 or fax it to (206) 623-4559.
“10x10x10” Tieton is an annual juried fine art exhibition. They are looking for submissions no larger than 10 inches in any dimension. Jurors are from Portland Art Museum, San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum and Seattle’s Platform Gallery. Cash prizes will be rewarded. The deadline is June 20, 2011. Visit http://mightytieton.com/events for details.
IDEA Odyssey Gallery will have a juried show for its inaugural exhibit “A Sense of Place” as juried by Seattle artist Juan Alonso. The deadline is June 3. For details, e-mail
[email protected]@gmail.com.
Noted local architect George Suyama has a new book about his work entitled “Suyama: A Complex Serenity” (UW Press) by Grant Hildebrand.
Local artist/educator Fred Wong has a new book out on Chinese art entitled “Brush Ink Mind – The Practice of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting”. The book is available at University Bookstore Expresso Book Machine located on the ground floor of the Seattle branch of the University Bookstore in the University District or on-line. For more information, go to www.NonActionPainting.com.
New York’s Park Avenue Armory has commissioned Japanese artist and electronic composer Ryoji Ikeda to create his first installation in the U.S. The artist is planning an immersive environment of light and sound. Ikeda has a reputation for installations that convert sound into binary code or bland-and-white test patterns. The New York piece entitled “transfinite” is based on the mathematical notion of numbers that are beyond our comprehension but not infinite. This event is on view May 20 – June 11.
Pratt Fine Arts Center’s new Summer 2011 catalogue of classes is now available. Local participating artists/teachers include Mark Takamichi Miller, Kamla Kakaria, Lisa Hasegawa and Romson Regarde Bustillo. Go to www.pratt.org, call (206) 328-2200 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.
The Wing is looking for volunteers to help out with Jam fest, a monthly neighborhood summer music festival. To help out, call or e-mail Jessica Rubenacker at (206) 623-5124 ext.102 or e-mail [email protected]