Visual Arts
The work of Liaung-Chung Yen and Nadine Kariya is included in a group show entitled “Right on! Rites, Rituals, Remembrances” along with over 20 other jewelry artists at Facere Jewelry Art Gallery located at 1420 Fifth Ave. in City Centre in downtown Seattle through Feb. 27. 206-624-6768 or go to [email protected]
Louise Kikuchi has work in a group show entitled “I Am Nature” with Laura Thorne, Joshua Thompson and Jenny Vorwaller. Opening reception is Thurs., March 1, 2018 from 6 – 9pm Show runs through April 28, 2018. At Plasteel Frames & Gallery at 3300 1st Ave. S. #400 in Seattle. Go to www.plasteelframes.com for details.
Core Gallery’s newest member Tara Tamaribuchi shows her work in a double series entitled “Craft Abstracts + Ancestral Landscapes”. “Craft Abstracts” are square constructions of Perler Fusible Beads (a children’s craft material) set in an acrylic box. “Ancestral Landscapes” are mixed media paintings on wood panels that allude to the artist’s ancestral homeland of Japan and considers the in-between state of Asian American identity, marginalized in both America and Japan. In both of these series, she involves her daughter in an effort to connect her artist’s life with her parenting life. On view through Feb. 24, 2018. Hours are Th. – Sat. from 1 – 6pm. Core Gallery is at 117 Prefontaine Pl. S. 206-467-4444 or go to https://www.coregallery.org/.
“blind film” is an installation by Sangjun Yoo employing a real-time composition of a kinetic system based on window blinds, controlled by digital interface. The installation embraces intimacy based on ruptures of absence, distance and space that reconstruct actual and virtual spaces including the viewer. Artist talk is on Fri., March 16 at 7pm. On view through March 30, 2018. At Jack Straw located at 4261 Roosevelt Way NE.
Shruti Ghatak, a visual artist from India has a solo show entitled “Anthology – A Collection of Paintings & Drawings” on view now through Feb. 26, 2018. It’s a rare chance to see work here based on Indian mythology and folklore. At the Virginia Inn at 1937 First Ave. near Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. 206-728-1937. For more information on the artist, go to www.shrutighatak.com.
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 Feb. through June 3, 2018. 704 Terry Ave. 206-622-9250.
Favorite’s Favorite’s Favorite is a new, annual, three-person group exhibition series where three artists (not curators) choose who they will conspire to exhibit with and why. Multi-media artist/performer D.K. Pan has new work in a group show also featuring Christopher Paul Jordan and RYAN! Fedderson at Hedreen Gallery on the campus of Seattle University through March 3, 2018. 901 – 12th Ave. Hours are Wed. – Fri. from 1 – 6pm. 206-296-2244 or go to seattleu.edu for details.
Mieko Hara has work in a group show entitled “WORKS ON PAPER” through Feb. 24, 2018. Gallery I M A at 123 S. Jackson St. 206-625-0055 or go to galleryima.com.
Nan Kim has her equestrian portraits in “Best Companions” showing through March 4, 2018 at Parkland Gallery. 130 Park Lane in Kirkland, WA. 425-827-1462 or go to parklandgallery.org for details.
Davidson Galleries presents “Keitsuke
Yamamoto: Recent Lithographs” paired with “Friedensreich Hundertwasser: Regentag portfolio & selected works” on view March 2 – 31, 2018. 313 Occidental Ave. S. in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. 206-624-7684 or go to davidsongalleries.com.
Jen Bartel, comic book artist of “Jem” and set to illustrate a new comic book by Ta-Nehisi Coates is one of the announced guests who will appear at Emerald City Comic Con set for March 1 – 4, 2018. This is the destination comic and pop culture show for the Pacific Northwest. Washington State Convention Center at 800 Convention Place in downtown Seattle. Call 888-372-3976 for details.
“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. Opening March 7 and continues on view through May, 2018 .
“Northwest Design at Mid-Century” is a group show that surveys works and objects that define the Northwest aesthetic at mid-century covering the period between 1948 – 1966. Includes work by Paul Horiuchi, John Matsudaira, Thomas Matsudaira, George Nakashima and George Tsutakawa On view through March 25, 2018. Cascadia Art Museum at 190 Sunset Ave., Suite E in Edmonds, WA. 425-336-4809 or try www.cascadiaartmuseum.org.
Minh Carrico has a show of recent photography through March 15, 2017 at the Sno-Isle Library Art Exhibit Area of the Frances Anderson Center at 700 Main St. in Edmonds, WA. 425-771- 0230 or try www.edmondsartscommission.org.
“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 HenryArt 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. Lower level galleries will be on view until March 25, 2018. On the Seattle UW campus in the University District. 206-543-2280 or email [email protected]
Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park hosts a series of winter programs for all ages that bring together art, the environment and the winter season. “Winter in the Parks” programs run through March, 2018 including Kids Saturdays (with artist Romson Bustillo) and Art Encounters featuring an artist-in-residence. For details, try seattleartmuseum.org/lights.
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. March 29 will be “Kashmir Shawls of the West” at 7pm at Bellevue Arts Museum with Rosemary Crill, retired Senior Curator for South Asia, Victoria & Albert Museum, London. 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 “19th 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.
Jun Ahn likes heights. The South Korean photographer shoots from tall buildings and gets views that are eye-popping. Her show entitled “On the Verge” is on view through March 24 at Photographic Center Northwest at 900 12th Ave. 206-720-7222 or go to pcnw.org. Other events at PCNW worth checking out are these. Documentary photographer Beb Reynol will share his work done in Afghanistan and beyond on March 23, 2018 at 6:30pm. “Foto Revu” is a great way for budding photographers to get some feedback. A leading panel of nationally and locally known people in the photography field will sit down and go over your work with you. Five 20 minute review sessions over a two day time-span. Feb. 24/25 from 12:305:30pm. Register at www.pcnw.org. $195 fee for five reviews.
A group show that focuses on birds includes block prints on teabag papers by Alaska-based artist Fumi Matsumoto. Ends Feb. 24, 2018. Roby King Galleries. 176 Winslow Way E. on Bainbridge Island. 206-842-2063 or try robykinggallery.com.
“In the Shadow of Olympus” is a group show by Art Beasties, a collective of Japanese artists that spans continents and includes work by artists from Seattle, Kobe, Tokyo, New York and London. Collaborating over skype, for this show they create work addressing the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Includes work by local artists Junko Yamamoto, Ko lrkt (Ko Kirk Yamahira with a show currently at the Frye) and Paul Komada. The artists from the other cities include Yuki Nakamura (formerly from here but now in London), Maho Hikino, Tokio Kuniyoshi, Masaya Nakayama, Kakaeru Asai, Saki Kitamura and Mayu Kuroda. March 1 – 30, 2018. Opening reception on March 1 from 6 – 8pm. Regular hours are Th. – Sun from 11am – 4pm. SOIL is at 112 Third Ave. S. in Pioneer Square. 206-264-8061 or go to soilart.org. Funded in part with a 4Culture Project Grant.
A group show entitled “Neddy Artist Awards Exhibition” given out by Cornish College includes the work of Che Sehyun, Tuan Nguyen and many other distinguished local artists. Through Feb. 24, 2018. Open Fri. & Sat. from 1 – 6pm. Award-winner Che Sehyun performs on closing day, Feb. 24 at 3pm. Studio e at 605 Brandon St. 206-762-3322 or try studioegallery.org.
“Craftsmanship And Wit – Modern Japanese Prints from the Carol and Seymour Haber Collection” is a group show curated by Jeannie Kenmotsu – Japan Foundation Assistant Curator for Japanese Art. Includes work by Munakata, Hamaguchi, Ida and Kurosaki. On view through April 1, 2018 at Portland Art Museum. 1219 S.W. Park Ave. 503-226-2811 or try [email protected].
The Blackfish Gallery in Portland presents a group show featuring Blackfish member Kanetaka Ikeda and his sculptural series entitled “Parts of the Cosmic Tree”, guest artist Christy Wyckoff with “Paintings and Works on Paper” and guest artist Alan Lau (full disclosure – yes, that’s me) with “Quiet Days”, a group of paintings. Monica Mitchell’s New Member Show entitled “Habitat” is in the back room. On view through Feb. 24, 2018. There will be Artist Talks on Sat., Feb. 24 at 2pm. Lau will read poems on art and perform with Portland bassist Andre St. James while Ikeda and Wyckoff will talk about their work. 420 NW Ninth Ave. 503-224-2634 or go to www.blackfish.com.
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].
It’s a match made in culinary/art heaven. Artist/photographer/writer Dean Wong often hangs out at Tai Tung Restaurant in the CID. Now the restaurant has returned the favor with an ongoing presentation of his iconic photographs entitled “Made In Chinatown USA.” Sit at the counter deep into your chow mein and looks at images of the neighborhood on the wall. 655 South King St. Ongoing.
“Searching for Home” is a site-specific installation by Humaira Abid featuring personal narratives, stories and portraits of refugees in the Northwest woven into socio-cultural themes of immigration, women and families. It is her first solo exhibition in the U.S. In her work, she tackles issues of culture, gender and relationships both in her Pakistani homeland and her adopted U.S. home. Now through March 25, 2018. Bellevue Arts Museum. 510 Bellevue Way N.E. Closed Mon. & Tues. Wed. – Sun. 11am – 5pm. Free Frist Fridays from 11am – 8pm. 425-519-0770.
Humaira Abid returns with new work that’s just in from Philadelphia entitled “My Shame” which looks at feminine shame and the issues it brings up. Through March 1, 2018. ArtXchange Gallery at 512 1st 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 –“Pacific First” on view now through Nov. 30, 2018 looks at Pacific Islander artists who incorporate tradition while looking towards the future. “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 . “Do You Know Bruce?” is a major new show on the personal, intimate story of martial arts artist and film star Bruce Lee and the significance of Seattle in his life. The Wing is the only museum in the world, outside of Hong Kong, to present an exhibition about Bruce Lee’s life. The Lee family has plans to eventually open a permanent museum on Bruce Lee’s life and legacy in the Chinatown-ID neighborhood. A new installment of the Bruce Lee exhibit entitled “Day in the Life of Bruce Lee: So You Know Bruce? Closes on Feb. 11, 2018. The new installment explores what it took to become “Bruce Lee”. It delves into his daily work habits, routines and strategies to his written & visual art, reading, and personal time spent with family and friends. 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 Art Museum has the following – On view through July 15, 2018 is “Beauties and Talents: Art of Women in Japan” which features “women’s self-fashioning” including literature-inspired paintings, prints, kimono and lacquerware. Set for fall is a show entitled “Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India” on view from Oct. 18, 2018 – Jan. 21, 2019. Seattle Art Museum is at 1300 First Ave. downtown. 206-654-3100.
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.
“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 others. “In Search of the Lost History of Chinese Migrants and the Transcontinental Railroads” is the title of a new exhibition by UW Professor and internationally acclaimed artist Zhi Lin who looks at the thousands of Chinese men who came to America to work on the railroads and mine for gold. He travelled extensively to historic sites and painted at these locations to evoke the contributions of Chinese to the history of the American west. Writer/Professor Shawn Wong of the UW English department has contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog. Other Free Third Thursday events include a community panel on immigration and exclusion on Feb. 15, 2018. This show up until Feb. 18, 2018. Tacoma 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 files 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 Incaceration 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 522nd 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 collaborates with architect Kengo Kuma on the launch of a major expansion opening April 2, 2017. The Cultural Village expansion provides additional space and will enhance its ability to immerse visitors in traditional Japanese arts and culture. Three new Japanese gardens will be added as part of this. The garden will host major art exhibitions this year with related lectures, demonstrations and activities. Also in development is the International Institute for Japanese Garden Arts & Culture which will offer classes in traditional garden arts such as tea ceremony and calligraphy. Recently Suminori Awata, a stone mason from Japanese came to help direct constriction of a stone wall. Granite was gathered from a rock quarry in Pendleton, Oregon and moved to Portland for placement. This opens to the public in 2018. On view now through April 1, 2018 is “HANAKAGO – The Art Of Bamboo And Flowers”, exquisite bamboo vessels brought to life by the ikebana arrangements of a Kyoto master, Hayakawa Shokosai V who is a Living National Treasure. For more information, go to japanesegarden.com.
“The Coldest Night” is Srijon Chowdhury’s second show at Upfor Gallery on view Feb. 28 – March 31, 2018. It explores how our understanding of art spaces and artworks emerges slowly, sometimes frustratingly. 929 NW Flanders St. in Portland. 503-227-5111 or try upforgallery.com.
On view through March 4, 2018 is a two-person show with Srijon Chowdhury and Bobbi Woods. The Art Gym in Marylhurst. Go to theartgym.org for details.
“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.
Allied Arts of Whatcom County presents “Tore Ofteness, Frank Frazee and Various Local Artists: Whatcom READS Art Challenge & Exhibit” from March 2 – 31, 2018. This group show project presented local artists the challenge or reading Sri-Lankan American writer Sunil Yapa’s “Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist”, a novel about the WTO demonstrations in Seattle and then creating a piece of visual art inspired by it. 1418 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham, WA. 360-676-8548 or go to alliedarts.org.
On December 7, 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, launching America into war. In Canada, this action resulted in the confiscation of nearly 1,200 Japanese-Canadian owned fishing boats by Canadian officials on the British Columbia coast, which were eventually sold off to canneries and other non-Japanese fishermen. The exhibition entitled “The Lost Fleet” looks at the world of Japanese Canadian fishermen in BC and how deep-seated racism played a major part in the seizure, and sale, of Japanese Canadian property and the internment of an entire people. Curator Duncan MacLeod states that “the history of Japanese Canadian fishermen is inextricably linked to the history of Vancouver. The city was a gateway in the Pacific for all immigrants looking to forge a brighter future for themselves.” The exhibition will showcase a series of photographs as well as several models of Japanese Canadian built fishing vessels in its collection, made by model shipbuilder, Doug Allen. These models replicate some of the fishing boats seized during the war that have since been lost to history. On view through March 25, 2018. Vancouver Maritime Museum at 1905 Ogden Avenue in Vanier Park in Vancouver, BC Canada. Open Tues. – Sat. from 10am – 5pm and Sundays from noon – 5pm. Also open late on Thursday nights until 8pm. Go to https://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/exhibit/lost-fleet-exhibition for more details.
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 here Feb. 3 – May 6, 2018 (advance tickets for this show at murakami.vanartgallery.bc.ca). Opening March 3 and 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/.
“The Ceramic Art of Thomas Kakinuma” is the first substantial retrospective for this ceramic artist known for his figurative sculpture and animal figures. On view through March 10, 2018. West Vancouver Museum at 680 – 17th st. in West Vancouver,Canada. 604-925-7295 or try westvancouvermuseum.ca.
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. March 2 – 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 while a contemporary koto soundscape will be overlayered into this space. A film screening of “Facing Injustice – The Relocation of Japanese Canadians to Manitoba” by Past Perfect Productions will be screened on March 3 at 2pm. There will be an artist talk on March 10 at 2pm with music and a tea ceremony. On March 11 from 12 – 4pm, there will be a musical instrument making workshop for children. 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 Kamloops Art Gallery presents “Re Present: Photography from South Asia”. This landmark exhibition is the first of its kind in Western Canada to present a diverse range of the varied histories of photographic media from the Indian subcontinent. Includes work by Raja Deen Deyal, Linneaus Tripe, the Rags Media Collective and Pamela Singh. On view through March 31, 2018.101-465 Victoria St. in Kamloops, Canada. 250-377-2400 or try kag.bc.ca.
The Surrey Art Gallery in Surrey, Canada. On view through March 25, 2018 is a group show entitled “Many Visions, Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India” with close to 90 paintings from 24 artists showcasing works from the Gond and Warli communities of central India, the Mithila region of Bihar and the narrative scroll painters of West Bengal. 13750 88th Ave. (at King George Blvd.). 604-501-5566 or try surrey.ca/artgallery. Closed Mon. & holidays.
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. “Philippine Art: Collecting Art, Collecting Memories” is on view through March 11, 2018. Expressive indigenous carving, jewelry, textiles, Christian devotional statues, postwar genre and landscape paintings and contemporary works of this island nation fill this show. 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.
The De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park has the following – “Beyond the Surface: World-wide Embroidery Traditions” on view through March 25, 2018. “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” opens on Feb. 21 and 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 17th 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]
The San Jose Museum of Art presents a show entitled “The Propeller Group” set through March 25, 2018. This art collective based in Vietnam and L.A. takes on ambitious projects connected to Vietnam’s history and its paradoxical present through all media including film. 101 South Market. 408-271-6840.
“For-Site”, the non-profit art organization that helped set up and design Ai Weiwei’s installation on Alcatraz Island when he was under house arrest in China is back with another thought-provoking project. Entitled “Sanctuary”, it investigates the idea of a safe haven both physical and psychological. In this era of frenzied global migration and rising nationalism, the right to a safe haven is under threat. For “Sanctuary”, 36 artists from 21 different countries helped design contemporary rugs reflecting their idea of a sanctuary, offering visitors a multiplicity of perspectives on the basic need for refuge, protection and sacred ground. The rugs were actualized in Lahore, Pakistan by skilled artisans. Includes work by Mona Hatoum, Ai Weiwei and many others. On view through March 11, 2018 at the Fort Mason Chapel in San Francisco. Free. Go to for-site.org for details.
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 Japanese American National Museum has the following show – “Transpacific Borderlands: The Art of Japanese Diaspora in Lima, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Sao Paulo” is on view through Feb. 25, 2018. By looking at the work of Latin American artists the exhibit will show how ethnic communities, racial mixing and the concepts of homeland and cosmopolitanism inform the creativity and aesthetics of hybrid culture. 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].
A show tracing the influence of Caribbean Chinese artists from earliest times to the present is jointly presented at two museums in Los Angeles. The exhibition at the Chinese American Museum looks at early artists of Chinese descent in Cuba, Panama, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica and beyond. Both shows will reveal the hidden complexities of the transcultural art of the Carribbean. Part I at the Chinese American Museum traces the history of Chinese Carribbean art from the 1930’s through the period of the region’s independence movements. Works by Sybil Atteck (Trinidad & Tobago), Manuel Chong-Neto (Panama) and Wilfredo Lam (Cuba) will be featured. On view through March 11, 2018. 425 N. Los Angeles St. 213-485-8567 or go to caml.org. Part II of the show at the California African American Museum through Feb. 25, 2018 focuses on contemporary artists such as Albert Chong, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons as well as artists of today’s ongoing Chinese Caribbean diaspora as they explore issues of the post-colonial history, popular culture, and the body. 600 State Drive in Exposition Park. 213-744-2084 or go to caamuseum.org 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.
Denver Art Museum is planning a major exhibition from their collection entitled “Linking Asia: Art, Trade, and Devotion” which will look at cross-regional and cross-cultural influences in Asian art. The works come from over 20 countries and spans 2,000 years. The show remains on view through April 1, 2018. “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.
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. 202-783-5000.
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. 17th 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 – “In Focus: An Assembly of Gods” is on view through March 25, 2018. “Masterpieces From the Asia Society Museum Collection” on view through March 25, 2018. 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 16th 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.
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 – “Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics – A collection with Nobuo Tsuji and MFA, Boston” is on view through April 1, 2018. The popular Japanese artist Murakami whose work is influenced by popular culture and manga also has roots in Japanese eccentric traditional art. Noted Japanese art historian Nobuo Tsuji looks at pieces in the MFA collection of Japanese art for some examples of traditional art that inspired some of Murakami’s present work. “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.
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. “India Modern: The Paintings of M. F. Hussain” shows eight large triptychs from the “Indian Civilization” series which celebrates India’s rich and diverse culture. Hussain was one of India’s first modern artists. Up through March 4, 2018. 111 South Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600.
“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
“Living Proof: The Art Of Japanese Draftsmanship In The 19th Century” gives visitors a rare chance to see original drawings by Edo-period printmakers Hokusai, Kuniyoshi and Yoshitoshi together in one location. Through March 3, 2018. Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. Go to pulitzerarts.org for details.
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.
The oil paintings of Kumagai Morikazu (1880 – 1977) are universally loved in Japan. The paintings have a flatness and animal subject matter that many ascribe to the Japanese woodcut tradition but his thick oil paint texture and muted tones have a Nihon-ga feel that touch the hearts of people with their gentle charm. Coinciding with the fortieth anniversary of his death, this retrospective covers his entire career with some two hundred works. Through March 21, 2018. National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
“Ishiuchi Miyako: Grain and Image” on view through March 4, 2018. Yokohama Museum of Art. Of all the post-WW II photographers in Japan, the work of Ishiuchi stands out for her unique vision and the fact she was often the one lone female image maker amidst a sea of men. She grew up in Yokosuka, a town near an American army base and she presented a frank and honest look at that town in her first show entitled “Yokosuka Story.” She would go on to document the damaged belongings of A-bomb survivors, Frida Kahlo’s personal belongings and a very personal investigation of bodies and the map of skin that covers them. This retrospective covers images from her whole career as well as previously unreleased photographs. The museum is at Minatomirai Station in Kanagawa Prefecture. 045-221-0300 or go to http://yokohama.art.museum/eng.
“A View of Prints: The Trajectory of the Gendai Hanga Center. Through March 25, 2018. This center was established in 1974 to exhibit and promote contemporary Japanese art prints. This exhibition highlights the impact the center had on the world and explores the possibilities of Japanese woodblock printing from a modern and contemporary perspective. The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama. Go to www.pref.spec.ed.jp/momas.
“The 40th 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/.
“Decoration Never Dies, Anyway” through Feb. 25, 2018. This exhibition helps us understand how decoration permeates all of our lives via exhibits by seven different artists from around the world. Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum of Art.
“Nara’s Traditional Crafts: Akahadayaki Pottery, Nara Itto-bori Carving And Nara Lacquerware” through March 25, 2018. Nara Prefecture is still home to many aspects of Japanese traditional culture. This exhibition outlines historical and contemporary interpretations of traditional crafts. Nara Prefectural Museum of Art.
“Tomb Dynasty Figures of Hu People: Portraying the Multicultural Vigor on the Silk Road” is on view through March 25, 2018 at The Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka.
A retrospective of controversial Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki entitled “Nobuyoshi Araki – I, Photography” is on view through March 25, 2018 at Marugame Genichiro Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art in Marugame, Kagawa Japan.
A group of Chinatown activists are exploring the idea of buying the landmark Empress of China building to turn it into the first museum in the U.S. devoted to Chinese American history as a way of honoring the late Ed Lee, San Francisco’s first Chinese American Mayor who grew up in Seattle. Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action came up with the idea and has enlisted support from local groups including the Chinese Historical Society of America. Some politicians are also pushing to rename historic Portsmouth Square after the late mayor. For 48 years, the Empress of China restaurant was a key gathering spot for celebrities and neighborhood regulars. It closed in 2014. Excerpted from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Takayuki Echigoya originally from Japan runs Bowery Blue Makers in New York. He makes custom-made blue jeans with American cotton dyed in Japan. He averages 25 pairs a month. Each takes eight hours to make. He will not use new machines and instead uses old Singer sewing machines that gives a more uneven, hand-made look.
Junko Oki hails from Kanagawa, Japan. Her abstract work as a textile artist is a revelation. Instead of a brush, thread is her palette. Go to https:www.pinerest.com/acuriouswork/stitched-junko-oki/ and prepare to be amazed.
Performing Arts
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 – “Shakespeare, Our Contemporary” on Mon., March 12 at 7pm with Rosa Joshi, Darragh Kennan and Nike Imoru. “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.
“Kamishibai” is a from of Japanese street theatre and storytelling popular in that country before the advent of television. A narrator/storyteller would situate him or herself on a street corner with sets of illustrated boards that they would place in a miniature stage-like device and narrate the story by changing each image. Now present-day practitioners of this performing art come to the Puget Sound’s Youth Theatre Northwest from Nagoya, Japan to work their magic, perform and teach local kids how to make their own “kamishibai.” Tatsuo Kawakami and Takamitsu Terukina perform. One is the last kamishibai artist still performing and the other is the kamishibai artist. Sign up now! Starts Jan. 31, 2018 and goes on through Feb. For the details, go to http://youththeatre.org/on-stage/spring-play-through-the-looking-glass-kamishibai-project/ or try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8wz6iU16BM. 206-232-4145×101 or go to youththeatre.org.
What happens when the first generation patriarch of a Korean American family in a West Texas suburb returns after a 15 year absence spent in his homeland of Korea? Find out in Lloyd Suh’s play entitled “American Hwangap” on stage at West of Lenin. Feb. 1 – 25, 2018 as directed by A. J. Epstein. Stars Michael Cerado, Kathy Hsieh, Mara Palma, Stephen Sumida and Moses Yim. Playwright Suh currently serves on the Dramatists Guild Council and as Director of Artistic Programs at The Lark. He has authored numerous plays that have been staged nationally and internationally. Thurs. – Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 2pm with an additional performance on Mon., Feb. 12 at 8pm. 203 North 36th St. in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. For tickets try Brown Paper Tickets or go to www.westoflenin.com.
ReAct Theatre, a multicultural company run by David Hsieh open their 25th Anniversary Season with two plays. They encore their Seattle premiere of “Sex With Strangers” by Laura Eason through March 11, 2018. They also revive the popular musical “The Last 5 Years” by Jason Robert Brown through March 10. In the summer, they encore “Aliens” by Annie Baker, a comedic drama with music that explores the friendship between three millennial misfits. At 12th Avenue Arts on Capitol Hill. All tickets at Brown Paper Tickets.
Catch local singer/songwriter Tomo Nakayama sharing the bill with Tom Brosseau and Shelley Short at Fremont Abbey Arts Center on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 at 7:30pm. All ages. 4272 Fremont Ave. N. 206-414-8325 or go to www.fremontabbey.org.
2017 Neddy winner Che Sehyun performs “Connecting the Future to the Ancient”, a live multimedia performance of hip hop infused songs and stories on Feb. 24 at 3pm, the last day of the 21st Annual Neddy Artist Awards Exhibition. At Studio e, 609 Brandon St. in Seattle.
On Sat., Feb. 24, 2018 at 4pm, From Within Nucleus Dance Company in association with SVETA Temple presents “Colors of Krishna – A Bharatanatyam play about Lord Krishna. Carco Theatre Renton at 1717 Maple Valley Highway. Go to [email protected] for details.
The 4th Bellevue World TAIKO Festival takes place on Sunday, March 3, 2018. Performers include special guests from Japan – Miyake Geinou Doushikai as well as CHIKIRI & Cascades Taiko Drummers and more performers to-be-announced. Matinee performance at 2pm and Evening performance at 7pm. Tickets on sale now at Brown Paper Tickets. Bellevue High School Performing Arts Center.
The “Masters of Hawaiian Music” tour stops at the Triple Door in downtown Seattle for 2 nights with slack-key guitarists George Kahumoku, Led Kaapana and Jeff Peterson playing in the Hawaiian cowboy tradition. March 2 & 3, 2018 at 8pm. 216 Union St. 206-838-4333.
Monqui presents singer/songwriter Rachael Yamagata on Tues., March 6, 2018 at Columbia City Theater. Go to www.columbiacitytheater.com for details.
“Yoni Ki Baat”, Tasveer’s adaptation of Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” as performed by local South Asian women as part of “AAINA – South Asian Women’s Focus” coordinated by Uma Rao takes place on March 23 – March 25 from 7 – 9pm. Seattle University’s Pigott Hall Auditorium on the campus. 901 – 12th Ave. 206-349-4478 or go to tasveer.org.
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. 206-938-
The Meany Center For The Performing Arts has released their 2017/2018 schedule. Some of the many highlights include the following – The popular return of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Of Taiwan led by founder Lin Hwai Min with a new work entitled “Formosa – (beautiful island)” which uses gesture, script, song and other elements from the landscape and history of his native Taiwan. Thurs. – Sat. on March 22 – 24, 2018 at 8pm. 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. 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.
The Chinese Traditional Orchestra presents “Enchanting China” for a concert full of the unique sounds of classical Chinese instruments. Direct from China, the orchestra is on a West Coast tour with traditional dancers, a large chorus and Chinese & American vocalists. You’ll hear traditional Chinese opera, folk and classical music. April 2 at 8pm. At S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium at Benaroya Hall. 206-215-4747 or toll-free at 866-333-4747. 200 University St. downtown Seattle.
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.org.
J. Tancioco is the musical director for a new production of “Mamma Mia!” at the 5th Avenue Theatre downtown. Filipino American actor/singer Paolo Montalban makes his 5th Avenue debut as Sam Carmichael. He is best known for his performance in the 1997 Disney TV film “Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” as Prince Christopher, a role he later reprised in stage versions of that musical. Running through Feb. 25, 2018. Directed by Bill Berry with Choreography by Bob Richard. 1308 5th Ave. in downtown Seattle.206-625-1900 or go to www.5thavenue.org.
Dengue Fever shares the bill with Burger A-Go-Go on Feb. 25 at The Crocodile in Belltown at 2200 2nd Ave. on the corner of 2nd & Blanchard. You can get tickets at [email protected] or in person at The Crocodile Box Office. More information at www.thecrocodile.com.
Japanese psych-rock band Kikagaku Moyo (Geometric Patterns) share the bill with FEED on Sun. Feb. 25, 2018 at Barboza at 8pm. $15. 925 E. Pike St. Tickets at Thebarboza.com.
Seattle Classic Guitar Society brings Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang to Benaroya Hall on March 3, 2018 at 7:30pm. Yang performs Chinese compositions and chamber music for guitar. 206-365-0845 or go to [email protected].
Sumire Yoshihara (percussion) and Kazue Sawai (7 and 15 string koto) are respected performers of Japanese contemporary music. This is a rare opportunity to hear this duo present a selection of Japanese contemporary music showcasing duo and solo works by Kitazume, Matsumura, Sugiyama and others. Presented by Vancouver New Music. Tickets are $15. March 17, 2018 at 8pm. 823 Seymour St – 2nd floor. Vancouver BC. 604-665-3035
Seattle Children’s Theatre presents “The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559”. Adapted from the young adult novel of the same name, this play deals with a 12 year old Japanese American boy who must leave with his family to be imprisoned in an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and how he processes the whole experience. Through March 4, 2018. 201 Thomas St. 206-441-3322 or go to sct.org.
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.
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 Miles Electric Band brings alumnus from various Miles Davis ensembles to play the music from his electric/funk period. Includes tabla player Badal Roy, Blackbyrd Mcknight, Vince Wilburn Jr. and Daryl Jones. Feb. 23 at 7:30pm. Moore Theatre.
Steve Aoki, Designer plays Showbox Sodo on Wed., March 14 at 8pm.
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.
“Global Rhythms 2017-18” series curated by Jon Kertzer and Daniel Atkinson for Town Hall Seattle brings a concert entitled “Summit in Seattle” with pianist/composer Vjay Iyer in a night of collaboration and improvisation with some of his illustrious and gifted musical colleagues including Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Tyshawn Sorey on drums and trombone and Howard Wiley on saxophone and drums all for the first time together. Set for March 2, 2018 at 7:30pm. Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center. A week later, the human vocal project known as Roomfull of Teeth blends elements of various genres to explore the limits of the human voice on the frontier of classical music on March 9 at To keep in the loop and find out all the other great players in this series, go to www.townhallseattle.org.
The Thistle Theatre uses tabletop bunraku, rod and shadow puppets to tell the story of a tiger who believes he is the fiercest in all of Korea until he mistakenly thinks that a dried persimmon is a frightening new creature. Experience the rich culture and traditions of Korea through the misadventures of the silly tiger. “Tiger And The Dried Persimmon” is staged at Sunset Hill Community Club on March 17 & 18 at 1pm and 3pm. 3003 NW 66th St. For details, call 206-524-3388 or go to www.thistletheatre.org.
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. At the Leo K. Theatre. 155 Mercer St. Box Office # is 206-443-2222.
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.
A rare opportunity to catch comedy star/actress Margaret Cho in a club setting happens March 29 – 31, 2018. MAD TV comic star Bobby Lee returns to the area for stand-up on June 7 & 9 . Both 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.
The Broadway Center in Tacoma has the following – Best-selling new age/spiritual writer /Deepak Chopra gives a talk on April 12, 2018 at 7:30pm at Pantages Theatre.
Soor Aur Saptak (“notes and octaves” in Hindi) is a Portland-based South Asian non-profit community organization. On Feb. 24, 2018 at 4pm they will sponsor their annual concert to raise money to treat visually impaired/blind children in India. Talented local performers will treat the audience to a program of Bollywood songs and dances. Sonrise Church at 6701 NE Campus Way in Hillsboro, Oregon. For tickets, call 503-533-0424 or go to Soor Aur Saptak’s facebook page.
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.
UC Santa Barbara-based playwright Frances Ya-chu Cowhig’s latest play “Snow in Midsummer” plays the Oregon Shakespeare Festival later this year from Aug. 2 – Oct. 27, 2018 at the Angus Bowner Theatre in Ashland. This play is a thrilling update of a classical Chinese drama (The Injustice to Dou Yi That Moved Heaven and Earth by Guan Hanqing) that she turns into a modern ghost story in which a young woman is haunted by a mysterious apparition seeking revenge for an older injustice. Directed by Justin Audibert who oversaw the play’s premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2017. With Jessica Ko in the lead. 15 South Pioneer St. in Ashland, Oregon. 800-219-8161 for tickets.
“Allegiance”, the Broadway musical inspired by actor George Takei’s childhood in internment camp during WWII will come to Los Angeles Feb. 21 – April 1, 2018 with previews from Feb. 21 – 25. East West Players and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center will co-sponsor the production set for the JACCC’s Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo. No word yet on whether the production will include the original cast but George Takei will reprise his role. For updates, visit East West Players website.
Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim has been named to replace the disgraced ex-Met. Conductor James Levine in his hometown of Cincinnati. She will conduct Verdi’s Requiem at Cincinnati’s May Festival. Kim is just starting to make her mark with US opera houses and this prestigious engagement should give her more exposure.
A new play by David Henry Hwang entitled “Soft Power” runs from May 10 – June 10, 2018. It is a futuristic Chinese musical about present day America. Music by Jeanine Tesori and directed by Leigh Silverman. World premiere under the auspices of the Center Theater Group. At the Ahmanson Theater in New York before it goes to East-West Players in Los Angeles. Go to centertheatergroup.org for details.
Noted Korean soprano Sumi Hwang sang the opening Olympic hymn at this year’s Winter Olympics. She won the 2014 Reine Elisabeth competition in Brussels and is a member of the ensemble at Bonn Opera. Her next appearances are in “Figaro” and “Turandot” in Bonn.
Dipti Mehta has been touring her one woman show entitled “HONOUR: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan”, a coming of age story of a girl in a Mumbai brothel. Referencing both the Mahabharata and contemporary Bollywood, this performance/dance is a protest against the contemporary sex trade and abuse of young women in India. She recently performed this piece at Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. For more information, visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac/events/2017-18.
Filipino American singer/songwriter Bruno Mars picked up six nominations and he won every category at this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony which honors the most popular in American music.
Film & Media
Acclaimed director King Hu’s classic “Legend of the Mountain” that inspired films like “The Matrix” has been restored in a new digital 4k version. It will be shown in the original director’s cut. Set during the 11th century Sung Dynasty, the film stars Feng Hsu, Sylvia Chang and Chun Shih in a supernatural fable. Screens locally at Northwest Film Forum March 1 – 4.1515 12th Ave. 206-329-2629.
Catch the classic Japanese anime sci-fi film “Ghost in the Shell” as directed by Masamune Shirow in the original Japanese version with English subtitles. A limited run from Feb. 23 – 26 at Central Cinema at 21st & Union. Go to centralcinema.com for details.
“Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie” will open March 12, 2018 nationwide, presented by Fanthom Events and 4k Media. This is a digitally remastered version of the 2004 anime box office hit inspired by the popular Yi-Gi-Oh! Trading card game, manga and TV series. In addition, a sneak peek of the first episode of the sixth series will be screened. Locally you can catch it at Pacific Place downtown, Southcenter 16 in Tukwila and Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue.
“Oh Lucy!” directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi (now based in the Bay Area) and starring Shinobu Terajima, Josh Hartnett, Shioli Kutsuna and Megan Mullally was nominated for a Film Independent Spirit Award in 2018. It tells the story of a single, emotionally unfulfilled woman in Tokyo stuck with a drab, meaningless life who enrolls in an unorthodox English class that changes her life. She becomes infatuated with her teacher. When he suddenly disappears with her niece for Southern California, she enlists the help of her sister and flies to Los Angles to find him. Opens on March 16. “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.
The Seattle Asian American Film Festival returns Feb. 22 – 25 with features and shorts, music videos, and documentaries all pertaining to the Asian American experience. Northwest Film Forum. 1515 – 12th Ave. 206-329-2629.
This year’s Academy Award Nominations included the following – Ru Kawahata & Max Porter received a nomination for “Best Animated Short” for “Negative Space”. Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani for “Original Screenplay” for their film, “The Big Sick”. Steve James, Mark Mitten & Julie Goldman for “Best Documentary Feature” for “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”, the gut-wretching story of a small family-owned New York Chinatown bank that was prosecuted for the crime of one of their employees. Kazuhiro Tsjuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick were nominated for “Best Make-up and Hair” for “The Darkest Hour”.
Maya Jeffereis has completed a new video installation entitled “They Were The Silent Generation”, an experimental documentary video installation featuring interviews with survivors of Japanese Canadian internment. It was recently screened at a group show entitled “Just Being Polite” in the DUMBO area of New York. Jeffereis is artist-in-residence at the NARS Foundation International Residency Program.
The Written & Spoken Arts
Canadian architect James K. M. Cheng will join his Canadian colleagues to celebrate the publication of their various books at Seattle’s downtown architecture bookstore, Peter Miller Books. Cheng’s book is entitled “CITY BUILDER: The Architecture of James K. M. Cheng” which is a critical biography, collected works and the first history of “Vancouverism” in print. Other architect authors on this night include Jeremy Sturgess, Trevor Boddy and Noel Best. The event includes a booksigning, food & wine and a short talk. Friday, March 2 from 5:30 – 7:30pm. 304 Alaskan Way South in Post Alley. 206-441-4114 or try [email protected]
Town Hall Seattle is undergoing renovation but that doesn’t mean their activities have ceased. They have just taken their events to places all over the city. On Wed., Feb. 21 at 7:30pm, Korea’s first paleoanthropologist Sang-Hee Lee reveals cutting-edge human evolution research and surprising new conclusions about the societies of our Neanderthal ancestors in a talk entitled “Investigating Our Evolving Species” set for Greenwood Senior Center at 525 N. 85th St. Co-presented by Town Hall Seattle, Phinney Neighborhood Association and University Bookstore. Coming on Sat., Feb. 24 at 7:30pm at Rainer Arts Center at 3515 South Alaska St. is a talk by writer and historian Shaun Scott with exhibitions curator Minh Nguyen that examines the social and cultural factors that have helped shape the Millennial generation in “Millennials and the Moments that Made Us”. At the Rainier Arts Center at 2515 S. Alaska St. Amy Chua is an expert on ethnic conflict and globalization. She will be joined by Seattle moderator/talk show host Bill Radke as she examines the span of American identity politics from left to right, and contends that we must transcend our political tribes and rediscover a new national identity. Thurs., March 8, 2018 at 7:30pm at University Lutheran Church at 1604 NE 50th St. For information on all these events,call 206-652-4255 or email [email protected] or go to townhallseattle.org. For details on their music events, go to the “Performing Arts” category of this calendar.
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. S. J. Sindu reads from her novel about Sri Lankan immigrant culture and the intersection of migration, sexuality and culture in “Marriage of a Thousand Lies” on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7pm at the bookstore. Novelist Ruth Ozeki appears as part of the Hugo House “Words Work” series on Feb. 23 at 7pm at Washington Hall. She will conduct a workshop entitled “Meditation For Writers”. 153 – 14th Ave. Co-presented by Hugo House and Seattle University’s “Search For Meaning Book Festival. For details on Ozeki’s workshop, go to www.hugohouse.org. On Sat., Feb. 24 from 8am – 6pm the “Search For Meaning Book Festival” takes place on the Seattle University campus where over 50 nationally & internationally known authors will appear in a series of workshops, talks and readings. Some of those appearing include Ruth Ozeki, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, Taylor Branch, Barbara Brown Taylor, Marwa Al-Sabouni (via Skype), Moustafa Bayoumi, SJ Sindu, Dave Boling, Jessica Bruder, Robin DiAngelo, Laurie Frankel, Samrat Upadhyay. Lorraine K. Bannai and Anuk Arudpragasun. March 1, 2018 at 7pm, Igbo/Tamil writer Akwaeke Emezi from Nigeria (now based in New York City) reads from her novel “Freshwater” (Grove) at the bookstore. The book takes us inside a young woman’s head as she goes slowly mad. On March 3 at 10am, the Saturday University “Boundaries of Belonging in Asia Winter Lecture Series” continues at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium. Lucinda Ramberg, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Cornell gives a talk entitled “We were Always Buddhist: Caste Emancipated and Sexual Politics in South Asia”. On Sat, March 3 at 3pm back at the bookstore, Tahir Hamut with Darren Byler reads from “The Distance.” Uyghur Chinese poet, filmmaker and literary critic Tahir Hamut reads from “The Distance and Other Poems”. Hamut started with poetry in the late 80’s while studying in Beijing with “Misty” school poets. He was a leader of the Tianamen Square protests and knew the late Liu Xiaobo. He was imprisoned for his political and cultural work. He will discuss the tense political situation in his Uyghur homeland of Northwest China. Byler will introduce and translate for Hamut. Seattle University Professor/writer Sonora Jha engages in conversation with local writer Natalie Singer about her memoir entitled “California Calling: A Self-Interrogation” (Hawthorne) on March 5 at 7pm at the bookstore. On Friday, March 9 at 7pm, Shobha Rao (“An Unrestored Woman”) will read from her debut novel entitled “Girls Burn Brighter” (Flatiron) which looks at the lives of young women in India and America and the power of childhood bonds. Writer/editor Minal Hajratwala comes to the store on Sat., March 10 at 3pm to read from her debut book of poetry/performance texts entitled “Bountiful Instructions for Enlightenment” (The Great Indian Poetry Collective). This books brims over with lucid storytelling and playful voices. On Wed., March 21 at 7pm, the store welcomes Niti Sampat Patel, a scholar from Bombay who reads from her first novel entitled “Moon Goddess” (Loose Moose). The book traces the lives of several generations of women in India, the U.S. and Lebanon. Again at the book store on Thurs., March 22, Seattle fiction writer Richard Chiem (“You Private Person”) engages in conversation with Eastern Washington writer Bruce Holbert about his new novel entitled “Whiskey” (C McD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux). On Fri., March 23 at 7:30pm, Hugo Literary Series presents the theme of “Real Estate” with novelist Joshua Ferris, prose writer Melissa Febos, poet E.J. Koh and singer/songwriter Tomo Nakayama. This event at Fred W. Wildlife Refuge at 128 Belmont Ave. E. 21+ only. Go to www.hugohouse.org for details. Back at the store on Mon., March 26 at 7pm the journalist/scholar Himanee Gupta-Carlson asks what do non-whites, non-christians and/or non-natives mean when they call themselves American? Find out in her study of the Midwest in “Middletown and Asian America” (Univ. of Illinois). Co-presented with the Asian American Journalists Association of Seattle. On Fri.,March 30 at 7pm at WithinSodo located at 2916 Utah Ave. S., the Vietnamese Friendship Association’s Annual Gala’s special guest is best-selling author, artist and former public school teacher Thi Bui. Bui will talk about her graphic novel based on her family history entitled “The Best We Could Do” (Abrams). Co-sponsored by Raised Donuts, Young Tea, Abrams Books and Elliott Bay Book Company. Tickets at https://www.facebook.com/events/989771001179660/.
On Sat., Feb. 24 at 9am at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium, Azeem Ibrahim, Senior Fellow at The Center for Global Policy will address the topic of “ Rohingya: The World’s Most Persecuted Minority” “. Part of the Saturday University “Boundaries of Belonging in Asia – Winter Lecture Series” as well as the “Search For Meaning Festival”. 206-654-3210 or go to www.seattleartmuseum.org. At 901 – 12th Ave.
The University Book Store sponsors or co-sponsors a reading series at their location on University Ave. as well as other sites throughout the city. Below are some upcoming events – Sang-Hee Lee, Korea’s first paleontologist gives insight into humanity’s dawn and evolution with her international bestseller “Close Encounters with Humankind. On Wed., Feb. 21 at 7:30pm. At the Greenwood Senior Center at 525 N. 85th St. $5 tickets at http://bit.ly/2CNVZXv. Scott Tong will read from “A Village with my Name: A Family History of Chinas Opening to the World” (University of Chicago Press) on Feb. 22 at 7pm at the Seattle branch of the University Book Store in the University District. Tong initially went to China to set up a China bureau for NPR’s “Marketplace” but along the way reunited with long lost relatives and found a China he personally didn’t know. On Wed., Feb. 28 at 12:30pm, an event entitled “Publish And Flourish” will introduce readers to UW Tacoma professors with new work published. Each professor will give a short talk abput their book with a Q & A to follow. Ji-Hyun Ahn talks about “Mixed-Race Politics and Neoliberal Multiculturalism in South Korea” (Palgrave). Other professors appearing include John Bair, Yonn Doierwecjhter, Marion Harris, Michael K. Honey, Ellen Moore and Ingrid Walker. In the UW Tacoma Library located in the Snoqualmie Building. 1000 Commerce St. 253-692-4440 or go to [email protected]. Jamie Ford, noted author will read from his latest novel entitled “Love And Other Consolation Prizes” on Thurs., March 8 at 7pm. Carco Theatre Renton at 1717 Maple Valley Highway. Presented by King County Library System Foundation. For more information, go to www.ubookstore.com or call 206-634-3400.
On Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 7:30pm, Seattle poet Shin Yu Pai starts her Town Hall Seattle Neighborhood Residency by hosting poet and Zen Roshi Peter Levitt who will give a poetry reading and speak on “Creativity and the Sacred in the Everyday”. Phinney Neighborhood Association Main Hall. 6632 Phinney Ave. N. 206-783-2244 or go to https:www.phinneycenter.org/.
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. Friends/poets Tess Gallagher and Lawrence Matsuda read together on March 23, 2018 at 7pm. Poets Amy Glynn and Garrett Hongo read together on April 6, 2018 at 7pm. In Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood at 2414 N. 45th 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 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.
Less than two weeks after his reported government detention in China, publisher Gui Minhai has been selected to receive the 2018 Prix Voltaire from the International Publishers Association (IPA). The prize honors struggles faced by those in international book publishing who have endured serious adversity for the sake of freedom to publish. Minhai is a Swedish citizen and he was abducted on a train to Beijing.
Ocean Vuong whose debut collection of poetry entitled “Night Sky With Exit Wounds” (Copper Canyon) has already won the Forward Prize, the Whiting Prize and the Thom Gunn Award has added to his laurels being the recipient of the TS Eliot Prize. He becomes only the second debut poet to win this prize, two years after Sarah Howe (British/Chinese mixed race) became the first, winning for “Loop of Jade” in 2016. One of the jurors, Bill Herbert called Vuong’s book “A compelling assured debut, the definitive arrival of a significant voice”. It’s interesting that the 10-strong short-list for this award was initially criticized by some for its lack of diversity as Vuong was the only non-white poet listed.
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! –
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.
“The Chinese Emperor’s New Cloths” (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 the 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 paint, 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).
“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]
Marie Lu, the young adult New York Times bestselling author of “Legend” and “The Young Elites” returns with ”Batman Nightwalker ”, a portrait of Batman as a teenage Bruce Wayne willing to break rules for a girl who may prove to be his undoing.
“Saying Your Name Three Times Under Water” (Lithic Press) by Sam Roxas Chua is a book of poems by this Northwest poet that swirls in a surrealistic sea of blood, faith and desire haunted by family and spirits from China and the Philippines.
Taro Gomi’s “I Really Want to See You, Grandma” is a joyful tale of missed opportunities as granddaughter and grandmother keep missing each other in their strong desire to visit each other. In bright, humorous drawings, Gomi celebrates the power of love that overcomes all obstacles, whatever the distance. A perfect “read to my child” opportunity.
“Too Much And Not The Mood” (Farrar Straus & Giroux) by Durga Chew Bose is a collection of essays-meet-prose poetry about identity and culture in today’s rapidly changing world.
“Built: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Structures” (Bloomsbury) by Roma Agrawal. This engineer/author with a mix of personal stories, history and science is able to articulate to the general reader civilization’s root in engineering.
“The Newspaper Widow” (Philippine American Literary House) is veteran fiction writer Cecilia Manguerra Brainard’s new novel which is a literary mystery set in turn-of-the-century Philippines. When her son is unjustly accused, a mother takes it upon herself to solve a murder to clear his name.
Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes continue their popular “Secret Coders” graphic novel series about secret high school coders stuck in an unfriendly high school but determined to unlock its dark secrets. So far in the series on First Second Press are “Secret Coders”, “Secret Coders – Paths & Portals” and “Secret Coders – Secrets & Sequences”.
“An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments With Truth – A Critical Edition by M. K. Gandhi “(Yale). Seventy years after his death, this is the first critical, annotated edition of the Indian leader’s most famous work.
“Facing the Rising Sun (NYU) by Gerald Horne tells the true story of the wide-spread pro-Tokyo sentiment that spread among African Americans during WWII and why.
“A River, One-Woman Deep” (Philippine American Literary House) by Linda Ty-Casper is a new collection of fiction. In a novella, a Filipino American woman uncovers a family secret during her visit to Manila. Other short stories in this collection concern the lives of Filipino and Filipino American women.
“Swimmer Among The Stars” (Farrar Straus & Giroux) by Kanishk Tharoor. This book of short stories are dazzling fables where the exotic and mundane collide with incendiary literary results.
“Chimi & Chirra, The Snowy Day” (Enchanted Lion Books) by Kaya Doi as translated by Yuki Kaneko brings back these two bicycling adventurers as they uncover the beautiful mysteries of winter in this delightful kids picture book.
In “Stir Crazy” (Kyle Books), Ching-He Huang who is host of the Cooking Channel’s “Easy Chinese” program explains the techniques of good stir-fry for amateur cooks at home.
“Gravel Heart” (Bloomsbury) by Abdulrazak Gurnah takes place in 1970s Zanzibar. An Indian boy grows up in a house full of secrets and a father who does not want him. As a teenager, an uncle in London offers an escape. Only then will he understand the darkness at the heart of his family.
UW Creative Writing Professor Pimone Triplett’s “Supply Chain” (University of Iowa Presss) is chock full of poems popping with musicality that also deliver in meeting the complexities of life that connects the domestic to the political.
“Ramen At Home” (Rockridge Press) by Brian MacDuckston. Ramen is the latest food phenomenon to hit these shores and one can see a ramen shop on every street corner. The author simplifies the process and explains how you can prepare this humble soup in your own kitchen at home.
“Benedicta Takes Wing and Other Stories” (Philippine American Literary House) is the debut short story collection by Veronica Montes. Two American born sisters find themselves in a Manila nightclub staffed by dwarves, a lonely woman creates a family with a surrogate son and teenage girls grieve the loss of their grandmothers. These are just some of the tales found in this volume.
In “An Indian Beach By Day And Night” (Tara Books), French artist Joelle Jolivet observes life along a South Indian beach and finds it teeming with activity 24/7. A fun multi-activity project that will involve your kids in many different ways.
“The Life of Paper – Letters And a Poetics of Living Beyond Captivity” (UC Press). This book by Sharon Luk looks at how people who face systematic social dismantling have engaged in letter correspondence to remake themselves. Examples include the early immigration detention of Chinese migrants, the internment of Japanese Americans and the mass incarceration of African Americans. The author makes it clear how correspondence becomes a poetic art of reinvention and a way to live for those imprisoned.
“The Princess and the Dressmaker” (First Second) is a graphic novel by Jen Wang that explores the lives of two people who grow closer and yet must tread lightly between their feelings and their dreams.
“Diasporic Intimacies – Queer Filipinos and Canadian Imaginaries” (Northwestern University Press) is an anthology edited by Robert Diaz, Marissa Largo and Fritz Pino that looks at the contributions of queer Filipinos to Canadian culture and society.
“What What What?” by Ryoji Arai (Enchanted Lion Books) is illustrated by Arata Tendo and translated from the Japanese by David Boyd. There’s a nervous energy to this curious kid who can’t stop asking questions. Initially annoying, soon his inquisitiveness is infectious and he has the whole community responding to his curiosity. The illustrator’s artwork adds a pulsing energy to this kid’s book.
“Hard Bodies – Contemporary Japanese Lacquer Sculpture” (MIA) by Andreas Marks. A curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Art has written this exhibition catalog for a show that opens this year. Artisans in Asia have worked in lacquer since the Neolithic era but this book looks at recent trends in the field and how today’s artists are pushing the medium into fresh and dynamic directions beyond their original utilitarian/decorative purpose.
“The Epic City – The World on the Streets of Calcutta” (Bloomsbury) by Kushanava Choudhury. This book tells the story of an immigrant family who moved back and forth between India and the US and their son who returns to Calcutta to live after graduation. He paints a compelling picture of the everyday lives of people who make up this thriving city.
“Hurray For Books!” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) by as written and illustrated by Brian Won is a delightful celebration of reading for children with each animal in the story from page to page sharing their favorite book.
“A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things – A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet” (UC Press) by Raj Patel and Jason W. Moore. This book proposes a radical new way of reclaiming the planet in the twenty-first century. Are you listening?
“The Five Forms” (Farrar Straus & Giroux) by Barbara McClintock is a playful picture book exploration of Chinese martial arts done in vibrant watercolors.
“Silent Days, Silent Dreams” (Arthur A. Levine Books) by Caldecott Medal-winning author Allen Say is a bit of a departure from his usual autobiographical story lines. In this book he tells the story of James Castle who was born deaf, mute, autistic and probably dyslexic. Yet his will to draw was so strong that when those in charge deprived him of drawing materials, he used waste paper, sticks dipped in soot and his own spit to keep making images. When he died, he left more than 15,000 pieces of art work. Simply stated, this is a moving tribute from one artist to another.
“Ahimsa” (Tu Books) by Supriya Kelkar. The author, inspired by her great-grandmother’s experience working with Gandhi shines a light on the Indian Freedom Movement in her young adult literary debut.
“Some Beheadings” (Nightboat Books) by Aditi Machado goes to the desert to unlock answers to questions like “How does thinking happen?”, “What does thinking Feel Like?” and “How do I think about the future?” in this intriguing new book of poetry.
“The Serpent’s Secret – Kiranwala And The Kingdom Beyond #1” (Scholastic) by Sayantani Dasgupta. A teenage girl in Jersey must become a smart, tough princess if she is to solve the mystery of her missing parents. A young adult mystery/thriller.
“A New Literary History of Modern China (Belknap Harvard) Edited by David Der-wei Wang is a monumental undertaking that looks to show China through a rich and varied literary microscope from the seventeenth century to the present. With over 140 contributors that cover everything from pop songs to political speeches and prison diaries. Definitely a desert island read for lovers of Chinese literature.
“Kith” (Fence Books/Book Thug) by Divya Victor brings us an astute poet whose imagination tackles every genre to reveal the blood beneath the bandage and a reflection of our forgotten lives that need to be remembered.
“The Years, Months, Days” (Black Cat) by Yan Lianke takes 2 novellas by this award-winning writer about lies stretched to the limit and the strong will of its characters to live well and with purpose.
Ha Jin is known for his fiction but he started out as a poet and in “A Distant Corner” (Copper Canyon Press), he returns to his first love. Poems of exile and immigration and personal memories of the pain of an uprooted life fill this new volume.
In “Brokering Servitude – Migration And The Politics of Domestic Labor During The Long Nineteenth Century” (NYU) by Andrew Urban, the author examines how domestic service shaped American life and employed Irish immigrants, Chinese immigrant men and emancipated Black women from the South.
“like a solid to a shadow” (Timeless) by Janice Lobo Sapiago is a post-memoir book of poems that explore the space between solid and shadow, father and daughter, love and migration and grief and love. Written as transcripts, translations, notes, maps, love letters and elegies.
“A Harvest of Thorns” (Thomas Nelson) by Corban Addison is a novel current as today’s news. When a garment factory burns to the ground in Bangladesh killing hundreds, it opens a wound that leads to a trail of sweat shops, labor rights issues and the ethnics of globalization. Does a once-disgraced journalist have the guts to listen to a whistleblower and fight to reveal the ugly truths behind the glamorous fashion industry?
“All That Remains: The Legacy of the World War II Japanese American Internment Camps” by Delphine Hirasuna is a slim but beautifully designed catalog for a recent show that was recently on view at the University of San Francisco showing the elegant art and craft work fashioned by internees out of scraps and makeshift material. With color illustrations. On sale for 20.00 at the Japanese American National Museum shop in Los Angeles. Go to www.janm.org/.
“A Bestiary” (CSU) by Lily Hoang uses fragmentation, myth, language and fairy tales to forge a book bursting with life’s questions. The winner of The Cleveland State University Poetry Center’s 2015 Essay Collection Competition.
“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.
“Oceanic” (Copper Canyon Press) by Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the poet’s fourth collection and in it she sings a sensuous love song for the earth and its inhabitants. Catch this poet reading in Seattle from this book later this year. (see elsewhere in this calendar for details).
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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 lcolor 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.
“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.
“Confessions” (Mulholland Books) by Kanae Minato is a debut crime novel which was a best-seller in Japan where it won several literary awards and was adapted into an Oscar short-listed film. When a teacher resigns in the wake of a tragedy, she delivers a final lecture that sets the school, the teacher and her students into a whirlwind of punishment, revenge and tragic love.
“The Illustrated Wok” edited by The Cleaver Quarterly is a collection of hand-illustrated Chinese recipes from the “next-generation” of chefs who are rethinking Chinese food to serve the needs of 21st century diners. Go to thecleaverquarterly.bigcartel.com for details.
“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
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 for details on all these events.
Applications for Jack Straw Writers Program, Artist Support Program and New Media Gallery Program are now available. Go to www.jackstraw.org/programs/asp/2018_apps.shtml or email [email protected] for details.
Every year, Town Hall Seattle selects exceptional local artists andscholars for paid residencies where they engage with Town Hall programs and collaborate with the programming team to develop original events for the community. Each resident will co-curate a series of hyper-local Town Hall events in close collaboration with their neighborhood Steering Committee from March through June of 2018. All events will be free and open to the public. Congratulations to those selected. Support and residency stripends provided by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Work space provided by the Cloud Room. Writer/educator/doula Jordan Alam will create events in the Columbia City/ Hillman City area. She grew up at the intersection of Bangladeshi American, Muslim, queer and femme identities. Her work focuses on social forces such as poverty, racism and trauma and finding ways to articulate how these experiences live in our bodies and shape the course of our lives. Poet Laureate/multidisciplinary artist Shin Yu Pai will represent the Phinney Ridge/ Greenwood neighborhood. Her poetic origins inform an artistic style that has grown beyond the written word to encompass photography, installation/public art, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and sound. She encourages us to reflect upon the essential questions of our lives, and to explore how we see that interrogation expressed or mirrored around us. Other participants selected include photographer/Everyday Africa founder Peter Dicampo representing University District/ Ravenna and Designer/organizer Erik Molano from the Capitol Hill/ Central District. To learn more, go to townhallseattle.us6.list-manage.com.
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 – 12th Ave. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill or go to artisttrust.org for more details.
Terri Hiroshima who used to work for Bumbershoot is the new Seattle Arts Commission chair.