July 3, 2018—Arts Etc.

Visual Arts

Summer is a great time to hit the road. Why not Spokane? The Northwest Museum of Arts & culture have some great shows up now. “Above the Fold: New Expressions in Origami” includes the work of nine international artists who push the boundaries of paper to create bold and breathtaking large-scale origami works. Includes the work of Yuko Nishimura of Japan and Jiangmei Wu of China/USA. On view  until July 15, 2018. “Sayaka Ganz: Reclaimed Creations” features the amazing work of eco-artist Sayaka Ganz who salvages the junk we throw away. Using plastic and metal, she creates graceful, dramatic sculptures of animals in motion. Recycled art never looked so good. On view until August 26, 2018. 2316 W. First Ave. 509-456-3931 or go to northwestmuseum.org.

Naoko Morisawa was born in Tokyo but lives in Seattle. Her colorful woven-wood mosaics are known for their meticulous craftsmanship and intricate compositions. She has a show of new work at Frederick Homes and Company from July 5 – August 5, 2018. 885 W. Georgia St. in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. 309 Occidental Ave. S. 206-682-0166 or email [email protected].

It will be interesting to see what effect the transitional shift from city life in Seattle to a “fix-it-up” house on bucolic Vashon Island will have on the work of abstract painter William Song when he presents his “New Works” set for August 2 – Sept. 29, 2018. ArtXchange Gallery. 512 First Ave. S. 206-839-0377 or go to www.artxchange.org.

“To Drown” is a sound and light sculptural installation by L Koo on view at Jack Straw New Media Gallery through July 13, 2018. Koo gives an artist talk on Friday July 13 at 7pm. The installation explores the idea of sinking underwater as a metaphor, the aching slowness of light and sound that quietly unfolds and shifts produces a place that is at once both comfortable and unsettling. Inviting the viewer as a disturbance to space, the piece acknowledges the disquiet that comes with having remained in a place for too long. L Koo is a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At Jack Straw Cultural Center at 4261 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle’s University District. In related news, Jack Straw presents their “Artist of the Week Podcast.” The current installment is an Artscape radio piece produced by Jack Straw which features an interview and audio from Stan Shikuma and Seattle Kokon Taiko. Listen at jackstraw.org/artistoftheweek or subscribe via itunes.

A  JCCCW Exhibition entitled “Genji Mihara: An Issei Pioneer” is up now and ongoing. Mihara was an Issei first-generation Japanese immigrant leader who helped to build Japanese culture and community in Seattle. Open M – F from 10am – 5pm. Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington is at 1414 S. Weller St. Free. For details, go jcccw.org.

“After Life (What Remains) is a multi-genre visual art and performance exhibition that stages a conversation between Asian Pacific American and indigenous artists around the following questions: What new strategies are needed to survive after environmental catastrophe and military intervention, by communities facing displacement and dispossession? How can speculation, humor, and fantasy fuel larger movement for social change around the Pacific Rim – around the region, the world and in the American heartland? Curated by Thea Quiray Tagle and featuring artists Alejandro T. Acierto, Machael Arcega, Leeroy New/Aliens of Manila, Super Futures Haunt Qollective and Rea Tajiri.  Remains on view through July 21, 2018. Gallery hours are on Saturdays from 12 – 7pm. At The Alice Gallery. 6007 – 12th Ave. in Seattle. Go to [email protected].

“Select Works by Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani” chronicles the work of this artist who lived from 1920 – 2012 and whose life was the subject of an award-winning documentary film “The Cats of Mirikitani” by Linda Hattendorf. It is now on view through Sept. 16, 2018 at Emerson Street House at 1006 NE Emerson St. in Portland. The show was curated by artist Roger Shimomura and produced and originally shown at the Wing. 323-632-6638 or visit www.emersonstreethouse.com.

A non-profit, the Portland Chinatown History Foundation will open the new Portland Chinatown Museum to the public on June 7, 2018 with a feature exhibit of “Made in the USA: Portland’s Chinatown” by Seattle photographer Dean Wong, on view through Sept. 2, 2018. A new version of “Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns”, an enormously popular national exhibit held at Oregon Historical Society two years ago will be permanently installed in late summer followed by a gala celebration. The museum hopes to stir up interest in preserving what’s left of the community as gentrification strips away vestiges of the original community. Before the official opening however, the Portland Chinatown Museum will premiere “A Tale of Two Ghettos”, a new multiple-site installation by Portland artist Horatio Law. 127 NW 3rd Ave. 503-224-0008.

“Bench Mark” is a partnership for Youth exhibition developed by teens during a free workshop when they had to learn how to collaborate to design and produce a bench. Co-organized by Lynn Chou, Manager of Youth and School Programs and Negarra A. Kudomu, Manager of Public Programs. Features the work of Abdisemed Ali, Gebreyaus Wengeda, Eva Gugsa, Tegarius Kea, John Le, Kiet Nguyen, Ngoc Nguyen, Tam Nguyen, Nurham Nuru and Nhu-Phuong Tran. Teaching artists Laura Bartunek, John Hallock and Jim Nicholls provided 3-D modeling. Presented by Frye Art Museum and Associated Recreational Council Recreational Tech program at Yesler Community Center with the support from Olson Kundig.  On view from until Oct. 14, 2018. “Group Therapy” is a group show that addresses themes of healing and self-care and comments on and/or adapts strategies of alternative medicine, psychotherapy and wellness practices. Includes work by Maryam Jafri and Cindy Mochizuki. Public opening is Sept. 14, 2018 from 7:30 – 9:30pm. On view through Jan. 6, 2019. 704 Terry Ave. 206-622-9250.

Asia Pacific Cultural Center has a show every month of a local Asian American artist every month in their gallery.4851 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma. 253-383-3900  or asiapacificculturalcenter.org.

Seattle Art Museum has the following – “Talents and Beauties: Art of Women in Japan” through July 15, 2018. “Pure Amusements: Chinese Scholar Culture and Emulators”, an installation of Chinese works ranging from prints to sculpture and furnishings to ceramics. The focus is on objects created for, and enjoyed during the intentional practice of leisure. Ongoing.  “Noble Splendor: Art of Japanese Aristocrats” opens July 28, 2018 in the John McCone Gallery. “Pacific Currents” & “Billabong Dreams” are two adjacent installations that feature the theme of water from New Guinea to Puget Sound through Oct. 21, 2018. “Walkabout:The Art of Dorothy Napangardi” opens May 5, 2018 and is ongoing. Third Floor Galleries. This Aboriginal artist was born in the Tanami Desert of Australia. Her work is a spiritual map of walking with her family across ancestral land. “Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India” opens Oct. 18, 2018 and remains on view through Jan. 21, 2019. You can get advance tickets for this exhibition by going to visitsam.org/peacock starting August 29, 2018. 1300 First Ave.  206-654-3210 or try www.seattleartmuseum.org.

Davidson Galleries has the following – The work of Akiko Taniguchi and Seiko Tachibana is included in a group show of international artists entitled “POLYCHROMATIC PERSPECTIVES” July 6 – 28, 2018. Opening First Thursday, July 5 from 6 – 8pm. The etchings of Japanese printmaker Ryohei Tanaka are on view during the month of August, 2018. Opening First Thursday, August 2, 2018 from 6- 8pm.Tanaka’s prints of the Japanese countryside and traditional thatched houses are highly prized and echo back to an earlier era. Seattle print-maker Eunice Kim has a new series of prints that reflect the organic feel of dots lost in a serene landscape. Sept. 6 – 29,  2018. 313 Occidental Ave. S. 206-624-7684 or go to davidsongalleries.com.

STG presents “Re:definition-Celebrating 90 Years of Community, Culture and Space”, a group show in the lobby of the bar in the Paramount Theatre guest curated by Jean Alonzo Rodriguez, Tracy Rector and Tariqa Waters to help celebrate that cultural institution’s 90th birthday. Included is work by Junko Yamamoto, Kenji Hamai Stoll and others. 911 Pine in downtown Seattle. 206-682-1919.

Lawrence Pitre’s  new work entitled “We Are One” reflects his interest in the multi-ethnic diversity of the Central District  even as it changes. Gallery 4Culture. Sept. 6 – 27. 101 Prefontaine Pl. 206-296-7580 or 4culture.org.

On view now through July 14, 2018 is MiYouung Margolis’s series entitled “The Jane Collection” which depicts a woman named Jane in pencil and paint. On view at a neighborhood comic shop, The Grumpy Old Man’s Comics, Arts & Collectibles.1732 NW Market. 206-257-0557.

Megumi Shauna Arai whose installation is in the current Wing Luke group show has a new series of photographs that capture the rich shades of nature’s hues. Through July 14, 2018 at Jacob Lawrence Gallery located in the Art Building on the Seattle campus of UW. At East Stevens Way NE #132 or 206-685-1805.

The work of Claire Sun is included in a three person show with Timea Tihanyi and Peter Gross at Linda Hodges Gallery Aug. 2 – Sept. 1, 2018. 316-1st Ave. S. 206-624-3034.

Markel Uriu who uses botanical themes in which to frame her work has a show of new work in the back gallery of SOIL July 5 – 28, 2018.112-3rd Ave. S. 206-264-8061 or go to www.soilart.org.

Japanese hyperrealist illustrator Shohei Otomo has his work on display at Statix from August 2 – 30, 2018. 210 South Washington or  206-624-7948.

“TENACIOUS” is the title of a group show of artists that take on the theme of “feminine.” It includes the work of Lauren Iida and MalPina Chan amongst others. Aug. 3 – Oct. 3, 2018. Suzanne Zahr Gallery. 2441 – 76th Ave. SE #160 on Mercer Island. 206-354-1567.

Pacific Bonsai Museum shakes up this Japanese tradition with LAB (Living Art of Bonsai), an experimental collaborative for bonsai innovation This project is a re-sequencing in the order of influence between the bonsai artist, ceramicist and stand maker. The project kicks off in 2018 and continues through 2020. A video trailer from a film about this new process can be viewed at http://pacificbonsaimuseum.org. For more information, go to http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

“Americans Interned: A Family’s Story of Social Justice” features artwork by Chris & Jan Hopkins that highlights personal stories of the effects of Executive Order#9066 which authorized the eviction of Japanese Americans from the West Coast during WWII. Exhibition on view through Sept. 1, 2018. Schack Art Center at 2921 Hoyt Ave. in downtown Everett, WA. 425-259-5050 or go to schack.org. Admission is free. Open daily.

Portland Art Museum has the following – “Suzuki Haranobu and the Culture of Color” is a new exhibit that looks at Harunobu’s contributions to the culture of color in his clever and elegant prints. This exhibition incorporates the physical materials of these important prints and is a collaboration  between Portland State University Professor Tami Lasseter Clare, Curator Jeannie Kenmotsu, Ph.D and Museum Conservator Samatha Springer. Through Sept. 16, 2018. 1219 S.W. Park Ave. 503-226-2811 or try [email protected].

Internationally known ceramic artist and former UW Professor Patti Warashina has a show of new work set for the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center through August 5, 2018.  One East Main St. in Mesa, Arizona. 480-644-6560 or go to [email protected].

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 – “Lore Re-Imagined: Shadows of Our Ancestors” is curated by Chieko Phillips. It brings together three artists who make work that engages the cultural traditions of previous generations. Satpreet Kahlon uses the embroidery and textile techniques passed on by her mother and grandmother to create soft works with strong cultural subtexts. Alex Anderson uses his ceramic studies in China to probe the moral and physical decay behind seemingly flawless facades. Megumi Shauna Arai’s “Unnamed Lake” uses sashiko (Japanese hand-stiched embroidery) to reflect on the physical, mental and emotional applications of mending. Remains on view  through April 14, 2019. “Wham! Bam! Pow! – Cartoons, Turbans & Confronting Hate” opens May 4, 2018 and remains on view through Feb. 24, 2019. This is an exhibition of work by New York-based cartoonist Vishavjit Singh who wields art and humor to fight intolerance and challenge stereotypes. “A Dragon Lives Here”, part 4 of the ongoing Bruce Lee exhibition series has just opened. This concluding part hones in on Bruce Lee’s Seattle roots and how this region played a key role in shaping Lee and his groundbreaking career. A reminder that Bruce Lee tours reopen on March 10, 2018. “Visions of Pasifika: Light from Another World” on view now through Nov. 11 2018 looks at Pacific Islander artists who incorporate tradition while looking towards the future. Includes work by Lilian Ongelungel, Kalel’okalani, Roquin-Jon Quichocho Siongco and Selena Velasco.  “Costumed Spectacle: Cantonese Opera from the So Family Collection shows off the intricately embroidered costumes that belonged to a Cantonese opera singer who performed in Hong Kong and later in Seattle. Through July 1, 2018.  “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. “New Years All Year Round” shows how New Year is celebrated in Chinese, Khmer and Korean cultures. On view through  July 1, 2018. 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 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”  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. 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 stacks will be open to see as the staff does filing. Through 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 has some interesting shows planned for this year. “Shokunin: Five Kyoto Artisans Look to the Future”  is on view through July 8, 2018. Includes the work of Hosai Matsubayashi (Asahi-yaki ceramics), Shuji Nakagawa (woodworking), Keihou Nishimura (lacquer), Ogawa Choraku (Raku tea ceramics) and Chiemi Ogura (bamboo basketry).  Sept. 15 – Nov. 4, 2018 is a show entitled “Gion Matsuri: The World’s Oldest Urban Festival”. This 900 year old festival in Kyoto, featuring elaborately decorated floats from all provinces of Japan. A wall of video monitors shows the festival procession, Kyoto’s top photographers provide still images and festival musicians will visit to perform the unique festival music. “Manga Hokusai Manga” comes Dec. 1 – Jan. 14, 2019. This is the only venue in the U.S. in which viewers can see the world famous manga woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai displayed alongside work by top modern manga artists. 611 South Kingston Ave. 503-223-1321  or try japanesegarden.org.

“Remembering a Patron – Asian Art Donations from Dr. Judith Patt” is a group show honoring the legacy of this woman who generously donated Asian works of art to the AGGV for over 40 years. The show includes important Chinese and Japanese paintings to a variety of Japanese prints from the 18th to 20th century. On view until January 7 2019. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is at1040 Moss St. in Victoria, BC, Canada. 250-384-4171 or go to aggv.ca.

Vancouver Art Gallery –  July 14, 2018 through Oct. 28, 2018 is the show entitled “Ayumi Goto & Peter Morin: how do you carry the land?” It looks at  the artist’s performance art works and the ongoing collaboration between a Japanese Canadian woman and a Tahltan First Nation man. On view through Oct. 8, 2018  in VAG’s offsite location is the work of Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. He is acclaimed for his innovative use of inexpensive local materials in the creation of temporary shelters for those made homeless by environmental or political disasters. On view is the prototype “log cabin” shelter he designed in response to the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Built of cardboard tubing, the cabin expresses the architect’s concerns with sustainability and humanitarianism in the service of disaster relief.  Vancouver Art Gallery is at 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver, BC Canada. 604-662-4719 or vanartgallery.bc.ca.

“Karin Lee: Queer-sum” is the title of a show at SUM Gallery located on the fourth floor of the B.C. Artscape Sun Wah Building in Chinatown. The gallery takes its name from the dim sum restaurant  for which the space was originally designed. The board of advisors wanted for the inaugural exhibition, an artist with deep links to Vancouver’s Chinese and queer communities, a woman whose work was challenging and transgressive and queer. They chose local artist Karin Lee who is fourth-generation Chinese Canadian. Three film/media works by Lee will be shown in conjunction with Pride in Art’s Queer Arts Festival. Remains on view through  August 6, 2018. 268 Keefer St. Call +1-604-684-2925 or go to queerartsfestival.com for details.

Nikkei National Museum presents the following – Kayla Isomura’s “The Suitcase Project”  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.

Chinese Cultural Centre Museum has the ongoing exhibit “Generation to Generation – History of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia.” 555 Columbia St. Vancouver, BC. 604-658-8880. Admission by  donation.

“The Lingering Charm: Oil Paintings by Xue Yanqun” on view through Sept. 12, 2018 at Poly Culture Art Center. 100-905 W. Pender St. in Vancouver, BC Canada. 604-564-5766  or try polyculture.us/.

The Pendulum Gallery has “Appearance: New Works by Jianjun An” from August 20 – Sept. 8, 2018. An was trained as an architectural designer and was born in China where he attended Shan Dong University of Art & Design. He immigrated to Canada in 2005. 885 W. Georgia St. Vancouver, BC. 1-604-250-9682. Go to pendulumgallerybc.ca for details.

Germaine Koh  contributes to the housing discourse through her exploration of small scale dwelling and “social sculptures” in her exhibit entitled “Germaine Koh: Home Made Home” on view until August 26, 2018 at Richmond Art Gallery in Richmond, Canada. 180-7700 Minoru Gate. 604-247-8300  or try richmondartgallery.org.

An ongoing exhibit entitled “Call for Justice: Fighting for Japanese Canadian Redress (1977-1988)” is on view at Nanaimo Museum at 100 Museum Way in Nanaimo, Canada. 250-753-1821 or go to nanaimomuseum.ca.

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco has the following – “Traces of the Past and Future: Fu Shen’s Paintings and Calligraphy” celebrates this noted artist’s 80th birthday with his first exhibition in the U.S. on view through Sept. 16, 2018. “When Pictures Speak – The Written Word in Japanese Art” on view through  August 19, 2018.   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.

LACMA or Los Angeles County  Museum of Art  has “The Jeweled Isle: Art from Sri Lanka” from Dec. 9, 2018 – June 23, 2019. This is the first comprehensive survey of Sri Lankan art organized by an American museum. 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6010.

The Broad has had a Yayoi Kusama infinity room entitled “The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” in their permanent collection for some time. Now they have added a second one entitled “Longing For Eternity” to their collection. Visitors can see it on view beginning March 17, 2018. For tickets, go to [email protected].

The Japanese American National Museum has the following shows  – “HAPA ME – 15 Years of the HAPA Project” on view through Oct. 28, 2018. Tracks artist Kip Fulbeck’s documentation of mixed race individuals from childhood to the present in images and text in their own words. “What We Carried: Fragments & Text Memories From Iraq & Syria. Jim Lommasson’s photos capture what these refugees brought from their homelands to their new home in America. Through August 5, 2018. “Common Ground: The Heart of Community.” This overview exhibit of Japanese American history is ongoing.

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. “Ceremonies And Celebrations: Textile Treasures from the USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection” is on view from Sept. 14 – Jan. 6, 2019. 46 N. Los Robles Ave. 626-449-2742 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.  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.

“Gannenmono – A Legacy of Eight Generations in Hawai’i” is a new exhibit that honors the 150th  Anniversary of the arrival of the first plantation workers in Hawai’i from Japan known as “Gannenmono.” It will use first-hand accounts, historic illustrations and authentic cultural objects to tell the story of the 150 Japanese workers who crossed the Pacific to Hawai’i and how their trials, perseverance and victories shaped the history of both Japan and Hawai’i. The Bishop Museum. 1525 Bernice St. in Honolulu, Hi. 808-847-3511 or [email protected].

“Okagesama De: I Am What I Am Because Of You” is a newly renovated permanent exhibit that tells the cultural story of the incredible legacies and values passed on from generation to generation starting with the first wave of Japanese immigrants to Hawai’i up to the present day. On view  at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i. 2454 South Beretania St. 808-945-7633 or try [email protected].

Denver Art Museum  has the following – “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. The next installment of this series features work by Native American visual artist Julie Buffalohead and Japan-based conceptual artist Shimabuku. Both artists use the depiction of animals as a vehicle to explore both familiar and unfamiliar narratives related to their personal heritage and the world around them. Buffalohead uses metaphors, iconography and storytelling narratives to describe the emotional and subversive American Indian cultural experience. Shimabuku showcases a video entitled “do snowmonkeys remember snow mountains?” in which a group of Japanese snow monkeys are transported from their natural habitat of snow-capped Japanese mountains to a Texas desert sanctuary. Shimabuku uses these Texas primates as a surrogate for humans to explore ideas of migration, environmental adaptation and memory. Featured at the 57th  Venice Biennale in 2017. Both installations on view from July 29, 2018 – Jan. 20, 2019. 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  in Washington DC. 202-783-5000.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has the following – “The Poetry of Nature: Edo Paintings from the Fishbein-Bender Collection” through Jan. 21, 2019. “Celebrating the Year of the Dog” through July 4, 2018. Spirited Creatures: Animal Representations in Chinese Silk and Lacquer” through July 22, 2018. “A Passion for Jade: Heber Bishop and His Collection” through July 22, 2018. “Crowns of the Vajra Masters: Ritual Art of Nepal” through Dec.16, 2018. “Japanese Arms and Armor from the Collection of Etsuko and John Morris” through Jan. 6, 2019. “Streams and Mountains Without End: Landscape Traditions of China” through Jan. 6, 2019.1000 Fifth Ave. New York, New York. Go to metmuseum.org for details.

The 2018 Aperture Summer Open – The Way We Live Now” features eighteen artists and photographers trying to capture the pulse of rapid change in our society. Includes the work of Gowun Lee, Vincent Hung and many others. Through August 16, 2018. Aperture Gallery at 547 West 27th St. 4th Floor. 212-505-5555 or go to aperture.org.

Artist/sculptor Huma Bhabha grew up in Karachi, Pakistan but has lived in the US for almost 30 years. She lives with her artist husband in the Hudson Valley. She will be the next artist to be featured in the popular roof-installation series at the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. She’ll be bringing a big ax, literally. The installation entitled “We Come in Peace” will be comprised of two alien figures rough-cut chopped with an ax out of a block of cork. She likes to work with unwieldy materials like cork, styrofoam and burned wood. The installation at the Met is on view through  Oct. 28, 2018. She has a solo show in Sept. at Contemporary Austin, a piece at the 57th Carniege International in Pittsburgh and a retrospective at ICA Boston in March of 2019. The Met is at 1000 Fifth Ave. in New York City. Go to metmuseum.org for details.

The Rubin Museum of Art has the following shows – Work by 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 25, 2018.  “Gateway to Himalayan Art” through July 16, 2018. “A Monument for the Anxious and Hopeful” through Nov. 11, 2018. “The Sacred Buddha – Master of Time” through Jan. 7, 2019. “A Lost Future” by Shezad Dawood – The Otolith” through Jan. 28, 2019. 150 W. 17th St. New York, New York. 212-620-5000×344 or go to rubinmuseum.org.

The Museum of Chinese in America looks at the role of Chinese medicine in two shows. “Chinese Medicine in America: Converging Ideas, People, and Practices” is on view through Sept. 9, 2018.  And another show with a Northwest twist is “On the Shelves of Kam Wah Chung & Co.: General Store and Apothecary in John Day Oregon” which looks at the role Ing Hay, a Chinese herbalist played in the frontier Northwest as a healer and doctor. On view through  Sept. 9, 2018. 215 Centre St. New York, NY. 855-955-MOCA or go to mocanyc.org.

The Asia Society Museum in New York presents the following – “Clouds Stretching for a Thousand Miles: Ink in Asian Art” from June 22 – August 12, 2018. This show celebrates the versatility and enduring influence of the calligraphic ink tradition across Asia with works by Gu Wenda, Hunag Yan, Minjung Kim, Qiu Zhijie and Sun Xun. The contemporary work will be shown alongside two newly acquired illuminated Qur’ans from China & Central Asia and will illustrate the innovative use of ink and calligraphy in visual expression, from the thirteenth century to the present, across Asia and the diaspora. To find out more, go to AsiaSociety.org/NY. 725 Park Ave. New York City, New York. 212-327-9721 or go to www.asiasociety.org for more details.

The Guggenheim has the show, “One Hand Clapping – The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative Finale Exhibition”, a group show of contemporary Chinese artists Samson Young, Wong Ping, Cao Fei, Duan Jianyu and Liu Yilin on view through Oct. 21, 2018. 1071 Fifth Ave. New York, NY. Go to Guggenheim.org for details.

Yayoi Kusama’s outdoor installation entitled “Narcissus Garden” was first presented in 1966 at the Venice Biennale. It consists of 1,500 mirrored stainless steel spheres. Since then, it has been installed around the world, including  Brazil and New York’s Central Park. Now a new site-specific version will be unveiled starting July 1, 2018 as part of MOMA PS1’s “Rockaway!”, a yearly arts festival devoted to the ongoing recovery of the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy. It will be on view through Sept. 3, 2018 and is presented in collaboration with the Rockaway Artists Alliance, Jamaica Bay – Rockaway Parks Conservancy, National Park Service and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

“Vanishing Traditions: Textiles and Treasures From S.W. China” features festival costumes from the region. “Binding The Clouds: The Art of Central Asian Ikat”. Both exhibits  on view through July 9, 2018. George Washington University Museum at 701 21st St. NW in Washington DC. 202-994-5200 or try [email protected].

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. “Japanese Prints: The Psychedelic Seventies” through August 12, 2018 with work by Yokoo Tadanori, Takeda Hideo and Oda Mayumi. “10,000 Miles Along The Yangzi River” allows viewers to embark on a transcontinental journey in imperial China via the visual stimulation of Chinese brush painting. July 21 – Sept. 30, 2018.  9300 Avenue of the Arts. 465 Huntington Ave. Go to mfa.org or call 617-267-9300.

The Peabody Essex Museum presents “Empresses of China’s Forbidden City”, the first major international exhibition to explore  the role of empresses in China’s Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Includes many works never seen before in the U.S. August 18 – Feb. 10, 2019. 161 Essex St. in Salem, MA. 978-745-9500 or go to pem.org. This show moves on to the Freer/Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Mall in Washington D.C. March 30 – June 23, 2019.

The Art Institute of Chicago presents the following. “Contemporary

Artist’s Plexiglass Panels” by Wang Dougling until July 5, 2018. “The Yoshida Family: Three Generations of Japanese Print Artists” runs July 7 – Sept. 30, 2018. Many members of this family have figured prominently in the history of Japanese printmaking throughout the years.   “Rhythm of the Weave” includes a wide range of textiles from around the world from the 14th century to the 20th century on view through Oct. 21, 2018. 111 South Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art has the following.  “In Focus: Contemporary Japan” through Aug. 12, 2018. “Love Affairs: The Tale of Genji in Japanese Art” on view from August 18, 2018 through March 10, 2019.“Touring Japan Through Landscape – Prints by Kawase Hasui” on view through August 5, 2018. “Enchanted Mountains: Chinese Landscape Painting from MIA’s Collection” through Nov. 18, 2018.Minneapolis Institute of Art. 2400 Third Ave. S. Call toll free at 888-642-2787.

The Saint Louis Art Museum presents the following – “Sun Xun: Time Spy” is on view through Oct. 21, 2018.  Contemporary Chinese artist Sun Xun uses woodblock printing, a centuries-old technique, to reimagine and transform the 21st century medium of digital animated film. More than 10,000 woodblocks were carved, than inked and digitally scanned to create animation cells. A selection of the woodblocks used to create the film will also be on display. Since the artist’s work is in constant dialogue with art history, the Museum will also display four prints by Albrecht Durer in recognition of the German Renaissance artist’s influence on his own practice. “Chinese Buddhist Art, 10th – 15th Centuries”  remains on view through August 30, 2018. One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri. 314-721-0072 or go to slam.org.

The Dallas Museum of Art has the following – “Asian Textiles: Art Along the Silk Road”  stays on view until Dec. 9, 2018. 1717 N. Harwood  in Dallas, TX. 214-992-1200.

Nagasawa Rosetsu (1754-1799) was  one of the most eccentric and imaginative brush painters in Edo, Japan. The exhibition “Rosetsu: Ferocious Brush” unravels the many mysteries of his enigmatic career. This marks the first time a large gathering of his work will be shown together outside of Japan. Sept. 6 – Nov. 4, 2018. Museum  Rietberg at Gablerstrasse 15, 8002 in Zurich, Switzerland. 41-44-415-31-31 or go to rietberg.ch.

“Takiguchi Shuzo And the  Artists Who Captivated Him” through Sept. 24, 2018. “A Group Show from the MOMAT Collection” on view through Sept. 24, 2018. National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. 1-1 Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda-ku,  Tokyo, Japan.

“Lines and shapes, Lines and  Spaces – the Bamboo Work of Iizuka Rokansai and Tanabe Chikuunsai” on view until July 16, 2018. Musee Tomo at 4-1-35 Toranomon,  Minato, Tokyo, Japan 81-3-5733-5131.

Noted Japanese modern art collector Toshio Hara, head of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo has the following – “Mami Kosemura: Phantasies Over Time” on view through Sept. 2, 2018. Go to www.haramuseum.or.jp for details.

Miho Museum in Shiga. “100 Modern Tea Scoops – Connoisseurship and Society” on view Oct. 20 – Dec. 2, 2018. “Red And Blue – Exploring The World of Sacred Colors”  on view through August 26, 2018. “Ancient Civilizations of The Americas – The Human and the Supernatural” on view from Sept. 8 – Oct. 8, 2018. Go to www.miho.or.jp/en for details.

“New Wave: Japanese Contemporary Art of the 1980’s” on view from Nov. 3, 2018 through Jan. 20, 2019. The National  Museum of Art, Osaka. 4-2-55 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. +81-3-3212-2485.

“Make A Joyful Noise” is a permanent exhibit where you can view, hear, touch and play instruments from around the world. Hamamatsu  Museum of Musical Instruments. 3-9-1 Chuo, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. O53-451-1128.

Looking for some art workshops to try out as summer approaches? Below are some ideas –

Brush painter Lois Yoshida offers classes in “Ink and Brush Painting at the Frye Art Museum July 31 – August 3, 2018. Advance registration due two weeks before first day of class. 704 Terry Ave. in Seattle. 206-622-9250.

Scott McCall and Mari Shibuya teach “Portfolio Intensive”  for teenagers (ages 15 – 18) July 16 – August 17, 2018 at Gage Academy of Art. You’ll learn observational drawing and painting by working from casts, live models and still life set-ups.  1501 – 10th Ave. E. Ste. #101 in Seattle. Go to gageacademy.org/summer-kids for details.

The Japanese American National Museum in Los Angles has appointed Karen L. Ishizuka to the position of Chief Curator. Ishizuka was previously on staff as media producer, curator and director of the Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center.

“Pathways to Paradise: Medieval India And Europe” is on view at the Getty until August 5, 2018. J. Paul Getty Museum is at 1200 Getty Center Dr. in Los Angeles. 1-310-440-7330 or try [email protected].

“Soul Mining” is a group show that looks broadly at the influence of Asian labor and culture in the Americas with artists from Asia, Latin America and the U.S. Works on display uncover histories of forced migration, political struggle and transformation and offer personal narratives to reconcile with these collective experiences. Through July 14, 2018. Vincent Price Museum at East Los Angeles College. 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez in Monterey Park, CA. 323-265-8841.

“From the Lands of Asia: The Sam And Myrna Myers Collection” is on view through August 19, 2018. 400 objects culled from China, Japan, Tibet , Mongolia, Korea and Vietnam. Kimball Art Museum. 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. in Ft. Worth, Texas. 817-332-8451.

Soyoung Lee has been named Chief Curator at the Harvard Art Museums. She comes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York where she served as curator and associate curator in the Department of Asian Art. She joined the Met in 2003 as its first curator for Korean Art. At Harvard, she will oversee the Museums’ three curatorial divisions.

Performing Arts

ReAct Theatre is a multicultural company run by David Hsieh. In the summer, they encore “Aliens” by Annie Baker, a comedic drama with music that explores the friendship between three millennial misfits on now through July 29, 2018. At 12th Avenue Arts on Capitol Hill. All tickets at Brown  Paper Tickets.

The Meany Center For The Performing Arts – Looking forward to the 2018/2019 season, look out for the following. The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble are one of the premier Indian Classical Dance ensembles performing today. They have the distinction of making the New York Times “Best Dance of the Year” list two years running. They will make their Meany debut with special guest artists from Sri Lanka’s Chitrasena Dance Company to perform the critically acclaimed collaborative piece “Samhara” performed with both Indian and Sri Lankan musicians. Oct. 4 – 6, 2018  at 8pm. The Taiwan Philharmonic has been hailed as one of Asia’s best. They make their Seattle debut on Nov. 3, 2018 at 7:30pm under the baton of Shao-chia Lu. They perform Brahms, noted Taiwan composer Gordon Chin’s “Dancing Song” and are joined by pianist Stephen Hough for Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq returns to Seattle on Feb. 8, 2019. Her vocal improvisations bridge traditional roots with contemporary culture, stirring in punk, metal and electronics. Time for Three is a ground breaking string trio that transcends tradition as well by mixing elements of pop and rock into their classical foundation. They perform on April 18, 2019. Yekwon Sunwoo won the Gold Medal at the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He makes his Seattle debut in a program of Schumann, Liszt, Beethoven and Schubert. One performance  only on Sat., May 4, 2019 at 7:30pm. All tickets now available as part of a Meany Center subscription package and remaining single tickets go on sale on August 1, 2018. 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.

Stand-up comic Aparna Nancherla appears at the Neptune  in Seattle’s University District on Sept. 22, 2018. Go to stgpresents.org or call 1-800-982-2787 for details.

A Sensible Theatre’s production of “PAGEANT: The Musical”, co-presented with ACTLab will be on stage through July 8, 2018. The opening will coincide with Seattle PRIDE 2018. The cast includes Christian Quinto  who stars as Miss Industrial Northeast. He was previously seen in a local production of “The Odyssey. ”PAGEANT” was written by Bill Russell & Frank Kelly, conceived by Robert Longbottom and composed by Albert Evans of Seattle. The performance takes place at The Bulitt Cabaret at ACT, 700 Union St. in downtown Seattle. Tickets start at $35 with student discounts available. For tickets and information, call 206-292-7676 or visit www.acttheatre.org. For details on “PAGEANT”, go to www.sensibletheatre.co.

Conductor Ludovic Morlot ends his tenure with the Seattle Symphony with a varied and stimulating series of concerts. Some highlights include  noted soprano Yasko Sato who is featured in Seattle Symphony’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Dec. 28 – 30, 2018. At the Taper auditorium. The annual “Celebrate Asia” concert is back on Jan. 27 at 4pm in Taper Auditorium. The theme this year is Korea. The orchestra will be led by highly touted conductor Shiyeon Sung known for finding the right balance between dynamic passion and even handed music making. Pianist Seong-Jin Chao won the Gold Medal at the Chopin International Competition and has never looked back. He will be a featured soloist. Soprano Kathleen Kim is a regular guest at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera and will grace the stage with her beautiful voice. The program consists of work by John Adams, Rachmaninov, Narong Prangcharoen, Unsuk Kim and traditional Korean folk songs. Taper Auditorium. The Silkroad Ensemble (featured in a documentary film) returns with the world premiere of Kinan Azmeh’s clarinet concerto, composer/pianist Vijay Iyer’s “City of Sand”, Edward Perez’s “Latina 6/8 Suite” and a world premiere by noted composer Chen Yi. Wed., Feb. 6 at 7:30pm in the Taper Auditorium. All concerts at Benaroya  Hall in downtown Seattle. Go to seattlesymphony.org for details.

One of the components of Portland’s Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival is “Beyond the Cultural Revolution” which celebrates contemporary Chinese music. July 19 – 23 at various venues around town. Some of the events are free and others require tickets. Compositions to be performed include Bright Sheng’s “The Silver River” on July 21 & 22 and Tan Dun’s “Ghost Opera” on July 23. Tickets available by calling 503-294-6400 or try CMNW.org.

Japan Fair brings you everything to do with Japanese arts & culture in one place with performances, workshops, activities, food and vendors. July 7 & 8,  2018. Free all day at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center. 11100 N.E. Sixth St. 425-637-1020.

“DragonFest” is the CID’s annual summer party and you’re all invited. With cultural performances, a $3 Food Walk and the dragon and lion dances. Free. July 14 – 15 in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Starts at noon.

Classical singer Soon Cho performs at the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival with a host of others. At the Icicle Creek Center for the Arts. 7pm.  July 6 – 21, 2018. 7409 Icicle Rd. in Leavenworth, WA. Toll-free # is 877-265-6026. Local # is 509-548-6347.

Jazz Alley has the following. Henry Kapono performs with Johnny Valentine the many songs from 40 years of his island music tradition. July 17 & 18 at 7:30pm. Jazz pianist/composer Keiko Matsui returns for her annual concert August 23 – 26. 2033 6th Ave. 206-441-9729 or go to jazzalley.com.

Freehold Theatre and the artists of Engaged Theatre will collaborate on a new production of “The Winter’s Tale” by William Shakespeare directed by Robin Lynn Smith with scenic design by Reiko Huffman. The cast is across gender and race lines. They will take the production on the road from July 9 – 24 and will connect with some of the Northwest’s most challenged and underserved communities such as jail inmates, incarcerated youth, and women dealing with mental health issues. Besides prisons and hospitals, there will be public performances in parks and concert halls as well. All performances are pay-what-you-can and reservations are requested through Brown Paper Tickets. 206-323-7499 or go to freeholdtheatre.org for details.

For world-class classical music in the heart of the city this summer, look no further than Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Summer Festival taking place July 2 – 28, 2018.  Artistic Director is James Ehnes. Includes performances from musicians like Karen Gomyo, Andrew Wan, Che-Yen Chen, Bion Tsang, Jeewon Park, Jun Iwasaki George Li, Richard O’Neil, Yura Lee, Maiya Papach and many others. Also take note of a free “Chamber Music In The Park” concert in Volunteer Park on July 28 at 6pm. The summer festival takes place at Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall downtown. For tickets & general information, try 206-283-8808 or [email protected].

Asia Pacific Cultural Center presents Samoa Cultural Week from July 8 – 14, 2018 with a host of activities in the Tacoma area culminating in the main event on Sat., July 14 from 10am – 6pm with dance, music and entertainment. Mt. Tahoma School Stadium at 4634 South 74th St. For details, call 253-383-3900 or go to apcc96.org.

ARC Dance under the artistic direction of Marie Chong holds their annual Summer Dance at the Center at the Leo K. Theater at Seattle Center over two weekends. July 19 – 22 and 26 – 28. The mixed repertory program includes five world premiere dance pieces by choreographers Bruce McCormick, Wen Wei, Tasun Ohlberg, Marika Brussel and Paul DeStrooper. 155 Mercer St. Purchase tickes online at www.arcdance.org.

The Tibet Fest showcases that country’s arts and culture with entertainment, food and activities. August 25 – 26 at the Seattle Center Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

The Triple Door presents “Kahulanui: Hawaii’s Kings of Swing” led by Lolena Naipo Jr. on Wed., Sept. 5, 2018 at 7:30pm. 216 Union St. 206-838-4333.

“Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy (registered trademark)”  with Seattle Symphony returns to Seattle on Wed., Sept. 12, 2018 at 7:30pm & Thurs., Sept. 13, 2018 at 7:30pm. This concert features the music of Japanese composer Nobuo Uematsu who will be in attendance. It will be conducted by  Grammy Award winner Arnie Roth. This concert combines video and music to immerse the audience in the fantastical video game world of Final Fantasy. Limited VIP meet & greet pre-sale tickes available now. Try [email protected].

September 9, 2018 marks the “Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival” held at Seattle Center’s Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

Emerald City Music kicks off a new season on Sept. 14, 2018 with a concert entitled “Four Seasons.” Bella Hristova, Chad Hoopes, Kristin Lee (violins), Ayane Kozasa (viola), Paul Wiancko (cello), Daxun Zhang (bass), JP Jofre (bandoneon) and Li-Tan Hsu (piano) will perform tunes by Tartini, Wiancko, Bottesini and Piazolla. 8pm.  415 Westlake. 206-250-5510 or try www.emeraldcitymusic.org.

The city of Renton celebrates their diversity with a Multi-Cultural Festival held September 14 – 15. 425-430-6600 or go to rentonwa.gov.

October 20, 2018 marks the day of “Diwali: Lights of India Festival” at Seattle Center Armory. 206-684-7200 or go to www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

November 3, 2018 is the “Hmong New Year Celebration” at Seattle Center’s Armory. 206-684-7200 or try  www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

Early Music Seattle brings the highly praised Bach Collegium Japan with legendary conductor Masaaki Suzuki to Bastyr University Chapel. They will bring the best of the Baroque period to life. The program features harmonic inspirations from Vivaldi, Handel’s motet Slete Venti with soprano Joann Lunn and French-inspired dances by Bach. Sat., Dec. 8, 2018 at 7:30pm. 14500 Juanita Dr. N.E. in Kenmore, WA. Free Parking.  206-325-7066 or earlymusicseattle.org.

In local theatre news, Sara Porkalob is working on “Dragon Cycle” for 2019 at American Repertory Theatre. Justin Huertas is working on “Lydia and the Troll”  set for Seattle Repertory Theatre’s spring 2019 season.

Café Nordo in Pioneer Square presents “Persimmon Nights” (see related story in this issue) ,  the story of a young Korean nightclub owner’s rise and fall in the 60s and 70s as written by Seattle playwright Seayoung Yim. Curated by and starring the ever-present Sara Porkalob. You will be serenaded by the Kimchee Kittens and enjoy a Korean-inspired menu in yet another Café Nordo dinner cabaret production. July 12 – 19,  2018. 101 South Main. 206-209-2002.

West Coast-based (Seattle/San Diego) DJ/Producer Jason Tokita joins others like Justice & Treasure, Pappa T., Jeromy Nail, and Joey Webb in a day time house-music party entitled “Lovelee Dae” at the Monkey Loft from 4 – 10pm on July 22. 2915 1st Ave. S. 206-695-2696.

The 86th Annual Bon Odori takes place on July 21 – 22 at Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple at 1427 South Main St. Sat. from 4 – 10pm and Sun. from 3 – 8pm.  Free. Lead dancers in kimono will guide anyone who wishes to join in doing these traditional Japanese folk dances to pay homage to the deceased. There will be dance practice sessions held July 9 – 12 and 16-17 at 7:30pm in the temple gym.

The annual Seattle Butoh Festival (see related story in this issue) hosted by Daipan Butoh takes place July 5 –15 at various locations around Puget Sound. Some outdoor performances are free and other indoor performances have admission prices. Special guest artist this year is Mushimaru Fujieda from Japan. Fujieda will perform with local musician/composer Paul Kikuchi on Sat., July 13 at 7pm at Japanese Cultural & Community Center of WA. At 1414 S. Weller. Free but donations are appreciated. Also includes dance workshops by visiting artists. Tickets through  Brown Paper Tickets. Go to daipanbutoh.com for a complete of events.

The Powell Street Festival is the largest Japanese Canadian festival in the country. Takes place August 4 & 5 starting from 11:30am at Vancouver B.C.’s Oppenheimer Park in the 400 Block on Powell Street. For details, go to powellstreetfestival.com.

“Strip Alone Complex: A Burlesque Tribute to the music of Yoko Kanno” by Scarlett O’Hairdye & friends pays tribute to the cyberpunk composer of “Cowboy Bebop” fame. Sept. 14 – 15, 2018 at  The Rendezvous at 7pm.2322 – 2nd Ave. 206-441-5823.

“Beyond Ideas” is the title of Artswest’s 2018-2019 season. Some highlights include David Henry Hwang’s “M. Butterfly” set for January 24 – Feb. 17, 2019, Julia Cho’s “Office Hour” May 2 – May 26, 2019 and Justin Huertas’s musical, “The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion” June 20 – July 28, 2019.Learn more details about the entire new season at artswest.org. Artswest is located in West Seattle at 4711 California Ave. SW.

Zakir Hussain makes his annual visit to Seattle with his always  compelling “Masters of Percussion” ensemble featuring some world-class musicians. Set  for April 2, 2019 at the Moore Theatre. Presented by STG Presents. 206-812-1114.

Seattle Symphony has named Krishna Thiagarajan as their new President and CEO. Thiagarajan is currently Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He replaces Simon Woods who became the CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in January.

The former Citie Ballet in Edmonton, Canada has re-named itself Ballet Edmonton. They have hired one of Canada’s most acclaimed choreographers (based in Vancouver, BC) Wen Wei Wang as its new Artistic Director for the 2018-2019 season. Wang, a professional dancer in China, immigrated to Canada in 1991. He has worked with San Francisco Opera on “Nixon in China” and founded his own company, Wen Wei Dance in 2003.

Film & Media

Grand Illusion Cinema has the following – The Seattle Erotic Cinema Society presents “Ask the Sexpert” (see related article in this issue) by Vaishali Sinta set for one night only on July 12 at 7pm.  93 year old Dr. Mahinder Watsa has written a daily sex column for a newspaper in Mumbai since 2005. He spearheaded the first ever sexuality education program in India in 1976. The film follows his critics who sue him and the paper for obscenity. “MAQUIA: When The Flower Blooms” makes its Seattle debut July 21 – 23. In this fantasy, a 15 year old girl who can live for centuries without aging is conflicted when she finds an orphan baby from another world and brings it up. Extreme heartbreak looms as the two must face separation. Directed by Mari Okada, one of the few women directing in the predominately male business of Japanese animation. Grand Illusion Cinema is at 1403 NE 50th in Seattle’s University District. 206-523-3935.

Chloe Zhao’s Sundance Film Festival winning western about a rodeo cowboy entitled “The Rider” and Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs”, an animated tale of a Japanese boy searching for his missing dog on an island of garbage can still be found at the Crest Cinema Center at 16505 Fifth Ave. NE in Shoreline (landmarktheatres.com or 206-363-6339).  “The Rider” also screens at the Grand Cinema Tacoma at 606 S. Fawcett Ave. (grandcinema.com or 253-593-4474).

Families filling movie theatres across the country to see the Pixar animated feature film, “Incredibles 2” will get an additional treat as “BAO”, a short animated film by Chinese Canadian Domee Shi is screened. It’s the story of a Chinese mom with a case of empty nest syndrome who gets another chance at motherhood when one of the dumplings she made comes to life as a tiny baby. Shi, who joined Pixar as a story intern in 2011 was eventually hired as a story artist. She has worked on “Inside Out”, “The Good Dinosaur” and “Toy Story 4”. She is the first woman to direct a Pixar short.

From the producer of the worldwide anime sensation “Your Name” comes “Fireworks”, a new film from Toho Animation and producer Gen Kawamura as directed by Nobuyuki Takeuchi. Presented by Fathom Events and GKIDS, it will be shown in Japanese and in an English-dubbed version as well. The plot is a wistful tale of young love and missed opportunities and the desire to create a magic place outside of time where the couple can be together. Screens on Thurs., July 5 at 7pm  in the original Japanese. Screens on July 7 at 12:55pm in an English-dubbed version. You can buy tickets online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or www.FireworksMovie.com or at your local theatre box office. Local venues include Regal Thorton Place at 301 NE 103rd St. in Seattle and Lincoln Square Cinemas at 700 Bellevue Way NE in Bellevue and Regal Bella Bottega 11 Cinema at 889- NE 161st Ave. in Redmond. You can also see “Fireworks” on July 4 & 5 at the SIFF Cinema Uptown  in Seattle on Queen Anne. 511 Queen Anne Ave. N. 206-464-5830.

Fathom Events, VIZ Media and Toei Animation will ring the treasured animation features of “Sailor Moon” with an exclusive short to U.S. cinemas for two special events in July and August. “Sailor Moon R” followed by “Sailor Moon S: will screen on Sat., July 28 at 12:55pm and Monday, July 30 at 7pm “Sailor Moon SuperS – The Movie” features the classic anime’s third movie “Sailor Moon SuperS” along with a debut short entitled “Ami’s First Love” on Sat., August 4 at 12:55pm and Mon., August 6 at 7pm. Audiences will receive a special event poster while supplies last. Screens locally at various theatres such as Regal Auburn 17, Lincoln Square Cinemas, Regal Barkley Village, Regal Everett Mall 16, Century Federal Way, Regal Martin Village 16, Regal Alderwood Theatres 7, Capital Mall, Regal Poulsbo 10, Regal Bella Bottega 11, The Varsity Theatre, Regal Thornton Place 14 and Point Ruston. Tickets also at www.FathomEvents.com.

Local writer Peter Bacho’s novel “Cebu” won the American Book award when it was first published. The story revolves around a young guilt-ridden priest who returns to Seattle from his mother’s funeral in the Philippines where he finds himself clashing with gangs, his own beliefs, forbidden desires and death. Lunaaventure Productions has plans to turn this award-winning novel into a film directed by Tim Boxell and produced by Virginia Travers. Associate producer is Rica D. Abad and the screenplay is by C.V. Herst. If you are interested in donating to the “go-fund-me” campaign to turn this book into a film, go to https://www.gofundme.com/cebu-the-motion-picture-fund.

“Resistance At Tule Lake” is a documentary film directed by Konrad Aderer and produced by J. T. Takagi. Professor Tetsuden Kashima served as an advisor on this film. The dominant narrative of WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans is that they behaved as a “model minority” but this film from Third World Newsreel debunks that myth by telling the long-suppressed story of the Tule Lake Segregation Center where protests were common. Now screening at film festivals, museums, educational institutions and local community organizations. It was broadcast nationally in 2018 on PBS and played the Seattle Asian American Film Festival. For details, go to [email protected].

Fathom Events and Toei Animation, Inc. will bring three throwback Dragon Ball Z titles to theatres this fall. “Dragon Ball Z – The Legendary Super Saiyan” screens Sat., Sept. 15 at 12:55pm and Mon., Sept. 17 at 7pm. The double-feature “Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan” on Sat., Nov. 3 at 12:55pm and Mon. Nov. 5 at 7pm. Screens at theatres across the Puget Sound. Go to www.fathomevents.com for the complete schedule of theatres.

Kevin Kwan’s best-selling spoof of the wealthy among us  entitled “Crazy Rich Asians” comes to the big screen on August 7, 2018. Directed by Jon M. Chu with Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh.

If you have enjoyed an animated feature film from Japan’s Ghibli Studios and wished you could see more, here’s your chance. Fathom Events brings a Studio Ghibli Film Festival starting in March and going through November, 2018. The films will screen at Pacific Place 11, The Varsity in the University District & Thornton Place 14 in Seattle and Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue. All screenings at  12:55pm in the afternoon. Here are the titles and dates. Please note that some screenings will be dubbed and others will be with subtitles. “Princess Mononoke” is July 22 (dubbed), July 23 (subtitled), July 25 (dubbed). “Grave of the Fireflies” is August 12 (dubbed), August 13 (subtitled) and August 15 (dubbed). “My Neighbor Totoro” is Sept. 30 (dubbed), Oct. 1 (subtitled) and Oct. 3 (subtitled). “Spirited Away” is Oct. 28 (dubbed), Oct. 29 (subtitled) and Oct. 30 (subtitled). “Castle in the Sky” is Nov. 18 (dubbed), Nov. 19 (subtitled) and Nov. 30 (dubbed).

Lawrence Loh conducts the Seattle Symphony in a live performance of John Williams’ iconic score with a screening of “Star Wars: A New Hope” at Benaroya Hall on July 13 at 8pm, July 14 at 8pm and July 15 at 2pm. Loh is active as a guest conductor with an affinity for pops programming and conducting concerts synchronizing live orchestral music with film. He is Music Director of Symphoria of Syracuse, New York and Music Director of the West Virginia Symphony.  200 University St. in downtown Seattle. Box Office # is 206-215-4747.

Japanese “anime” director Masaaki Yuasa (“Mind Game”, “Lu Over The Wall”) is back with a new feature-length animated comedy entitled “The Night is Short, Walk On Girl” about a young woman’s single, epic, surreal night in Kyoto all the while unaware of another fellow student’s romantic longings for her. Also screening with a short interview with the director. Screens locally at various Puget Sound  theatres. Screens on Tuesday, August 21 and Wed., August 22 at 7pm. Go to www.NightIsShort.com for details.

It’s not too early to start contemplating another visual feast of films from South Asia. Tasveer South Asian Film Festival celebrates its 13th year with a 10 day festival of films and forums on the South Asian diaspora with a spotlight on Pakistan and the theme of “# Know Me” which asks the audience and filmmakers to challenge narratives and assumptions about South Asia. The festival screens over 60 films from Sept. 28 – Oct. 7, 2018 around the Puget Sound in Seattle, Bellevue, Bothell, Redmond and Renton. For more information, 206-349-4478 or try tasveer.org or filmfreeway.com.

BBC recently produced a documentary entitled “RAPE: Japan’s Secret Shame” which involves the case of a female Japanese journalist who is trying to present a civil case against a prominent Japanese male author/journalist for alleged rape and the antiquated laws on government books surrounding rape cases and the attitudes of society regarding such cases.

POV is public television’s premier showcase for nonfiction films since 1988. This year, they acquired “Minding the Gap”, a coming-of-age saga of three skateboarding friends in their Rust Belt hometown as they go through issues of masculinity, racial identity, domestic abuse and their transition to adulthood. Directed by Bing Liu, the film won a Special Jury Prize at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. The film will finish out the 31st season of POV in 2019. The series has just started on most PBS stations. All films will  stream concurrently with broadcast on pov.org and on streaming devices.

Japanese film director, cinematographer and journalist Shiori Ito received two Silver Awards for her work on the documentary “Lonely Deaths” (CAN-Singapore) as director and “Racing in Cocaine Valley” (AAl Jazeera English) for camerawork at the New York Festivals 2018 Film & TV Awards.

The Written & Spoken Arts

Former Stranger food writer Angela Garbes talks about her highly praised memoir entitled “Like A Mother: A Feminist Journey Through Science And Culture Of Pregnancy” on Wed., July 18 at 7pm. Third Place Books at 5041 Wilson Ave. S. in Seattle. Free. 206-474-2200 or go to thirdplacebooks.com

“Scribes at Hugo House Session IV” for younger writers grades 9 – 12 with poet/essayist Michelle Penaloza and poet/performance artist Roberto Ascalon happens July 23 – 27, 2018.  “Scribes at The Henry” is a two week session for grades 9 – 12 with field trips, writing activities, craft exercises and exposure to a diverse range of genres, forms and writers takes place August 6, 2018. With poet/writers Karen Finneyfrock and Jane Wong.1021 Columbia St 206-322-7030 or try [email protected].

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. Dujie Tahat joins Kamari Bright, Corbin Louis and Sarah Maria Medina in a Jack Straw Group Reading set for July 12 at 7pm. Porochista Khakpour joins Tricia Romano in conversation about her book entitled “Sick” (Harper Perrennial) which tells a story of her struggle through undiagnosed health problems along with mental illness and an addiction to doctor-proscribed drugs. Thurs. July 19 at 7pm. Rachel Heng reads from “Suicide Club: A Novel About Living” which is a spoof of the current health culture craze on Tues., July 24 at 7pm. It is her debut novel. On Sat., July 28 at 7pm, join Chinese translator Austin Woerner as he talks about his translation of Su Wei’s The Invisible Valley” (Small Beer Press), a fantasy novel about a young man’s coming-of-age during the Cultural Revolution and his meeting with a polyamorous family of woodcutters who practice their own idiosyncratic faith deep in the mountains.

The Gardner Center’s Saturday University Series presents UW Professor Haicheng Wang who will speak on “Performing Arts of Asia” on Sept. 29, 2018 at 10am at Seattle Art Museum. Wang received a 2017 New Directions Fellowship from the Mellon Foundation. He specializes in the art and archaeology of Ancient China with a particular interest in Chinese musical culture and its use of bells.1300 First Ave. 206-654-3210 or go to vistsam.org/tickets.

“John Okada – The Life & Rediscovered Work Of The Author of NO-NO Boy” (UW Press) Edited by Frank Abe, Greg Robinson, and Floyd Cheung is forthcoming in July, 2018. In this anthology, this classic of Asian American literature is re-examined, with re-discovered bits of his writing and essays that shed more light on the life of this important author.

Michiko Kakutani, the legendary former book critic for the New York Times has switched places and is now the published author of a new book entitled “The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump”.

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! –

“NCRR: The Grassroots Struggle for Japanese American Redress and Reparations” (UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press) by Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress is the first comprehensive exploration of NCRR’s roots, history and continuing impact over four decades. The book is based on first-hand accounts of the fight for redress. What emerges is a rich portrait of voices and narratives that illustrate how a popular, egalitarian, grassroots campaign for social justice blossom into a powerful voice for ordinary people and made the fight for redress a people’s campaign. Edited by Lane Ryo Hirabayashi and NCRR. Go to www.ncrr-la.org for ordering information.

“Immigrant, Montana” (Knopf) is the latest novel by Amitava Kumar in which a young South Asian immigrant man learns some painful truths about exile, grad school and sex in a new country he has come to call his home.

“High-Tech Housewives-Indian IT Workers, Gendered Labor, and Transmigration (UW Press) by Amy Bhatt. Looks at these workers and their struggles to navigate career paths, citizenship, and belonging as they move between South Asia and the United States.

“Takashi Murakami, Lineage of Eccentrics, A collaboration with Nobuo Tsuji And The Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston” (MFA) is the exhibition catalog for a show that shows the roots of contemporary Japanese artist Murakami go back far and are inspired by eccentric Japanese artists from another era as pointed out by a noted Japanese art critic.

“The Court Dancer” (Pegasus Books) is the latest novel by Kyung-Sook Shin (“Please Look After Mom”) based  on the true story of an orphan living in the final years of the Korean empire and her life at court until she is swept away by the love of a French diplomat to live in France. But homesickness and her eventual return to Korea lies fraught with tragedy.

“A Thousand Beginnings And Endings: 15 Retellings Of Asian Myths And Legends” (Greenwillow) edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman. The editors invite acclaimed Asian American authors (including Melissa de la Cruz, Renee Ahdieh and Julie Kagawa) to reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.

“Super Simple Sumi-e – Easy Asian Brush Painting for All Ages” (Little Bigfoot) by Yvonne Palka breaks down this Asian painting tradition for kids and adults alike in a way they can understand and begin to have fun with this method of painting.

“Isako Isako” (Alice James) by former UW graduate student/poet Mia Ayumi Malhorta traces a single family lineage spanning four generations of cultural trauma – internment, mass displacement and rampant racism – in the U.S., and how it weaves together with current events.

“All That I Can Fix” (Simon & Schuster) by Crystal Chan is a young adult novel that weaves together an intense and complicated story that tackles issues as diverse as race, gun control, mental health, the new media and animal activism based on an exotic zoo outbreak in Ohio in 2011.

“Soseki – Modern Japan’s Greatest Novelist” (Columbia) by John Nathan is a vibrant portrayal of the transformation of a modern Japan as witnessed through the story of one of that country’s best writers.

“The Science Of Breakable Things” (Random House) by Tae Keller is a young adult novel about a high school girl who must navigate school while at the same time worrying about a mother suffering from depression at home.

“Daido Moriyama – Record” (Thames & Hudson)

Edited by Mark Holborn. This modern Japanese photographer has a “shaky-blurry” style that explores photography as a kind of performance within itself. It served as the perfect foil to capture the change in Japan as seen through its political protests to its avant-garde dance performances. This carefully edited book is culled from the photographer’s many little magazines published throughout the years.

“Ba-chan – The Ninja Grandma, An Adventure with Little Kunoichi the Ninja Girl” (Little Bigfoot) by Sanae Ishida is a continuation of this popular picture book series in which we learn about the Ninja Girl’s grandmother who is in turns wise, creative and eccentric. The charming artwork highlights this adventure for kids.

“Rich People Problems” (Anchor Books) by Kevin Kwan is the third  and final installment of his fictional series now all in paperback that started with “Crazy Rich Asians” (soon to be a major motion picture) and continued with “China Rich Girlfriend”. This satiric series looks at the lives of the rich and famous Singaporean Chinese who jet from Shanghai to Manila and back in a quest for money and status.

“Young Frances”(Adhouse Books) by Hartley Lin is a graphic novel that looks at the meaning of work within a corporate culture and the finesse required by his female protagonist to exist in such an environment.

“Unnamable-The Ends of Asian American Art” (NYU Press) by Susette Min challenges the notion of Asian American art as a site of reconciliation for marginalized artists to enter into the canon.

“Suicide Club – A Novel About Living” (Henry Holt) by Rachel Heng is a life-affirming book about death which makes you look closer at how you live your life. The author hails from Singapore.

“Barbara Takenaga” (Delmonico / Prestel Books) is an exhibition catalog for a show of this artist’s work curated by Debra Bricker Balken at Williams College of Art. Obsessed with dots, these vertiginous patterns allude to other worlds – the night sky, the cosmos, and the depths and swells of the sea.

“Being Muslim – A Cultural History of Women of Color in American Islam” (NYU Press) by Sylvia Chan-Malik maps how communities of American Muslims became sites of safety, support, spirituality, and social activism, and how women of color were central to their formation.

“Convenience Store Woman” (Grove Atlantic) is a novel by Sayaka Murata as translated by Ginny Tapley. It tells the story of a thirty-something Japanese single woman who has never fit in until she begins working at a chain convenience store. This dark comedy looks at work and the pressure to conform.

“Our Story – A Memoir of Love And Life In China” (Pantheon) by Rao Pingru is a graphic memoir illustrated by the author in charming color sketches. It celebrates a marriage that spanned the twentieth century in China. The author penned this book when he was eighty-seven as a way of mourning the loss of his life’s companion.

“The Serpent’s Secret – Kiranmala And The Kingdom Beyond” (Scholastic) by Sayantani Dasgupta is a fantasy novel about a New Jersey Indian teenager who finds her parents have vanished and how she must accept her destiny as an Indian princess if she has any chance of saving her mom and dad.

“How to Reach Japan by Subway – America’s Fascination With Japanese Culture, 1945-1965” (Nebraska)  by Meghan Warner Mettler. This book explains why and how Americans found themselves embracing Japanese culture after WWII.

“My First Mandarin in Words With Gordon & Li Li” (Scholastic) by Michele Wong McSween. A pair of charming  pandas teach your kids how to learn Mandarin in this colorful, easy-to-use language book.

“Someone to Talk To” (Duke University Press) is a novel by Liu Zhenyun as translated by Howard Goldblatt & Sylvia Li-chun Lin. It is a generational novel of loss and miscommunication in a Chinese village.

“Monsters, Animals, And Other Worlds – A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales” (Columbia) edited by Keller Kimbrough and Haruo Shirane brings twenty-five tales of the fantastic and supernatural to entertain and chill Western readers.

“The Way You Make Me Feel” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) by Maureen Goo is a young adult novel. The care-free summer a teenage girl envisions is shattered when she is forced to work next to her dad and her worst enemy in a Korean-Brazilian food truck instead of staying with her mom. Yet somehow, things have a way of working out.

“Naoya Hatakeyama – Excavating the Future City” (Aperture) is the first English language survey of this Japanese photographer by Yasufumi Nakamori, Toyo Ito and Philippe Forest. It examines his work and how he sees architecture not as a moment of completion but about the totality of time and space extending throughout the processes of design, construction, completion and utilization.

“Words on Edge” (Black Square Editions) by poet Michael Leong. Working at a necessary and constantly evolving counter intuition – uneasy, agitated, restless and ceaselessly inventive, this book clocks the alarm of those who “wake late” in a world of fragments and found materials.

Southeast Asia – A Very Short Introduction” (Oxford) by James R. Rush traces the history of a varied region in easy-to-grasp analysis that accommodates its ethnic, religious and political complexities.

“The Invisible Valley” (Small Beer Press) by Su Wei as translated by Austin Woerner. When a young Chinese man is sent to the countryside for agricultural re-education, he encounters an outcast polyamorous family of woodcutters in extreme circumstances. This lyrical fable looks at the shapes into which human affection can be pressed in extreme circumstances.

“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.

“Meet Yasmin!” (Capstone) by Saadia Faruqi and illustrated by Hatem Aly looks at the adventures of a  bright, intelligent young girl and her multi-generational Pakistani American family.

“Go Home!” (Feminist Press) is an anthology of new writing that looks at the theme of home as explored by a variety of Asian American writers. Edited by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan with a foreword by Vet Thanh Nguyen.

“Warlight” (Knopf) by Michael Ondaatje is a new novel by the acclaimed Canadian author set in London during the WWII blackouts. A brother and sister are left in the care of kindhearted criminals in their rooming house after their parents disappear.

“The Emissary” (new Directions) by Yoko Tawada. A novel of the not-too-distant future of a post-Fukushima time where children are born so weak they can barely walk and the elderly are the only ones with get-go. Tawada focuses on a boy, who despite his frailties radiates hope.

“God – A Human History” (Random House) by Reza Aslan looks at how through the ages, humans have made God in their own image.

“Waiting For Tomorrow” by Nathacha Appanah (Graywolf) looks at an immigrant family in France and investigates the life of an artist, cultural differences in a marriage and the creation/destruction of a family.

“The Golden Legend” (Vintage) by Nadeem Aslam is a novel that looks at Pakistan’s past and future influenced by corruption, resilience, love, terror and the disguises necessary for survival.

“Registers of Illuminated Villages” (Graywolf) by Bangladeshi American poet Tarfia Faizullah transverses the globe and brings readers poems that illuminate acts of resistance in the face of injustice and violence.

“All You Can Ever Know” (Catapault) is a memoir by Nicole Chung who was placed for adoption by her Korean parents and how she finds her identity by tracing the path through which she came into the world.

“Rabbit Moon” (Arthur A. Levine) by author/illustrator Jean Kim tells the story of the rabbit in the moon who gets so lonely that he floats down to earth to have some fun. Inspired by Korean folklore.

“Spitfire Singh: A True Life of Relentless Adventure” (Osprey) by Mike Edwards tells the extraordinary story of Harjainder Singh who helped found the 4th largest air force in the world.

“The Anime Ecology – A Genealogy of Television, Animation And Game Media” (Minnisota) by Thomas Lamarre. This book looks at how animation helps us think through television in the contemporary moment using exhaustive research and impressive scope to make an essential reference book on this subject for both scholars and students alike.

“Kathmandu (Haus)” by Thomas Bell is a comprehensive book and a rich history of one of the greatest cities of the Himalaya.

“Hawk of the Mind – Collected Poems of Yang Mu” (Columbia) as translated by Michelle Yeh. Mu is a towering figure in modern Chinese poetry and this volume of his work presents his reverence for classical Chinese poetry while remaining rooted in his native Taiwan and its colonial history. His subtle, lyrical voice  is smoothly translated by Yeh.

“The Mirror Diary – Selected Essays” (University of Michigan Press) by Northwest poet Garrett Hongo  and Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Oregon. It gathers together the poet’s essays which combine influences of complex literary traditions and regional and ethnic histories.

“Saturday Is Swimming Day” (Candlewick) by Hye Won Yum. In this charming picture book, a little girl overcomes her trepidation about learning to swim with the help of various special friends.

“Experimental Beijing – Gender and Globalization in Chinese Contemporary Art” (Duke) by Sasha Su-Ling Welland. This UW professor examines the changing status of experimental artists in China who once struggled against government regulations of artistic expression and who now are being counted on by the state to advance China’s international image.

“May in America” (China Books) is a new novel by Annie Wang that tells the story of a Chinese rich kid who has outgrown Beijing and comes to California for a new, exciting life. What she finds instead are entangled relationships, suffering and loss. In the end, our heroine must cut all ties to find her way to redemption.

“Ordinary Misfortunes” (Tupelo) by Emily Jungmin Yoon chronicles the lives of the “comfort women”, those Korean young girls forced to be sex slaves for the invading Japanese army during WWII. These poems balance narrative, history and violence with a lyrical, truth-telling vision.

“The Third Degree – The Triple Murder That Shook Washington and Changed American Criminal Justice” (Potomac) by Scott O. Seligman provides the human story behind a seminal supreme court decision based on a young Chinese man accused of murdering three diplomats in Washington D.C. It is a case that sparked the creation of our Miranda rights.

“Girls of Paper and Fire” (Little Brown) by Natasha Ngan is a young adult novel about a lower caste girl forced into the oppressive limelight of the king’s palace, only to fall in love and seek a path that holds out hope for her freedom. Set for October, 2018 release.

“The Undressing” (Norton) is the long-awaited new book of poetry by award-winning poet LiYoung Lee. A tonic for spiritual anemia, this new collection of poems attempts to uncover things  hidden since the dawn of the world.

“Straight A’s – Asian American College Students in Their Own Words” (Duke) edited by  Christine R. Yano & Neal K. Adolph Akatsuka. Asian American students at Harvard reflect on their common experiences with discrimination, immigrant communities, their relationships to their heritage and their place in the University. Due out August, 2018.

“Record of Regret” (Oklahoma) by Dong Xi as  translated by Dylan Levi King. Set in the wake of China’s Cultural Revolution, this novel follows the trials and tribulations of a Chinese man from his youth to his adulthood as he tries to find his place in an upside down world.

“In “GO”, novelist  Kazuki Kaneshiro confronts ethnicity and discrimination in Japanese society in a story of a Korean student in a Japanese high school who falls hopelessly in love with a Japanese girl. When he confesses his true identity, will he and his girl friend willingly embark on a new and harrowing journey together? Translated by Seattle instructor Takami Nieda who teaches writing and literature at Seattle Central Community College.

“Bijoux in the Dark” (Letter Machine Editions) by John Yau veers from satire, ekphrasis and homage to imagined histories, surreal dimensions and Egyptology. Along the way, politicians, artists, actors and poets populate a rich and varied, poetic landscape. A word acrobat from the quirky to the profound, Yau is the author of more  than 50 books of poetry, criticism and fiction.

“Ninja – Unmasking The Myth” (Casemate) by Stephen Turnbull seeks to de-mystify the image of this mysterious figure in Japanese history using original Japanese sources including the last great ninja manual which reveals the spiritual and religious ideals believed to be lying behind the nina’s arts.

“Circles and Circuits – Chinese Carribean Art” (The Chinese American Museum) edited by Alexandra Chang examines the artistic production of Chinese artists in Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica and Panama where large immigrant populations and political, economic, and socio-cultural conditions enabled the development of  rich art practices in the Chinese diasporic community. An exhibition catalog that accompanied an exhibition of the same name that was exhibited in Log Angeles.

“Hawker Fare – Stories & Recipes from a Refugee Chef’s Isan Thai & Lao Roots” (Anthony Bourdain/Ecco) by James Syhabout with John Birdsall tells a unique family history and the food of N.E. Thailand and Laos. The author initially turns away from his heritage to become a classically trained chef in Europe, only to find something still missing. The hole isn’t filled until he re-traces the food of his childhood.

“Hazel And Twig – The Birthday Forutne” (Candlewick) by Brenna Burns Yu provides a charming introduction to Korean first-birthday traditions in this delightful children’s picture book story of two sisters with big dreams.

“Dust and Other Stories” (Columbia) by Yit’ Aejun as translated by Janet Poole restores the reputation of a Korean writer who went to Pyongyang in 1946. This book of short stories captures the precarious daily life of ordinary Koreans under post-war occupation.

“The Chinese Must Go – Violence, Exclusion, and the Making of the Alien in America” (Harvard University Press) by Beth Lew-Williams. In this book, the authors traces anti-Chinese violence in the American West and shows how American immigration policies incited this violence and how it provoked new exclusion and how this exclusion produced the concept of the “alien” in modern America.

“Goong-Goong – From Tuscany to Shanghai – The Story of a Chinese Patriarch Through the Eyes of His Italian Daughter-in-law” (Long River Press) by Patrizia Chen. In the end, it’s left up to the Italian American daughter-in-law to tease out the details of the history of this Chinese American family by interviewing her reluctant, taciturn father-in-law.

“Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods” (Copper Canyon) by Tishani Doshi is a third volume of poetry by this South Asian poet that confronts the violence against women. Her resonant, lyrical voice speaks out for those who have endured abuse, and those who have been permanently silenced. Due out October, 2018.

“Fukushima Devil Fish” (Breakdown) by Katsumata Susumu as translated by Ryan Holmberg and edited by Asakama Mitsuhiro is a collection of critical and biographical essays in a graphic novel style by this late, legendary Japanese alternative manga figure. His is known as the most prolific producer of cartoons directed against nuclear power even prior to the Fukushima nuclear meltdown.

“Patriot Number One – American Dreams in Chinatown” (Crown) by Lauren Hilgers. A journalist offers a story of the newly arrived Chinese immigrants and a look at the Chinese community in Flushing, New York which is one of the fastest-growing immigrant enclaves in the U.S.

In “People Like Us: The New Wave of Candidates Knocking at Democracy’s Door” (The New Press), political scientist Sayu Bhojwani shares stories of a diverse and persevering range of local and state politicians across the country who are challenging the status quo and paving the road for other people of often forgotten demographics to follow in their wake. Due out Oct., 2018 just in time for our fall elections.

“Looking Like The Enemy – Japanese Mexicans, the Mexican State, and US Hegemony, 1897 – 1945” (University of Arizona) by Jerry Garcia takes a penetrating look at the history of Japanese migration to Mexico and compares it to other immigration histories in the North/South hemisphere.

Alexander Chee is one of the most loved novelists of his generation but in his latest offering, he returns to nonfiction in “How To Write An Autobiographical Novel” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). In a series of essays, he presents memoir-in-essays about his growing up, his father’s death, the AIDS crisis, 9/11 and the odd jobs that kept him afloat so that he could continue to write.

“Pious Fashion – How Muslim Women Dress”  (Harvard University Press) by Elizabeth Bucar. This book looks at young Muslim women and offers first-person observations from the stores and streets of three cities in Muslim-majority countries on the varied ways they dress and the choices made.

“Not Here” (Coffee House Press) by Hieu Minh Nguyen looks at the poetic voice of a queer Vietnamese American and his confrontation with whiteness, trauma, family and nostalgia.

“Painting Peace: Art in a Time of Global Crisis” (Shambhala) by Kazuaki Tanahashi. This revered modern artist and Zen teacher offers his story about how his art has been the expression of a life of social activisim.

“The Night Diary” (Dial) by Veera Hiranandan is a young adult novel that looks at the 1947 partition of India through a child’s eyes as she searches for home, her own identity and a hopeful future.

“Quiet Girl in A Noisy World” (Andrews McMeel) by Debbie Tung. This graphic novel reveals the experiences of an introvert in an extrovert’s world. It follows her from college to navigating the real world. Along the way she learns to embrace her introversion and find ways to thrive in life while still fulfilling her need for quiet.

“Valmikis Ramayama: An Illustrated Retelling (Rowan & Littlefield) by Arshia Sattar. This writer retells a classic Indian epic for children by building her characters from the inside out. She makes this fable of good over evil, family relationships, love & loss, duty & honor, jealousy & ambition into a vital story for contemporary times.

“The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore” (HMH) by Kim Fu follows a group of young girls at summer camp and what it takes for them to survive when stranded and how that experience reverberates through the rest of their lives.

“Rainbirds” (Soho) by Clarissa Goenawan is a genre-bending novel that moves from mystery to magic realism and tells the story of a family and loss. The author is an Indonesian-born Singaporean writer.

“This Is My Eye – A New York Story” (Candlewick Press) by Neela Vaswani uses the lens of photography to view how a young girl sees this vital city from rooftops, on the ground and under the water.

“Imperial Twilight – The Opium War And The End of China’s Last Golden Age” (Knopf) by Stephen R. Platt. The author looks at one of the most potent turning points in that country’s modern history and how it set the path towards nationalism and communism in the twentieth century.

“Natsumi” (Penguin Young Readers) by Susan Landroth and illustrated by Priscilla Burris traces the life of a curious, rambunctious Japanese girl who does everything in a big way. Can she find the right way to put her exuberance to good use?

“Though I Get Home” (Feminist Press) by YZ Chen is a book of short stories that consider what it means to find one’s own voice within systems committed to suppressing it. Using her native Malaysia as a backdrop, the author fills her book with characters who must re-invent themselves to survive and be true to their own muse.

“The Barber’s Dilemma And Other Stories From Man Maru Street” (Tara Books) by Koki Oguma as translated by Gita Wolf. In this picture book, the author/illustrator shows us the neighborhood he lives in around Tokyo as he watches people go about their business. Zany, imaginative artwork makes the streets come alive.

“Van Gogh And Japan” (Yale) is the exhibition catalog for a show that delves into how deeply this Dutch artist was inspired by Japanese art as shown at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam recently.

Angela Garbes, former food writer for The Stranger became a mother and has a new book out entitled “Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy” (Harper Wave). She’s interviewed about it in the May 2018 issue of CityArts.

“The Perfect Gift” (Lee & Low) by Paula Yoo and illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez is a children’s book in which a girl searches for the perfect gift to celebrate her little brother’s 100-days birthday.

“Modern Ink – The Art of Wu Changshi” (Mozhai Foundation & UH Press) by Britta Erickson and Craig L. Yee is Volume 3 in a series on Chinese brush painting. Wu Chang Shi rejected both Western themes and the glorified past to forge his own rough-hewn style from engravings in stone and metal by anonymous artisans who lived in remote areas.

“Preserving Historical & Cultural Treasures – Hmong Story Cloths” (Schiffer) by Linda A. Gerdner provides a visual documentation of the historical and cultural legacy of the Hmong people from Laos.

“Ocean Meets Sky” (Simon & Schuster) by Eric Fan & Terry Fan is a stunning picture book about a young boy who sets sail to find a place his grandfather once told him about.

“Sick – A Memoir” (Harper Perennial) by Porochista Khakpour takes readers along on her struggles towards health. Intelligently written, this is a powerfully rendered memoir of chronic illness, misdiagnosis, addiction, and the myth of full recovery.

“Moon – Letters, Maps, Poems” (Tarpaulin Sky Press) by poet Jennifer S. Cheng. This book mixes fable and fact and draws on various Chinese mythologies about women. Inquiry as art.

“Empress – The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan” (Norton) by Ruby Lal looks at the history of India’s greatest empress and how she ruled with acumen and diplomatic skill.

“The Troublemakers” (Retrofit) by Baron Yoshimoto as translated by Ryan Holmberg presents six stories by a Manga pioneer who helped develop the graphic novel form.

News/Opportunities

Applications now open for the Neddy Artist Awards providing two annual gifts of $25,000 and six awards of $1,500 to visual artists based in the Puget Sound region. Deadline ends Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 10:59pm. PST. 206-315-5843 or 800-726-ARTS or email [email protected].

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.

Congratulations to the following artists who got 2018 Artist Trust Fellowships. Cathy Linh Che and Diana  Xin in the “Literary” category. Christopher Icasiano in the “Music” category. Haruko Nishimura in the “Performance” category  and Taiji Miyasaka in the “Visual Arts” category. 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 a GAP Grant,  resources on how to get to know local arts organizations, cultivating professional relationships, organizing your resume and much more. Upcoming events include the following – “ABNS: Promotional Fundamentals” in Seattle Sept. 6 – Oct. 11, 2018. “ABNS: Business Fundamentals Oct. 15 – Nov. 5, 2018 in Seattle. Branding for Artists on Instagram” Sept. 19 from 7 – 9pm in Seattle. “Webinar: Appliying for a 2018 La Salle Storyteller Award on August 15, 2018. “Office Hours”, a free grant writing support program for all artists (20 minutes) in person at the Artist Trust office or via phone. August 13 & 20 and Sept. 5, 2018. Artist Trust can be found at 1835 – 12th Ave. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill or go to artisttrust.org for more details.

CityArtist Projects applications sponsored by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture are now open with a deadline of July 11, 2018. This program supports the development and presentation of work created by generative Seattle-based individual artists/curator. The 2019 cycle will accept proposals from artists/curators working in dance, music and theater (includes scriptwriting). Applicants can request grants in the amount of $2,000, $5,000 or $8,000. Awarded artists will need to offer a public presentation within the Seattle city limits. For more information, go to seattle.gov/arts.

Ha-Yang Kim has joined the Cornish Music Department where she will be teaching cello/chamber and music/composition.

“American Muslims: An Anthology of Contemporary Writing” as edited by Kazim Ali will be published by Red Hen Press. Send poetry (5 – 10 poems) or prose (no more than 3,000 words) to Kazim Ali at [email protected] no later than Sept. 15, 2018.

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