Highlights
Cincinnati-based musician C. Spencer Yeh (voice, violin, electronics) participates in the annual Seattle Improvised Music Festival and joins Chris Corsano, Bill Horist and Wally Shoup in a concert on Feb. 18 at Ballard’s Sunset Tavern. 5433 Ballard NW.
ACRS 2010 Art Opening with support from Washington State Arts Commission, 4 Culture and Odyssey Enterprises Inc. is [...]
Highlights
“Kurosawa-sensei” brings new prints of five classic films by master Japanese filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa. Includes “Seven Samurai” and “Stray Dog.” Feb. 5 – 15 at SIFF Cinema at 321 Mercer St. (206) 633-7151.
“Farewell: A Fantastical Contemplation of America’s Relationship with China” features Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dancers with a live score by composer Byron Au Yong. [...]
Highlights
Inspiring Community Through Film: A Night with Tadashi Nakamura” (see elsewhere in this issue for related story) gives us a chance to meet this L.A.-based filmmaker and see two of his community based films. Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. NVC Community Hall. For reservations, e-mail: ryenms@gmail.com.
”TAO: The Martial Art of Drumming” (see related story in [...]
By Alan Chong Lau
Highlights
Noted New York Times science writer Carol Kaesuk Yoon travels from her Bellingham home to Seattle to read from her new book “Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science” (W. W. Norton & Co.) in which she shares her observations on how animals (including humans) perceive the world in a [...]
By Alan Chong Lau
Highlights
Pamela Yasutake sings and dances in the role of Mary in Langston Hughes Cultural Center’s production of “Black Nativity” currently on stage at the Intiman Theatre through Dec. 22. 201 Mercer St. (206) 269-1900.
Mochizuki is a traditional Japanese New Year celebration that involves the pounding of sweet rice to make mochi. [...]
Highlights
Bora Ju, Korean gayageum virtuoso (traditional Korean stringed zither) is the “artist-in-residence” at UW’s School of Music for the fall quarter, 2009. During her time here, Ju is performing around as much as possible. Don’t miss hearing this virtuoso Korean musician while she is in the area. Future performances include Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. [...]
Highlights
The First Annual Slack Key Festival takes place on Nov. 22 at Town Hall from 2 – 6 p.m. With concerts and workshops from Hawaiian music masters and Ukulele virtuosos including Cyril Pahanui, Leabert Lindsay, Sonny Lim, David Kamakahi, Kunai Galdeira, Makana Donald Kaulia and Jeff Peterson. There will be an Evening Dinner/Heavy Pupu Performance [...]
Highlights
Opening Nov. 19 from 6- 8 p.m. and continuing on view through Dec. 22 is a new show by of ceramic sculpture and installation by UW ceramic professor Akio Takamori entitled “Europeans” in which the artists continues his wry look at world history, colonialism and how different cultures meet and collide. Expect humor and lovely [...]
October 21st 2009
Highlights
Concerts of ethnic music abound this month. Ragamala presents “Utsav 2009”, Seattle’s Annual South Asian Performing Arts Festival Oct. 30 at East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue, Oct. 31 at Kirkland Performance Center in Kirkland and Nov. 1 at East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue. The festival features exciting performances by talented artists [...]
Highlights
Wing Luke Asian Museum presents “Yellow Terror: The Collection and Paintings of Roger Shimomura” with two opening reception events on Sept. 10. First up is the members exclusive preview with the artists and co-curator Dr. Stacey Urodomo-Barre from 6 to 7p.m. RSVP by calling (206) 623-5124×126 or e-mail jaquino@wingluke.org Not a member? You can join [...]
Highlights
Noted modern composer and Seattle native Paul Chihara will return to town to witness the performance of his new piano quintet, “La Foce” on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at UW’s Brechemin Auditorium as part of the “East-West Piano Arts Series” coordinated by Regina Yeh. Zhou Long and Bright Sheng are some of the composers, [...]
Highlights
The Tokyo-based dance troupe Pappa Tarahumara takes on the Chekhov classic, “Three Sisters” Jan. 31 – Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. at On The Boards. Contemporary twists include a meditation on female identity, coming of age and obsession with youth culture. University of Washington professor and author Sasha Su-Ling Welland will give a free pre-show [...]
By Alan Lau
Highlights
“To Sleep So As To Dream,” Kaizo Hayashi’s beautiful celebration of Japanese silent cinema, is screened with new music and “benshi” narraration as performed live by Aono Jikken ensemble on Jan. 19 & 20 at 7 p.m. Get your tickets early as performances tend to sell out fast. Also Northwest Asian American Film [...]
Samoan Art & Artists: O Measina a Samoa
by Sean Mallon
University of Hawai’i Press
Review by Anne O’Rourke
“Samoan Art and Artists” looks generally at art in the Samoan culture. Sean Mallon has chosen to look at traditional arts and how they have moved into contemporary Samoan society both in Samoa and abroad.
There are some interesting ideas in [...]
The 1.5 Generation – Becoming Korean American in Hawai’i
by Mary Yu Danico
University of Hawai’i Press
Review by Joomi Lee
I wasn’t born or raised in Korea and didn’t grow up in Hawai’i. But, I still found much that I could identify with in Mary Yu Danico’s thoughtful treatise on the 1.5 generation of Korean Americans in Hawai’i.
“One [...]
Living Pidgin: Contemplations on Pidgin Culture
by Lee Tonouchi
Tinfish Press
Review by Amy Nishimura
Lee Tonouchi’s “Living Pidgin: Contemplations on Pidgin Culture” argues that Pidgin speakers are as intelligent as those who use Standard English. Editor of the local journal Hybolics and author of “da word,” Tonouchi, a.k.a. “Da Pidgin Guerilla,” demonstrates a creative edge as he discusses [...]
Kamehameha: The warrior king of Hawaii
By Susan Morrison
Illustrated by Karen Kiefer
University of Hawaii Press
Ages 10 and up
Review by Doug Ing
A highway, a shopping center and a private school are named for Kamehameha. He united all of the Hawaiian Islands under one rule. There is a statue of him across the street from Iolani Palace, the [...]
“You Got Poi, Bra’?”
Every Thursday without fail, there is a familiar question put to me where I work in the produce department of Uwajimaya in Seattle’s International District. “You got fresh poi, bra’?” That question is always accompanied by a beaming smile and a “mahalo” when the answer is positive. Hawai’i is often forgotten on [...]
Highlights
China is a country that is waving goodbye to the past at quickly as it is throwing itself into the wave of the future. No more is this better reflected than in their film. The University of Washington’s East Asia Center and China Studies Program presents a fascinating series of documentary films with English subtitles. [...]
Highlights
Pinay SA Seattle, a Filipina American women’s organization in association with Communities Against Rape and Abuse (CARA) and Youth Speaks Seattle, present a Seattle first-of-its-kind, all-women’s hip-hop event entitled “INDAYog: The Rhythm in the Movement” on Dec. 7 at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle. Both local and out-of-town female artists will present [...]
Highlights
Award-winning local photographer Subhankar Banerjee whose coverage of our arctic area drew attention to the fragile beauty of that endangered region, gives a slide/talk on “America’s Arctic: Is it for Sale?” on Nov. 30 at UW’s Kane Hall 130. Free.
Visual Arts
Sandy Lew-Hailer a.k.a. Grrdog Metalworks presents “Tweaking the Edges,” her 25th Annual Party Showing & [...]
Visual Arts
Wessel And Lieberman Booksellers Inc. present “Shinsuke Minegishi: An Exhibition of Wood Engravings, Prints & Limited Edition Books.” This Japanese artist pays homage to “Nomi No Kai,” a contemporary woodblock printers’ group that revitalized and energized an ancient art form in the ‘70s. Minegishi presently lives in Vancouver, B.C. He received the Grand Prize [...]
Visual Arts
Mia Bradshaw
Mia Bradshaw is of Japanese American and French and German American ethnicity. She had the privilege of growing up in a rich culture of two wonderful worlds. The simplicity and beauty of her Asian American heritage is often highlighted in her work. The tradition and opulence of her European background often enhance many [...]
Visual Arts
Seattle artist Nin Truong is the co-curator of a group show entitled “Pushin’ 5” that looks at contemporary skateboard art. The work of Yoshi Obayashi, Iosefatu Sua and Chikayoshi Satomi is included. Through Nov. 4 at Blvd Gallery at 2316 Second Ave. www.blvdart.com.
Susi J. Lee presents her video installation, “Fermata,” which looks at the [...]
Visual Arts
Bainbridge Arts and Crafts. Working in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and guest curator Michiko Olson, BAC presents — Exhibition: “Intersections: Contemporary Work by Japanese American Artists” Oct. 6-31. Reception: Friday, Oct. 6, 6-8 p.m. Lecture: Mira Nakashima, on the life and work of George Nakashima: Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Bainbridge [...]
Visual Arts
“Dim Sum at the On-On Tea Room – The Jewelry of Ron Ho”* is a long overdue retrospective of the work of this creative jewelry artist and local Northwest treasure who has crafted personal stories out of carefully gathered antiques and folk art pieces. Each piece tells a story that resonates with history – [...]
Highlights
The WA State China Relations Council hosts a reception for John Pomfret, author of “Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China” at Preston Gates & Ellis at 925 Fourth Ave., Suite 2900 on Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. The book is a fascinating yet sobering account of Pomfret’s Chinese classmates he [...]
Highlights“Systematic Landscapes” by Maya Lin closes soon. Through Sept. 3, this exciting show consists of three installations and related sculptures and drawings. The prize-winning architect/artist of Vietnam Memorial fame will make a special appearance at the UW where she will be interviewed by the Henry Art Gallery Director Richard Andrews on Aug. 22 at [...]
Highlights
An appropriately entitled show, “fresh! – contemporary takes on nature & allegory” curated by Julie Cho Bailer features the work of younger artists from around the world, many making their Seattle or American debut. The work of Takagi Masakatsu and Saeko Takagi, Gordon Cheung and Xiaoqing (Jenny) Ding is included. Museum of Glass/International Center for [...]
Visual Arts
Facere Jewelry Art Gallery will showcase international contemporary jewelry artists featured in the Lark Publication entitled “1000 Rings.” Jewelry artists from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea are included. Jan. 25 opening with a lecture slated for 4 p.m. (RSVP (206) 624-6768 and a reception to follow. Show on view through Feb. 15. 1420 – [...]
