Home Arts Arts Etc. September 20, 2018—Arts Etc.
September 20, 2018—Arts Etc.
Alan Chong Lau
Design by Kanami Yamashita
“Invocation of Beauty: The Life and Photography of Soichi Sunami” is the first in-depth study of this photographer who got his start in Seattle in the studio of Ella McBride where he worked with Wayne Albee. Through the studio’s association with Cornish School, Sunami had the opportunity to photograph and interact with important modern dancers who visited such as Anna Pavlova, Ted Shawn and Martha Graham. Sunami also won many prizes in the highly thought of Frederick & Nelson salons before re-locating to New York in 1922. Here he opened a studio and began collaborating with Martha Graham. For almost forty years, he was the chief photographer for the Museum of Modern art. Like another Seattle photographer Frank Matsura, he became known for his iconic images of modern dancers. There is a silky sophisticated elegance to his style. Supplementing this exhibition will be a selection of paintings and drawings by his Seattle art instructor Fokko Tadama (1897-1948) and contemporaries such as Sumio Arima, Mabel Lisle Ducasse, Kamekichi Tokita and Kenjiro Nomura. On view from Oct. 11, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019. Opening reception for members & guests is on Wed., Oct. 10 from 6 – 8pm. Museum hours are Wed. – Sun. from 11am – 6pm. Art Walk Edmonds takes place Third Thursdays from 5 – 8pm and is free. 190 Sunset Ave. Edmonds, WA. 425-336-4809.
“Silicone Love – Her Garden” is a multimedia installation by Chun Shao. Visitors will experience a sculptural fiction about an Internet-generated ghost, a metaphoric figure narrated through a series of video mapped kinetic sculptures. The artist is currently a Ph.D candidate at DXARTS, UW. On view now through Oct. 19, 2018. She will give an artist talk on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7pm. At Jack Straw New Media Gallery. 4261 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle’s “U” District.
Hosekibako is JCCCW’s (Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington) thrift store and Japanese Resale Shop. It’s the perfect place to pick up Japanese arts & crafts at affordable prices. Items are 100% community donated and selection is constantly updated. Open Th., Fri. & Sat. from 10 am – 3pm. It is located in the East Building on the JCCCW campus. If interested in donating, call in advance at 206-568-7114 or email [email protected]. 1414 South Weller.
The Seattle Design Festival takes place through Sept. 21, 2018 with city-wide tours, exhibits, outdoor installations, activities and interactive workshops. The Festival theme this year is TRUST which examines the role of design thinking in bringing together and building TRUST among diverse communities. For details, try [email protected] or aiaseattle.org or call 206-448-4938×107.
For fans of Seattle photographer Dean Wong, the ongoing exhibit of his work at Tai Tung restaurant has just been changed with a new round of work by the photographer, himself. So the next time you’re there ordering a bowl of noodles, look up and you’ll see a Dean Wong photograph. 655 S. King St. in the CID. 206-622-7372.
Juan Alonso Open Studio welcomes Seattle artist Kamla Kakaria to his Front Room Gallery Sept. 6 – 20, 2018. With two openings on 1st Thursday on Sept. 6 from 5 – 8pm and 2nd Saturday from noon to 5pm or by appointment (go to [email protected]) Kakaria works in printmaking as well as installation work. As an American growing up in an Indian household, She attempts to understand her place in between through making. Go to https://kamlakakaria.com to see more of her work. Juan Alonso’s studio space is located in Pioneer Square in the Tashiro Kaplan complex at 306 South Washington St. #104.
Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery at Seattle Central Community College presents the following -“Orchids and Evergreens: Thai and Seattle Printmakers” is a group show on view through Oct. 18, 2018. Artist reception on Sept. 26, 2018 from 5 – 7pm. Seattle Print Arts in partnership with Nikki Barber and Miranda Metcalf present an exhibition of printmakers from Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and the Northwest. Co-curated by Seattle Print Arts in partnership with Davidson Galleries and Pratt Fine Arts Center. Artists represented include Scott Kolbo, Claire Cowie, Kim Van Someren, Romson Bustillo, Kamla Kakaria, Mike Schultz, Virginia Hungate, Kerstin Graudins, Charlie Spitzack, Tyna Ontko, Keiko Hara, Ben Moreau, Tevor Foster, David Bradway, Amber Chiozza, Brian Lane and from Thailand: Kittikong Tilokwattan, Orn Thongthai, Srijai Kuntawang, Sirinapa “Noon Nim” Thongsuk, Minchaya Chayosumrit, Kraisak Chirachaisakul, Patcharin “Nok” Meelarp, Praween Piangchompu, Theerayuth “Lek” Inkaew and Luntau.”PNW Cosplay and Cosplayers” is a group show Oct. 22 – Nov. 20, 2018. Opening reception is Oct. 24 from 5 – 7pm. If you enjoy anime, comic heroes and villains, video games, or are a cosplayer yourself, this is the show for you. Includes photography by Shiboney, local prop makers Billy the Brick, Carrhunger, and Raptor Props, and foam-smiths Foam Friction, Viv Sai Squeekadeek, and Alan the Asian. Cosplay is encouraged for the opening reception on Oct. 24. “Youth In Focus” is a group show of photographs from the Seattle youth photography project. Nov. 27 – Dec. 12, 2018. The gallery is located on 1701 Broadway on the North side of the Atrium Cafeteria in the main campus building. Free admission. Hours are 9am – 3:30pm on Mon. – Fri. and Evenings from 5 – 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. 206-934-4379 or go to www.seattlecentral.edu/artgallery
“Bold Type” is a group show of work by Northwest artists who use large symbols and motifs of various types in their work. Includes new work by Junko Yamamoto, Harold Hollingsworth, Kellie Talbot and Liz Tran. SAM Art Gallery on 1st Ave. between Union and University Streets right next to SAM. On view through Sept. 30, 2018. 206-343-1101.
“Sojurn” is the title of new works by Z. Z. Wei that focus on his interpretation of rural America and its landscape. Remains on view through Sept. 30, 2018. Patricia Rovzar Gallery at 1111 First Ave. in downtown Seattle. Open M – Sun. from 11 – 5pm. 206-223-0273 or go to www.rovzargallery.com
In the Phyllis Lamphere Gallery located on Level 2 of the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle you will find the Annual Korean American Artists Association of Washington State Member’s Show on view through Sept. 25, 2018. 705 Pike St. M – F. from 7am – 10pm. 206-694-5000 or go to www.wscc.com.
Attending Indian festivals influenced 1st-generation Indian American artist Kamla Kakaria and her new installation done in sculpture, prints, and hundreds of white beeswax covered flowers. Part of UTSAV!, a 3-month celebration of Asian Indian arts and culture. The installation is up from August 7 – Oct. 1, 2018. Arteast Art Gallery at 95 Front Street North in Issaquah. 425-392-3191 or try www.arteast.org.
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 show of new works entitled “Light” through Sept. 29, 2018. ArtXchange Gallery. 512 First Ave. S. 206-839-0377 or go to www.artxchange.org.
A JCCCW Exhibition entitled “Genji Mihara: An Issei Pioneer” is 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.
A non-profit, the Portland Chinatown History Foundation has opened the new Portland Chinatown Museum to the public. The show of Seattle photographer Dean Wong’s series on Portland’s Chinatown has been extended and remains on view through the end of September, 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 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. 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 – “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” is on view through March 3, 2019 on the 3rd floor John McCone Gallery. It explores how the imperial court nobility and the military elite significantly shaped their country’s art history. “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. Related activities to this exhibit in the “Asia Talks” series include the following – “Jugalbani Duet: Power and Pleasure in Indian Painting” Examining 17th – 19th century paintings done for Raiput rulers of Northern India and Mughal elites, scholars Dipti Khera (NYU), Debra Diamond (Freer/Sackler Gallery) and Yael Rice (Amherst College) will discuss cosmopolitanism and cultural exchange among the courts. A music performance and reception will follow. Presented by the South Asia Center, UW Art History Department and the Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas. This event takes place on Sat., Nov. 17 from 2 – 4pm. UW Kane Hall 220 on the Seattle campus of UW. On Sun., Nov. 11 from 2:30 – 4:30pm in Seattle Art Museum’s Brotman Forum, hear a presentation entitled “Sari Stories”. Originally from different regions of India, women living in the Seattle area will share personal stories linked to a sari. There will also be a demonstration of tying a turban as well. Seattle Art Museum is located at 1300 First Ave. 206-654-3210 or try www.seattleartmuseum.org.
Davidson Galleries has the following –Seattle print-maker Eunice Kim has a new series of prints that reflect the organic feel of dots lost in a serene landscape. With her allergies to the chemical properties used in printmaking, she has searched for natural, organic alternatives. Through Sept. 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. Up until Sept. 27. 101 Prefontaine Pl. 206-296-7580 or 4culture.org.
“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. Through 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://www.bonsaimirai.com. For more information, go to http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org.
Portland Art Museum has the following –“The Map Is Not The Territory” on view until May 5, 2019 is a reconsideration of the art of the northwest region. This group show includes the work of Rob Rhee and Henry Tsang among others. It covers the Eastern edge of the Pacific including Oregon, Wasshington,Vancouver, BC and Alaska. Curated by Grace Kook-Anderson. “Sumei Tse: L’Echo” is a video installation on view through Oct. 28, 2018. This project features classical cellist/artist Su-Mei Tse playing near the edge of a vast mountain canyon in a duet with nature’s reverberations. Winner of the Golden Lion Award in 2003 at the Venice Biennale. A group show entitled “Poetic Imagination in Japanese Art” taken from the May & Cheney Cowles Collection will be on view from Oct. 13, 2018 – Jan. 13, 2019. “Three Masters of Abstraction – Hagiwara Hideo, Ida Shoichi And Takahashi Rikio” looks at some Japanese modern abstract artists. Nov. 3, 2018 – May 5, 2019. 1219 S.W. Park Ave. 503-226-2811 or try [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 Luke Asian Museum include the following – “Blast Off To Beyond” is the new KidPLACE exhibit which explores the field of aerospace and the Asian Pacific Americans that play a huge role in space exploration and technology. On view through Jan. 6, 2019. “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. “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. NOW let’s look at future shows the Wing is planning this fall and into 2019.In the Special Exhibition Gallery, you will find “Worlds Beyond Here: The Expanding Universe of APA Science Fiction” is a show that opens Oct. 12, 2018 and remains on view through Sept. 15, 2019. From onscreen actors to behind-the-scenes writers, creators and animators, learn about the impact Asian Pacific Americans have had and continue to have in science fiction. A group show tentatively titled “Open Housing” shows how community members across the Central Area, Chinatown-ID and Southeast Seattle gather to explore how racial restrictions on where people could live shaped the Seattle we know today and set a vision for those neighborhoods for the next 50 years. March 8, 2019 – Feb. 16, 2020 in the New Dialogues Initiative area. Carina del Rosario curates an exhibit entitled “Wide Angle/Close up: A Self Portrait of the Asian Pacific Islander American Community” from May 10, 2019 – April 19, 2020. Includes photography, video, and photo-based installations by photojournalists that document the community from the inside out. Set for the George Tsutakawa Gallery. “Chinatown in the 1970s” recreates Seattle’s Chinatown in the 1970’s and explores the values and customs that continue to shape the neighborhood today. July 20, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020 in the KidPLACE Gallery. 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.
To celebrate the Navarathri Festival, the Friends of Asian Art association presents a program on “The Visual Art Forms of India.” In a special one afternoon-only exhibition and talk, we will showcase the history, culture and ideas of India as revealed through unique styles of the art with artists Yamini Gourishankar, Deppti Arawalmittal and Amrutha Jayachandran. On Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 at 1pm. At Phinney Center located at 6532 Phinney Ave. N. in the lower level Brick Building, Room #3. Pre-register at http://friendsofasianart.org/eventflyer5.html or get tickets at the door.
The Feast Arts Center features the work of Kamla Kakaria and Junko Yamamoto from Oct. 10 – Nov. 11, 2018. Kakaria is a Seattle printmaker and installation artist. Yamamoto is also from Seattle and will present new paintings and soft sculpture. Hours are Sat. from 12 – 4pm and Sun. from 9 – 1pm or by appointment. 1402 South 11th St. in Tacoma.
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. 121 NW Second Ave. in Portland. 503-224-1458 or go to www.oregonnikkeir.org.
“Elements” is an exhibit of new works by Naomi Shigeta at Augen Gallery DeSoto through Sept. 29, 2018. 716 NW Davis St. in Portland, Oregon. 503-546-5056 or go to www.augengallery.com.
Korean American artist Samantha Wall’s “Phantom Limbs” explores family identity, cultural history and loss. On view through Sept. 29, 2018 at Laura Russo Gallery. 805 NW 21st Ave. Portland, Oregon. 503-226-2754 or try www.laurarusso.com.
“Encoiunters” is a group exhibition featuring works by Masao Yamamoto, Tsubasa Kato, Nao Osada, Itsuki Kaito, Masumi Kawamura, Masashi Echigo and others. Through Sept. 29, 2018 at PDX Contemporary Art at 925 N.W. Flanders St. in Portland, Oregon. 503-222-0063 or go to www.pdxcontemporaryart.com.
Portland Japanese Garden has some interesting shows planned for this year. 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 – Now 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. “Guo Pei: Couture Beyond” is the first Canadian exhibition devoted to the work of China’s preeminent couturiere. On view from Oct.13, 2018 – Jan. 20, 2019. This mid-career survey features more than forty complete looks from Pei’s most iconic runways from 2006 to 2017. Her work combines contemporary aesthetics, production methods and materials with ancient tradition, evoking Chinese history and mythology in her craft techniques, fabric selection and imagery. Organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery in collaboration with SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film curated by Diana Freundl, Associate Curator, Asian Art and Stephanie Rebick, Associate Curator. 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.
“IN/FLUX: Art of Korean Diaspora” is a group show of Vancouver-based Korean Canadians who make traditional arts compellingly contemporary. Sept. 28, 2018 – Jan. 6. 2019. Museum of Vancouver at 110 Chestnut St. Go to [email protected] for details.
The Richmond Art Gallery has these two shows – “Xiaojing Yan – In Suspended Silence.” This Chinese Canadian artist draws creative inspiration for her mixed-media installations from Taoist philosophy and its associated myths and folklore. “To My Unborn Child” by Taiwanese artist Wen-Li Chen is an installation in which she considers personal identity and the future of Indigenous Taiwanese peoples in a social and geographic environment in constant flux. The artist in inherited Kavalan and Sakilaya indigenous cultures from her father’s side and Han Chinese from her mother’s side. Both shows on view Nov. 10, 2018. 7700 Minoru Gate in Richmond BC Canada. 1-604-247-8300.
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.
“Anna Wong: Traveller on Two Roads” is a look back at the career of a master printmaker who spent time teaching at Pratt in New York but summers teaching at Vancouver School of Art. This retrospective has Wong’s paintings, hand-pulled prints and large-scale textile pieces but also serves as a life map of work done in different places. On view through Nov. 3, 2018. Burnaby Art Gallery in Burnaby BC Canada. Go to burnabyartgallery.ca for details.
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 –“Painting Is My Everything From India’s Mithila Region” is on view through Dec. 30, 2018. 17 contemporary artists (many of them women) use centuries-old regional styles to express personal experiences and viewpoints. “The Night Journey” by Haroun Mirza on display until Dec. 9, 2018 is a site-specific immersive artwork using light and sound that reflects the artist’s interest in Sufi mysticism. Coming soon to the Larkin St. steps in front of the museum is a giant white sculpture that turns a puppy into the size of an elephant. “Your Dog” will be waiting for you and your selfie. Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara’s style blends cute, creepy and vulnerable into an appealing blend. “Kimono Refashioned” is a major exhibition on the evolution of the Japanese kimono created by the Museum in collaboration with the Kyoto Costume Institute. It runs from Feb. 8, 2019 – May 5, 2019.200 Larkin St. 415-581-3500.
SFO Museum at San Francisco International Airport has on view through Jan. 6, 2019, “Isamu Noguchi: Inside And Out” which is an installation of interior and exterior landscapes drawn from sheetmetal kirigami, combined with his Akari lanterns.
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. “Kaiju vs heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys” feature artist Mark Nagata’s monster’s and superheroes doing battle in an exhibit sure to captivate little and big kids everywhere. On view through March 24, 2019. Limited edition facsimiles of characters in this show fashioned in the sofubi (soft vinyl) method in Japan will be on sale in the gift shop. “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 Huntington Library Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is home to The Garden of Flowing Fragrance (Liu Fang Yuan), one of the largest Chinese-style gardens outside China in the Suzhou style. 1151 Oxford Rd. in San Marino, CA. 626-405-2100.
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 through 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. The exhibition travels to the following sites. 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 – Next in a series of exhibitions featuring contemporary artists that the museum feels should have fuller exposure in the region in the Logan Gallery and FuseBox in the Hamilton Building’s fourth floor 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 through 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 Metropolitan Museum of Art has the following – “The Poetry of Nature: Edo Paintings from the Fishbein-Bender Collection” through Jan. 21, 2019. “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. Coming Nov. 19, 2018 – Oct. 27, 2019 is is a major sculpture exhibition from the 18th & 19th century era in the Pacific Islands entitled “Atea: Nature And Divinity In Polynesia.”1000 Fifth Ave. New York, New York. Go to metmuseum.org for details.
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 Met Breuer uncorks a retrospective that looks at the possibilities and history of large-scale abstraction. “Epic Abstraction: Pollock To Herrera” Includes Inoue Yuichi’s ink splattered works. Opens Nov. 28, 2018. Go to metmuseum.org for details.
The Japan Society presents a retrospective on the work of photographer “Yasumasa Morimura: Ego Obscura” opening Oct. 12, 2018. The show highlights the artist’s 30-year-long career of excavating “the self” layers of art history, Japanese postwar history, and personal history. Also includes the U.S. premiere of the artist’s first full-length video work entitled “Ego Symposion (2016) and his latest cinematic installation “Ego Obscura” (2018), in conjunction with a live performance, “Morimura’s Nippon Cha Cha Cha!” staged by the artist himself on Sat., Oct. 13 at 7:30pm. Another gallery event entitled “Escape [email protected]” takes place on Fri., Oct. 19, 2018 at 6pm. A group show entitiled “Japanese Radicalism” curated by Reiko Tomii and based on her book from 2016 throws light on the global web of correspondences that influenced Japanese modern artists borrowing from conceptualism, mail art and happenings. March 8 – June 9, 2019. 333 E. 47th St. 212-832-1155.
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. “Tibetan Buddhist Art” gets a full survey including offerings from the museum’s own collection and objects from the Musee Guimet in Paris, the Cleveland Museum of Art and other institutions. Feb. 1, 2019 – July 15, 2019. 150 W. 17th St. New York, New York. 212-620-5000×344 or go to rubinmuseum.org.
The Museum of Chinese in America has the following – “With A Single Step: Stories in the Making of America” is on view through Dec. 31, 2020. This is MOCA’s core exhibit that brings to light the Museum’s unique historical content in its new home designed by Maya Lin. “Radical Machines: Chinese in the Information Age” looks at the technologically crucial Chinese typewriter and the role it played in modernization and communication. Oct. 18, 20198 – March 24, 2019. “Interior Lives: Photographs of Chinese Americans in the 1980’s by Bud Glick” documents the street life of New York’s Chinatown during a time of major changes. On view Oct. 24, 2018 – March 24, 2019. 215 Centre St. New York, NY. 855-955-MOCA or go to mocanyc.org.
The Asia Society Museum in New York presents the following – “The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for a New India” from Sept. 14 – Jan 20, 2019. It looks at the emergence of a modern art movement in India via The Progressive Artist’ Group which formed in Bombay (now Mumbai) in the aftermath of independence. The show is comprised of works by the group’s core founders as well as later names affiliated with the group. Organized by Dr. Zehra Jumabhoy and Boon Hui Tan. There will be a series of programs held in conjunction with this show. 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 Noguchi Museum has the following show through Jan. 27, 2019. “Akari – Sculpture by Other Means” looks at how Noguchi’s paper lanterns can create and transform space in different warp through installation. 9 – 01 33rd Rd, Long Island City, NY. 718-204-7088.
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.
The work of Japanese photographer Joe Nishikawa explores life and industry in contemporary Japan especially in the aftermath of environmental disaster. It is included in a group show of under-represented photographers that received awards from We Transfer. Through Sept. 26, 2018 at New York’s Aperture Foundation. 547 W. 27th St – 4th Floor in New York City. 212-505-5555. Go to aperture.org for details.
“Art of the Mountain: Through the Chinese Photographer’s Lens” is a group show looking at how Chinese photographers perceive landscape. Now through Feb. 17, 2019 at China Institute Gallery at 100 Washington St. (visitor entrance is at 40 Rector St . on the 2nd floor) in New York. 212-744-8181 or go to www.chinainstitute.org.
“Kimono Refashioned: 1870s – NOW!” is a show organized by Kyoto Costume Institute and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and is on view Oct. 13, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019 at the Newark Museum in New Jersey. Go to newarkmuseum.org.
Masayuki Koorida – An extensive survey & the artist’s first major exhibition in the U.S. with large scale works in marble and granite as well as smaller, playful works in stainless steel & acrylic as well as drawings. Remains on view through March17, 2019. Tallur L. N. is an Indian sculptor who combines Indian craft traditions and novel sculptural techniques to infuse ancient iconography with contemporary meanings. “Multiplicity” is a show that has around thirty works in a variety of mediums, from carved stone and wood to cast bronze and concrete to found objects. May 5, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020. Grounds for Sculpture at 80 Sculptors Way in Hamilton, New Jersey.609-586-0616 or [email protected] for sculpture.org.
“The Fabric of India” put together by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London comes to Cincinnati Art Museum Oct. 19, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019. A survey of that country’s unique textile design from 17th century Gujarati cotton to contemporary fashion. Go to cincinnatiartmuseum.org for details.
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.
Pakistani-born artist Huma Bhabha’s rugged style of figurative sculpture working with a variety of material from clay and Styrofoam often evokes science-fictional imagery like the aliens currently on the roof of the Met. This large retrospective allows us to see the range of her interests in all phases of her career from masks to photographs and drawings. March 20 – May 27, 2019. Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Dr. in Boston, MA. 617-478-3100
Museum of Fine Arts Boston has the following. “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. Through 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. Through 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.
“Beyond The Pedestal: Isamu Noguchi and the Borders of Sculpture” is on view Oct. 5, 2018 – Jan. 6. 2019. Portland Museum of Art at 7 Congress Square in Portland,Maine. 207-775-6148 or try [email protected]
The Art Institute of Chicago presents the following. “The Yoshida Family: Three Generations of Japanese Print Artists” runs through 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. “Enchanted Mountains: Chinese Landscape Painting from MIA’s Collection” through Nov. 18, 2018. “Love Affairs: The Tale of Genji in Japanese Art” through March 10. 2019. “Without Boundaries: Fiber Sculpture & Paintings by Women Artists” featuring work by Yayoi Kusama through July 21, 2019. “Emblems of a Prosperous Life: Women’s Robes of Late Imperial China (1700s-1800s) through June 30, 2018. Minneapolis Institute of Art. 2400 Third Ave. S. Call toll free at 888-642-2787.
“Ruth Asawa: Life’s Work” features almost eighty sculptures, drawings and collages of this Bay Area treasure with the highlight being a ten-foot wire piece she did for her friend and former teacher, Buckminster Fuller and her origami-like sculptures made of paper often used as models for public art commissions. Sept. 14, 2018 – Feb. 16, 2019. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri. 314-754-1850.
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.
Asia Society Texas Center in Houston presents the debut of Japanese artist Ayomi Yoshida’s large scale installation that looks at investigations of time, life cycles in nature and sensory memory. The piece includes video projections, vinyl applications on glass, hard carved and painted wall installations and a scrim complemented by intricate silkscreen-printed paper suspensions hung from the ceiling. The work is also inspired by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi’s design. On view through Jan. 13, 2019. Free and open to the public. 1270 Southmore Blvd. in Houston. 713-496-9901 or go to asiasociety.org.
“Lee Ufan: Relatun – Stage” on view through Jan. 27, 2019. Hito Steyerl looks at the relationship between networked technologies, image distribution and societal control. In this new commission for Serpentine Galleries, she works with technology to create a neural network that generates novel imagery and connections. Serpentine Galleries in London from March – May 2019. Kensington Gardens. 020-7402-6075.
Famed Japanese architect Tadao Ando has his globe-trotting career on display with models of over 70 of his creations along with 180 photographs and drawings. Centre Pomidou, Place Georges – Pompidou, 75004 in Paris, France. Oct. 10, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2018.
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.
Indonesian-born, Amsterdam-based filmmaker Fiona Tan mixes found and original footage in her work to blue categories. Here, she uses color advertising footage from Agfa to explore notions of authenticity and normalcy in West Germany. May 4 – August 11, 2019. Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany. Heinrich-Boll-Platz, 50067 Koln, Germany. +49 221-221-26165 or [email protected]
Tokyo Opera city Art Gallery has the following shows. Through Sept. 24, 2018 is “Isamu Noguchi: From Sculpture to Body and Garden.” “Tsuyoshi Tane: Archaeology of the Future – Digging & Building” from Oct. 19, 2018 – Dec. 24, 2018. “Naoki Ishikawa: Capturing the Map of Light on This Planet” is a survey of this Japanese photographer’s work on view from Jan. 12 – March 24, 2018. 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo,Japan. +81- (0) 3-5353-0756.
“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. Fukuzawa Ichiro was one of many Japanese artists who traveled extensively abroad in the early twentieth century with a seven year stint in Paris where he was influenced by Max Ernst and other Surrealists. In his painting and writing, he was a vigorous supporter of avant garde movements on his return. Almost ninety works in this retrospective attest to his transcultural range full of social critique and humor. National Musem of Modern Art, Tokyo. March 12 – May 26, 2019. 1-1 Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. +81 3-5777-8600.
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.
The Ullens Center for Contemporary art in Beijing presents a retrospective of multi-media artist Xu Bing through Oct. 18, 2018. Co-curated by Philip Tinari and Feng Boyi. 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd., Chaoyang Qu, Beijing, China. +86-10-5780-0200.
The new Transbay Transit Center in the Bay Area has opened with a design in the grand hall by Bay Area artist Julie Chang. It’s a swirling design of flora and fauna accented with geometric patterns from African textiles, Chinese calligraphy, pottery designs, genetic mutations and Islamic tile and wallpaper.
In the township of Esquimalt on Vancouver Island, there once stood a Japanese teahouse which was looted and destroyed during the height of anti-Japanese violence at the start of WWII. In 1942 the Canadian government began uprooting Japanese Canadians from the West Coast. Now historical researchers and a Japanese cultural association are hoping the municipality will agree to rebuild this Japanese teahouse in Gorge Park on the very same spot the original teahouse once stood.
Noted Japanese architect Kengo Kuma says he tried “to create a new living room for the city” as the Victoria & Albert Music opened a new museum in Dundee, Scotland. The Scottish Design Galleries will be the heart of the collection representing a wide range of design disciplines from the decorative arts to fashion, architecture, engineering and digital design.
Monyee Chau, local artist, event coordinator and service specialist at the Wing gets a full color spread in the “Lifestyle” page of the Sept. 2018 issue of CityArts.
Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa spin their guitar magic on Sept. 30. The Triple Door at 216 Union St. 206-838-4333.
Intiman Theatre presents a comedy by noted Latina playwright Karen Zacarias entitled “Native Gardens” that looks at race, privilege and gardening. Directed by Arlene Martinez Vazquez with set design by Lex Marcos. Runs until Sept. 30, 2018. At the Jones Playhouse at 4045 University Way N.E. in the University District. For tickets try intiman.org/nativegardens or call 206-315-5838.
Book-It repertory kicks off its 29th season with an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s classic, “Jane Eyre” with Mi Kang in the title role. Julie Beckman directs. Keiko Green is also in the cast. Through Oct. 14, 2018. The Center Theatre at the Armory at 305 Harrison St. in Seattle at Seattle Center. Go to book-it.org or call 206-216-0833 for tickets and information.
Forward Flux Productions presents a double-bill. With Pratdhwani, they present “A Small History of Amal, Age 7” by Lindsay Joelle as Directed by Samip Raval. Inspired by a play by Rabindranath Tagore, this play is set in Mumbai, India in 2006 on the day of the Mumbai train bombings. It’s the story of a little boy who must use his skills and imagination to fight the god of death. It examines our connection to family, our city and the world. Laureen Yee’s “In a Word” is a dark comedy about a young couple dealing with the two year anniversary of their son’s disappearance. Sept. 19 – Oct. 6, 2018. At West of Lenin at 203 N. 36th St. in Fremont. Go to forwardflux.com for details.206-352-1777.
Vashon Japan Festival is a traditional Japanese-style Street Festival that will feature a children’s village with games and art, Taiko drummers, Bon Odori dancers, a sake garden with food and drink, local artisans, educational speakers and more. Takes place from 10 – 4pm on Sat., Sept. 22, 2018 at Mukai Farm & Garden on Vashon Island. 18017 – 107th Ave. SW. Go to mukaifarmandgarden.org for details.
“llha Formosa: Music of Taiwan” (related article elsewhere in this issue) is a collaboration of Seattle Music Exchange Project and Philharmonia NW. It brings together over 100 musicians from Taiwan, Canada and the U.S. to perform masterworks by Taiwanese composers of past and present. Local music director Julia Tai will conduct the orchestra in performances of Gordon Chin’s Triple Concerto, Tyzen Hsiao’s Requiem for Formosa’s Martyrs and other works. Set for Sat., Sept. 29 at 2pm at Benaroya Hall. SMEP founded by Angelo Rondello has created musical cultural exchanges between Seattle and other countries around the world. For details, go to seattlemusicexchange.com.
Seattle Miyagi-Kai presents a free traditional Japanese music concert with koto, sangen and shakuhachi on Sun., Sept. 30 at 2pm. At Camp Burton Lodge on Vashon Island. 9326 SW Bayside Dr. Go to http://www.campburton.com for details.
The ever-busy Seattle actor Ray Tagavilla (He’s interviewed in the Sept. 2018 issue of CityArts) is part of the talented cast in Strawberry Theatre Workshop’s production of Craig Lucas’s “Prelude to a Kiss” which runs through Oct. 6 at 12th Avenue Arts on Capitol Hill. The play is about a newly-wed husband who wonders if his beautiful young wife has changed bodies with a terminally ill septuagenarian on their honeymoon. Directed by Greg Carter. 1620 – 12th Ave. 1-800-838-3006 or go to strawshop.bpt.me.
William Shakespeare Company is the Puget Sound Region’s year-round professional classical theatre. Upstart Crow Collective is dedicated to producing classical works with all-female casts for contemporary audiences. These two groups join forces to present “Richard III” as directed by Rosa Joshi. Up until Oct. 7, 2018 at Leo K. Theatre at Seattle Repertory Theatre at 155 Mercer St. downtown. 206-733-8222 or try seattleshakespeare.org.
“Bellwether” is a 10 day festival of the arts curated by artist collective SuttonBeresCuller designed to showcase Bellevue as the artistic hub of the Eastside. See the work of 50+local and international artists including Guillermo Gomez Pena, Hasan Elahi, Trimpin, Brent Watanabe, Tariqa Waters, Sara Rastegarpouyani, Monyee Chau/Alex Britt and many others. On Sept. 22 at 5pm, catch poetry at Bellevue Arts Museum. Also on Sat., Sept. 22 from 5 – 9pm, Music and performances at Bellevue Downtown Parks at 10201 – NE 4th St. Bellevue Arts Museum will offer free admission during the run of this festival.For details, try bellwetherartsweek.org or email [email protected].
“Moon Festival Melody: Cello Fusion” celebrates the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival with a program of diverse cello styles paired with various combinations of Western and Chinese musical instruments. Cellist Kai Chen doubles as the Music Director of the Seattle Young Philharmonic Orchestra. Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 at Meydenbauer Center at 11100 NE 6th St. in Bellevue, WA. 425-637-1020.
Pioneering all-girl Japanese rock group Shonen Knife still gather no dust. They will be rocking out with Ichi Bichi on Sun., Sept. 30 at 8pm. The Tractor Tavern at 5213 Ballard Ave. NW. 206-789-3599.
Sun., Sept. 30, 2018 is the annual Nichiren Chow Mein Sale from 11am – 3pm. Also available is teriyaki chicken, imogashi and homemade sweets. Seattle Nichiren Buddhist Church at 1042 Weller St. Call 206-323-2252 for details.
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra presents a concert entitled “American Experiences” which celebrates the music of Bernstein, Barber, Higdon, Woolf and Wordisbon. With Michael ‘The Wanz” Wansley on vocals, Michael Jinsoo Lim on violin and Geoffrey Larson conducting. At Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall on Oct. 4 at 7:30pm. And on Oct. 6, 2018 at 8pm at Velocity Dance Center enjoy a “Dance Party” with Wanz & the Massive Monkees, a one-of-a-kind classical/hip hop collaboration with Seattle’s hit b-boy/b-girl crew. For tickets and information, go to smcomusic.org.
“Solo: A Festival of Dance” takes place Oct. 4 – 7, 2018. Out of 98 applications, the curatorial team of Rachel Cook, Clare Hatlo and Charles Smith narrowed it down to 16 artists. Includes Alyza DelPan-Monley, Naomi Macalalad Bragin, Kiruthika Rathanswami and many others. Advance tickets at https://www.ontheboards.org/performances/2018-solo-a-festival-of-dance or by calling the Box Office from Tues. – Fri., 12 – 4pm at 206-217-9886×1019.
Khaled Hosseini, best-selling author of “The Kite Runner” followed that up with “A Thousand Splendid Suns” that looks at the story of Afghani women and daughters. San Francisco’s ACT Theater under then Director Carey Perloff commissioned Irish Indian playwright Ursula Rani Sarma to adapt the novel into a play in 2017. Perloff also directs the Seattle Rep production in association with SF’s ACT. On stage here from Oct. 5 – Nov. 10, 2018. 206-443-2222 or go to seattlerep.org.
“Jason Everett: Playing With Fire” is the title of a program that includes an album preview screening and panel discussion. Friday, Oct. 5, 2018 at 7pm. This will be a preview of a new album of audio and video recordings of Everett’s compositions with guitarist Trey Gunn, Indian percussion master Selvaganesh, violinist Radhika Iyer, table player Anil Prasad and a classical string section. The album has a release date of Oct. 19, 2018.Jack Straw Cultural Center at 4264 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle. Free.
A touring production of Broadway’s Tony [email protected] musical “Come From Away” makes its debut at 5th Avenue Theatre this fall. Oct. 9 – Nov. 4, 2018. By Irene Sankoff & David Hein, directed by Christopher Ashley, musical staging by Kelly Devine & music supervision/arrangements by Ian Esendrath. This musical tells the true story of the 7,000 stranded passengers in the aftermath of 9/11 and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Christine Toy Johnson is in the large cast Single tickets on sale now and at www.5thavenue.org or by calling 206-625-1900. 1308 5th Ave. in downtown Seattle.
Dukesbay Theater was founded by Randy Clark and Aya Hashiguchi at the Merlino Arts Center in Tacoma to support theatre in the area. Opening Oct. 19 and running through Nov. 4, 2018 will be a play by Philip Kan Gotanda entitled “Yohen.” It tells the story of a young Afro American G.I. in Japan who meets and weds a Japanese woman. Flash forward to their life in America. As he settles into retirement, their marriage unravels. In a trial separation, he volunteers for a non-profit community center and she focuses on pottery. The play explores love, marriage, aging, cultural & racial bridges and the beauty of creation in your own art and life. 568 South Sixth Ave. #10. 253-350-7680 or try [email protected].
“Bindlestiff Seattle Music & Theatre” presents a weekend of Filipino theatre and music. Hear three local Filipino bands followed by a special play reading about the Filipino farm workers in Seattle in the 1930’s. Nov. 9, 2018 at 7:30pm and Nov. 10, 2018 at 2pm. Theatre Off Jackson. Go to www.theatreoffjackson.org for the full schedule.
Rupi Kaur is a best-selling Canadian performance poet who illustrates her own books and performs her work in theatrical and musical production. On Friday, Oct. 12, 2018 at 7pm. The Paramount Theatre at 911 Pine St. 1-800-440-8539.
STG presents “Global Party” on Nov. 9, 2018 at the Moore. It features talented youth and adult Northwest performers celebrating rich cultural dance and music traditions from around the world.
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.
Conductor Ludovic Morlot ends his 2018/2019 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, 2019 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. Pianist Jessica Choe performs with Seattle Symphony with a live score performed with the screening of the film “Amadeus” on Feb. 22 at 8pm and Feb. 23 at 8pm. Avi Avital is a mandolin virtuoso who leads a group with Jessica Choe on piano through a fresh interpretation of Vivaldi and Telemann on Friday, May 3 at noon & 8pm and Sat., May 4 at 8pm. A Family Concert Series program entitled “Carnival Of The Animals” takes place on Sat. May 4 at 11am , 2018 with Pablo Rus Broseta conducting and Hannah Song on violin, Kristy Park on cello, Jessica Choe on piano and Elizabeth Morgan on piano. A Brahms Concerto Festival 1 takes place on Thursday, May 9 at 7:30pm featuring Zee Zee on piano. All concerts at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Go to seattlesymphony.org for details.
On Dec. 8, 2018, catch UW Ethnomusicology Visiting Artist: Ganesh Rajagopalan on violin in a concert of “Traditional and Modern Music of South India. On Seattle’s UW campus at the School of Music Building. More details at www.music.washington.edu or call the ArtsUW Ticket Office at 206-543-4880.
Seattle Pro Musica specializes in the performance and promotion of modern and ancient choral music under the direction of artistic director Karen Thomas. They present a concert entitled “Pacific Voices – Choral Music by Asian and Asian American Composers” on Sat., March 9, 2019 at 7:30pm at Seattle First Baptist Church at 1111 Harvard Ave. in Seattle and again on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 7:30pm at Trinity Lutheran Church at 6215 196th St. WW in Lynnwood, WA. Composers performed are Hyo-Won Woo, Sungji Hong, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Budi Susanto Yohanes, Victor Paranjoti and A. R. Rahman of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame. Advance tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets or you could get them online at seattlepromusica.org.
The Hawaiian music group Kalapana perform on Sept. 27, 2018 at 7:30pm at Club Sur at 2901 1st Ave. S. For details, call 206-819-8377.
The Seattle Chinese Orchestra presents a concert entitled “Jubilant Journey to the East” on Sat., Sept. 29 at 7pm. Combining traditional Chinese instruments with classical Western instruments, founder Warren Chang’s Seattle Chinese Orchestra as conducted by Roger Nelson will perform in Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall. Includes performances from the Northwest Chinese Guzheng Orchestra, the US China Music Ensemble, The Seattle Chinese Orchestra and more special guests. 200 University St. in downtown Seattle. 206-215-4800.
Local singer/songwriter Brenda Xu and Pickle Boy are opening for Esme Patterson at Abbey Arts on Oct. 12, 2018. All ages venue. At the Fremont Abbey at 4272 Fremont Ave. N. Go to www.fremontabbey.org for details.
Seattle Opera’s staging of Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn Of The Screw” is a spine-tingling ghost story. It features a young Forrest Wu in his Seattle Opera debut in the rotating role of the young boy, Miles. The production is performed on Oct. 13, 14, 17, 20, 24, 26, & 27. At McCaw Hall in Seattle Center. 206-389-7676 or go to seattleopera.org/turnscrew for tickets and information.
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.
Mitski shares the bill with the Overcoats on Wed., Oct. 31, 2018 at Showbox Sodo.
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.
KKOCDOOSEH from Siheung, South Korea give a free performance at the Rialto Theatre in Tacoma on Sept. 21, 2018. 253-383-3900 or go to apcc96.org.
Seattle-bred, New York-based brass quartet The Westerlies (Riley Mulherkar plays trumpet in this group) return to Seattle to present the first annual Westerlies Fest, a four-day music festival in Seattle from Sept. 20 – 23 at Seattle Pacific University with Common Tone Arts and various other sites around the area like the Wing. Seattle spoken word artist Troy Osaki will be one of the special guests curating spoken word collaborations. More information, and tickets available at westerliesfest.org.
The 2nd Korean Chuseok Festival takes place on Sept. 22, 2018 at 12 pm at 4851 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma. Go to apcc96.org for details.
Sat., Sept. 22, 2018 brings the annual Seattle Children’s Festival to Seattle Center. Performances, interactive music-driven workshops, arts and crafts, and “tactile learning activities.” 10 am – 5pm with a suggested donation of $10.
The Vietnamese Lantern Festival takes place on Sept. 23, 2018 from 4:30 – 8pm at 2801 S.W. Thistle St. in Seattle. Free. For details, go to vanlangseattle.org.
“Sound Travels: Performing Arts of Asia” is a series that’s part of Gardner Center’s Fall Saturday University Lecture Series set from Sept. 29 through early Dec. Presentations at 11:30am in Seatte Art Museum’s Plestcheeff Auditorium. Haicheng Wang from UW talks and performs a presentation entitled “Strike the Bells Solemnly: Music of Ancient China” Sept. 29. UW Professor Christina Sunardi presents “East Javanese Dance Performance and Female Power” on Oct. 6. On Oct. 13, Vietnamese musician/composer Van-Anh Vo plays her zithers “Breathing New Air Into Tradition”. On Oct. 20, Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy from UCLA presents “Musical Arts of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, Rajasthan”. On Oct. 27, Katherine In-Young Lee of UCLA presents “Dynamic Korea and Rhythmic Form”. On Nov. 3, Tomoko Sugawara, kugo harp with Gus Denhard on lute and Antonio Gomez on percussion perform “Music of the Tang Dynasty: Connections to Japan”. Nov. 10 brings Hari Krishnan from Wesleyan University with two members of InDANCE from Toronto to present “Movement and Metaphor in South Indian Court Dance”. Nov. 17 brings Behrooz Alavi on ney flute with Ali Ghaemmaghami on kamancheh, and Sarang Amritbar on vocals and tombak presenting “Modes and Melodies of Classical Persian Music.” Dec. 1 brings Julie Iezzi from the University of Hawai’i presenting “Exploring Kyogen: Comical Drama of Medieval Japan. Another concert entitled “Songs of Rajasthan” brings local Indian vocalist Srivani Jade and her Ensemble to the Seattle Art Museum’s Brotman Forum on Thurs., Nov. 15 at 7pm.Visitsam.org/tickets or call 206-654-3210.
Sept. 29 & 30, 2018 brings the Northwest Tea Festival that will cover all aspects of tea from the cultural to the historical. Free. Seattle Center. Starts at 10am.
Earshot Jazz brings their star-studded Fall Earshot Jazz Festival which begins Oct. 7, 2018 with the best in jazz, ethnic and improvised music locally, nationally and internationally. Some performers include – Pianist Helen Sung will be at the Chapel Performance Space on Mon., Oct. 8 at 7:30pm. Jovino Santos Neto & Jasnam Daya Singh perform on Tues., Oct. 9 at 8pm at PONCHO Concert Hall at Cornish College of the Arts. Award-winning vocalist Jen Shyu brings her “Nine Doors” piece to Poncho Concert Hall on Sat., Oct. 20 at 8pm at Cornish College of the Arts. Composer/bassist Linda May Han Oh visits as part of the Pat Metheny Group on Sun., Oct. 21 at 7pm at the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton. Smooth pianist Deems Tsutakawa shares the bill with Seattle guitarist Michael Powers on Thurs., Oct. 25 at 8pm at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. Visit www.earshot.org for upcoming details as fall draws closer.
“Fall Artist Showcase: 25 Years of Jack Straw Artists” is a day-long celebration of performing artists including Aono Jikken, Victor Noriega and many others who have appeared at Jack Straw thought out the years. On Sun., Nov. 11 from 2 – 8pm. 4261 Roosevelt Way NE.
Marginal Consort is a Japanese collective improvisation group founded by members of East Bionic Symphonia, an outfit assembled from students of Fluxus artist Takehisa Kosugi’s (who worked with choreographer Merce Cunningham) class at the radical Bigaku School of Aesthetics in Tokyo in the 1970s. Meeting once a year since 1996 to collaborate, they discuss nothing beforehand, preferring to gather as a collective of horizontally organized independent solos rather than a cohesive goal-oriented ensemble. On Jan. 25 – 26, 2019 they gather in Seattle as part of The Sound Histories Festival (Jan. 24 – 27). They have a performance set for Fri., Jan. 25 and then a workshop set for Sat., Jan. 26, 2018. Times will be announced in the Fall of 2018. Organized in collaboration with PUSH Festival in Vancouver and Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA). Seattle appearances will be at On The Boards (OTB). 100 Roy St. For information on the entire OTB season, go to ontheboards.org/1819-season. For tickets, call the Box Office at 206-217-9886×1019. Hours are Tues. – Fri. from 12 – 4pm.
“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.
The “Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour” with vocalist Ceceile McLorin Salvant headlining makes a stop in Seattle on April 7, 2019 at the Moore with a top roster of diverse, international talent including Yasushi Nakamura on bass. 206-467-5510.
Closing Café Nordo’s 10th Season of supper-club musicals is “7th & Jackson’ written by the miulti-talented Sara Porkalob and set for July, 2019. Three Seattle friends haunt the speakeasys listening to jazz before WW II and share a dream to open a night club of their own. When the bombing of Pearl Harbor and rising WWII tensions tear apart homes, the friends separate but never lose sight of their dreams. Café Nordo is at 109 South Main. Go to www.cafenordo.com to find out more about their new season and how you can get tickets.
Edmonds Center for the Arts has the following set for 2019. Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company performs live with the Ahn Trio on stage, “Red Firecrackers: The Legend of the First Chinese New Year” on Feb. 23 at 11am and again on Feb. 23 at 7:30pm. Sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar performs on April 24, 2019 at 7:30pm. 410 Fourth Ave. N. 425-275-9595.
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts in Tacoma presents the following events at various venues. Their info # is 253-591-5894. “Chinese Warriors of Peking” perform on Thurs., Sept. 20, 2018 at 7:30pm at the Rialto Theatre. 310 South 9th St. Ukelele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro plays Pantages Theatre at 901 Broadway on Sat., Feb. 2, 2019 at 7:30pm. Symphony Tacoma presents “Beyond The Silk Road” on Sat., Feb. 23, 2019 at 7:30pm at Pantages Theatre. Broadway Center presents sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar on Sun., April 28, 2019 at 7:30pm. Also at the Pantages Theatre.
“The New Chinese Acrobats” perform on Sat., Oct. 6, 2018 at 2pm and again at 7pm. Mount Baker Theatre at 4408, 104 N. Commercial St. in Bellingham, WA. 360-734-6080.
In Portland, catch these acts from Asia in 2018/2019. American Asian Performing Arts Theatre presents “China in Dance” with the Beijing Dance Academy who perform 10 classical dances. On Sun., Sept. 30 at 7pm. Newmark Theatre at 1111 SW Broadway. 503-248-4335. The Silkroad Ensemble plays the Newmark on Feb. 4, 2019 at 7:30pm. KODO, the exciting taiko group from Japan plays Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Feb. 5, 2019 at 7:30pm. 909 SW Washington. 503-228-1353 or try [email protected]. The Beijing Modern Dance Theater founded in 2008 by Wang Yuanyuan bring Chinese modern dance to the stage on Feb. 20, 2019 at 7:30pm at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at 909 SW Washington.
Some performances not to miss in Vancouver BC include the following – Vancouver Playhouse has a full schedule. Classical singer Sumi Jo graces the stage on Oct. 7, 2018 at 7:30pm. Company Wang Ramirez from France mixes hip-hop skills with wuxia martial arts. Created by the choreographic duo of Sebastien Ramirez and German-Korean Honji Wang. A concert of Taiwanese & Canadian musicians perform on Oct. 28, 2018 at 7:30pm. Akram Khan Company presents “Chotto Dash” on Nov. 21 – 24. This U.K. Kathak dance virtuoso uses storybook animation to tell the dream-like tale of a boy exploring his British and Bangladeshi roots. Pianist Yundi Li performs “A Touch of Chopin” on Nov. 28, 2018. 600 Hamilton St. 604-665-3050. Chinese Canadian Nathania Ko is Canada’s only professional Konghou player. This instrument is a hybrid of the pedal harp and the guzhen (Chinese zither). She plays the West Coast Harp Society’s Annual Harp Day Concert on Oct. 20, 2018 at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. 949 W. 49th St. 1+604-261-7204. Bharata Natyam virtuoso dancer Arno Kamolika came to Vancouver from Bangladesh to study architecture but along the way, she found time to study with Mandala Arts’ dance master Jai Govinda locally. Now she presents “Shyama” on Oct. 27, 2018. It tells Tagore’s epic dance drama using Bharata Natyam dance. Directed by Rohit Chokhani with original choreography by Jai Govinda and a score by Bengali-Canadian composer Shankhanaad Malick and four other dancers. At the York Theatre at 1440 W. 12th St. 1-604-731-5518. Dumb Instrument Dance presents “Public & Private – the premiere of Ziyian Kwan’s new full-length work featuring video and a team of strong female dancers. Nov. 13 – 17 and 20 – 24, 2019. At Left of Main at 211 Keefer St.
Local spoken word poet, singer-songwriter, music producer & audio engineer Nic Masangkay releases his new single “Forever” (featuring Falon Sierra) recorded at Jack Straw Cultural Center by Camelia Jade Lazenby to all platforms on Sept. 21, 2018. The song was inspired by his friends’ experiences as queer survivors of color. It comes from Masangkay’s new album set for Oct. 2018 release. If you are interested in supporting this recording project, go to https://www.patreon.com/nicmasangkay. The album with a multimedia show will be performed live at Gay City Arts in May 2019. To contact Nic Masangkay, go to [email protected]
“88 Degrees & Rising Tour” features 18 year old Chinese Indonesian sensation Rich Brain who taught himself English by listening to popular hip hop artists. He will appear with Joji, Keith Ace, Higher Brothers KOHH, Niki August 08 & Don Krey. Oct. 27, 2018 at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm. For details, try accessoshowarecenter.com or 253-856-6999. For tickets, try www.tickets.accessoshowarecenter.com. Concert is at Accesso Showare Center.
Pork-Filled Players has two projects coming up. “Unleashed – New Pulp Stories For the 21st Century” features new genre plays from playwrights of color in an ongoing series of staged readings throughout the year. Deadline for submission from playwrights is Oct. 15, 2018. Send to [email protected]. If you have questions, email [email protected] Pork-Fllled Players teams up with the Rebate Ensemble to bring you “The Night Parade”, a theatre experience that immerses qudiences in the supernatural and horror based on the old Japanese folk tale “Hyakki Yagyo, Night of A Hundred Demons.” Takes place at a secret location revealed only to ticket buyers at time of purchase. Script by Kendall Uyeji and Tom Dang. Directed by Tom Dang. Oct. 17 – Nov. 3, 2018. Tickets at http://www.rebateensemble.org.
Macha Theatre Works announces their 2018-2019 season of fearless female theatre, one a Northwest Premiere and one, a World Premiere. “Veils” written by Tom Coash and directed by Lia Sima Fakhouri and starring Fathiya Ritter and Alaji is set is Cairo as two friends debate assumptions of Muslim culture during an early Arab Spring. It runs Nov. 30 – Dec. 16 at West of Lenin at 203 N. 36th St. The second production is the World Premiere of “Sheathed”, written by local playwright Maggie Lee and directed by Macha Artistic Director Amy Poisson. A tale of an unlikely friendship texted by the bonds of honor and the terrible price of forgiveness. Movement Choreographer Alyza Delpan-Monley and Fight Choreographer May Nguyen Lee complete the production team. “Sheathed” runs from March 8 – 23, 2019 at Theatre Off Jackson at 409 – 7th Ave. S. For tickets and information, go to www.machatheatreworks.com/tickets or call 608-909-1252 or email [email protected].
Port Townsend raised and now New York-based jazz guitarist Miles Okazaki has recorded all 70 tunes by influential jazz pianist/composer Thelonious Monk for solor guitar. The project entitled “WORK” is available for streaming by song or single volume or in the complete six volume set. Go to [email protected]
Juilliard violinist Richard Lin from Taiwan who goes by the moniker of Vio Lin won the 10th Quadrennial International Violin Competition on Sept. 16, 2018 in Indianapolis. Second was Risa Hokamura from Japan and third was Lune Hsu from the US.
In the Sept. 14, 2018 issue of the New York Times Fall Arts Preview, pianist/composer Conrad Tao is mentioned in an article entitled “5 Classical Music Faces To Watch This Season.” The New York Philharmonic will premiere a new piece composed by Tao entitled “Everything Must Go” on Sept. 27, 2018. He has also written the score for “More Forever”, a new evening length dance work that Caleb Teicher is choreographing for his company. It previews at the Guggenheim Museum’s “Works & Process” series in Oct. ahead of a complete presentation set for June, 2019 also at the museum.
Interesting performances abound in New York. A new play by Hansol Jung entitled “Wild Goose Dreams” tells the story of a South Korean man who remains in Korea after his family moves to America. He connects online with a young woman who has defected from North Korea. On stage Nov. 14 – Dec. 9, 2018. Directed by Leigh Silverman at The Public Theater. Go to publictheater.org for details. Shamisen virtuoso Hidejiro Honjoh who is interested in his traditional instrument’s contemporary uses plays with the International Contemporary Ensemble in a program of new composition premieres by Vijay Iyer, Nathan Davis and Yu Kuwabara and others. Oct. 5, 2018 at Japan Society. Go to japansociety.org for details. Philip Glass’s
contemporary look at the life of Gandhi back in 2008 by the Met Opera gets a fresh do-over when the companies Folkoperan and Cirkus Cirkor re-stage it at Brooklyn Academy of Music starting on Oct. 31, 2018 with acrobatics and tale-spinning yarn. Go to bam.org for details. Classical Chinese pianist Yuja Wang gets a whole series entitled “Perspectives” in which she will collaborate with classical orchestras and colleagues but also perform with percussion and the music/comedy duo of Igudesman & Joo. Starts Oct. 26, 2018 at Carnegie Hall. Go to carniegehall.org for details.
Lauren Yee and Jaclyn Backhaus are winners of this year’s Horton Foote Prize, a biennial award that recognizes new American plays, one recently staged and one unproduced. The winners receive $25,000 each. Yee won the outstanding new American play award for “Cambodian Rock Band”, a music-infused piece about a Cambodian-American woman working to prosecute a Khmer Rogue prison warden. The woman’s father is a former guitarist who survived imprisonment under the regime and emigrated to the United States. Ms. Backhaus’s “Indian Pale Ale” got the promising new American play prize. The play looks at what it means to be a Sikh American in these times of racism and fear. “India Pale Ale” gets its world premiere at Manhattan Theater Club in October.
L.A. based electronic minimalist composer/musician Daniel Corral’s new album entitled “Polytope” is out on Sept. 28, 2018 on orenda Records. He will perform music from the album on Oct. 17 at 8pm and Oct. 19 at 10pm, 2018 at the LA Exchange Festival at Think Tank Gallery at 939 Maple Ave. The album will be available through all major streaming platforms, as a digital download and a limited edition CD. The SF Gate hailed it as “a mesmerizing visual and musical spectacle.”
US pianist Eric Lu took the Dame Fanny Waterman Gold Medal at the 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition. He won the Terence Judd Halle Orchestra Prize.
Opening Friday,
Sept. 21, 2018 at the Varsity Theatre in Seattle and on digital and iTunes is Screen Media’s “Bel Canto” starring Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe. Based on the Ann Patchett novel, the film follows a dramatic love story set in South America. Moore is a famous opera singer who travels to South America to sing for a wealthy industrialist played by Watanabe. Things get complication when the pair are kidnapped by rebels. Directed by Paul Weitz with opera singer Renee Fleming providing the vocals. The Varsity is located in the University District at 4329 University Way NE. 206-632-2267.
SIFF Uptown Cinema hosts the encore showing of “On Happiness Road” on Sat. Oct. 6, 2018 at noon. This animated feature-length film was the hit of the Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival. A Taiwanese woman returns to Taipei after years living in the U.S. to join her family in farewelling her grandmother. In her 30s, childless and with a crumbling marriage, being home awakens memories of childhood. Winner of the Tokyo Anime Festival’s Grand Prize. By first-time director Hsin-lin Sung who will be at the screening for an audience Q and A after the film. 511 Queen Anne Ave. N. 206-464-5830.
“Headhunt Revisited: With Brush, Canvas And Camera” is a locally-produced documentary by Michele Westmorland that traces the steps of Amercan portrait artist Caroline Mytinger who journeyed with her friend Margaret Warner to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to capture portraits of the indigenous people there. Westmorland encountered descendants of islanders featured in the original paintings. The Seattle premiere is on Oct. 10 at 7pm followed by a Q & A reception at the SIFF Film Center at 305 Harrison St. in Seattle Center Northwest Rooms near the corner of Warren and Republican. 206-464-5830.
KING 5 NEWS anchor Lori Matsukawa presents the Emmy-winning news series on the WWII incarceration entitled “Backstory: Prisoners In Their Own Land” on Sept. 28, 2018 at 2pm at the Nisei Vets Hall at 1212 S. King St. For details, go to nvcfoundation.org.
“Haunted Healing: Confronting Intergenerational Trauma Through Film And Poetry” takes place on Wed., Oct. 3 at 7pm. View a screening of Daryn Wakasa’s short film “Seppuku” which treats the lingering effects of the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans as a form of intergenerational haunting. Hear poet Melissa Bennent share writing that explores the painful resonances of the boarding school and mental health systems that separated native peoples from their culture, homeland, language, faith and family. Both Wakasa and Bennett will discuss their work and the creative possibilities for healing in the community. Presented in partnership with Densho & Evergreen Longhouse Education and Cultural Center. The event is held at Seattle Central Library’s Microsoft Auditorium. 1000 Fourth Ave. 206-386-4636 or go to www.spl.org.
Grand Illusion Cinema has the following – “HAIKYU!: The Movie: Battle of Concepts” screens Sept. 19, 21 & 22. Based on the 3rd season of the popular TV anime Series HAIKYU!” The compilation film focuses on Karasuo High Boys Volley ball team preparing for their final face off to represent the prefecture in the volleyball national championships. Screens Wed. at 7pm and Sat. & Sun. at 3pm. “Outrage Coda”, the long awaited conclusion to Takeshi Kitano’s crime trilogy screens Sept. 28 – Oct. 4, 2018. Grand Illusion Cinema is at 1403 NE 50th in Seattle’s University District. 206-523-3935.
The 5th Annual Orcas Island Film Festival takes place Oct. 4 – 8, 2018 with 16 feature films from around the world, panels, parties and special events. Go to orcasfilmfest.com for details.
“Matatangi/Maya/M.I.A.”, a documentary film by Stephen Loveridge looks at the genesis, artistry and politics of the subversive hip-hop star from Sri Lanka known as M.I.A. Opens Oct. 5, 2018.
SIFF Cinema Uptown is at 511 Queen Anne Ave. N. 206-464-5830.
Tacoma Film Festival takes place Oct. 4 – 11, 2018 with over 100 movies, talks, workshops and parties.
“Hope And Democracy – The Social Justice Film Festival” takes place Oct. 5 – 14, 2018. Get tickets at SocialJusticeFilmFestival.org.
The Friday Harbor Film Festival takes place Oct. 26 – 28, 2018 with stories of the Pacific Rim & Beyond. With over 30 documentary films. San Juan Island, WA. Go to fhff.org for details.
“NFFTY – 12th Annual National Film Festival For Talented Youth” takes place Oct. 25 – 28, 2018 in Seattle. For tickets and schedule, go to nffty.org.
On Oct. 29 – Nov. 12, 2018 Seattle Art Museum will screen restored versions of Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece trilogy beginning on Monday nights starting with “Song of the Open Road” and “The Unvanguished” and finally, “The World of Apu”. These coming-of-age stories of a poor but brilliant young Bengali man are considered some of the best films ever made.
Parade Deck Films present acclaimed filmmaker and Peabody Award-winner Leon Lee’s social justice documentary film “Letter From Masanja”. The film shines a light on human rights violations in China. It follows the true story of an Oregon woman who finds a desperate SOS letter penned by a political prisoner in her Halloween decorations and the chain of events it sparks when she makes the letter public. It took home the audience Award for Documentary Feature at the 2018 Asian American International Film Festival. Opens Sept. 14, 2018 in New York and L.A. with other cities to follow. A VOD/digital version will debut Dec. 4, 2018.
ASIANCRUSH, the leading streaming service for Asian programming will premiere a new Chinese theatrical release each week from leading Chinese theatrical distributors China Lion and Orchid Tree. To get more information on this continuing film series, visit www.digitalmediarights.com.
Local Sightings Film Festival is the Northwest Film Forum’s annual celebration of Northwest filmmakers. It takes place Sept. 21 – 29, 2018. Some highlights – Paul Jackson’s “The Conversations” is a documentary that gives voice to Seattle’s marginalized communities through a series of one-on-one interviews with activists and leaders from these neighborhoods. John Yasutake appears in this film. Screens Sat, Sept. 22 at 3:15pm. “Proof of Loyalty: Kazuo Yamane and the Nisei Soldiers of Hawaii”, a documentary film by Lucy Ostrander & Don Sellers of Bainbridge Island will screen on Sept. 22 at 4:45pm. The film tells the mostly untold story of Japanese Americans in Hawaii who battled prejudice and discrimination within the military and how their efforts proved instrumental in shortening the war in the Pacific. A special presentation of “It Happened at the World’s Fair” with Elvis Presley as directed by Norman Taurog with live commentary takes place on Sept. 25, 2018 at SIFF Cinema Egyptian at 7pm. 805 E. Pine St. Stars child star Vicky Tiu as seven-year-old Sue-Lin left in Elvis’s care. Besides screenings, there will be artist talks, performances and networking events. Northwest Film Forum is located at 1515 12th Ave. on Capitol Hill. Go to www.localsightings.org for details.
“Kusama: Infinity” is a documentary film by Heather Lenz that ells the story of a young female Japanese artist who moved to New York in 1958. Her first stop was Seattle where she had her first show and was encouraged by local artists to go East. Inspired by 1960s American political and social revolution in the Big Apple, her avant-garde innovations in art/sculpture/performance art generated notoriety but little success. Encountering racism and sexism in a male-dominated art world, Kusama returned to Tokyo and voluntarily retired to a mental institution. Only in the last twenty years has her work received any recognition. “Kusama: Infinity” captures the power of her work that is finally receiving its due. Screens Oct. 5 – 18,2018. Northwest Film Forum. 1515 – 12th Ave. 206-329-2629.
“MFKZ” is a collaboration from French comic artist Guillaume “Run” Renard and Japanese animation house Studio 4°C. It tells the story of a young man in Los Angeles who realizes after a scooter accident that he is a half-human and half Macho, a supernatural alien race that is taking over the planet. An English dubbed version presented by GKIDS and Fathom Events debuts in the U.S. at local cinemas on Oct. 11 at 7pm and Oct. 16 at 7pm. Screens at AMC Pacific Place in downtown Seattle, AMC Thornton Place 14 in Seattle’s Northgate, Cinemark in Lincoln Square in Bellevue and other Regal and AMC regional theatres. You can get tickets at www.FathomEvents.com or at your local theatre box office.
Coming to the SIFF Cinema Egyptian on Nov. 17, 2018 is a one-time free screening of “Ponyo” by Ghibli Studio. It’s the tale of a five year-old boy who develops a relationship with a goldfish princess. Free but reservations must be made. It is jointly sponsored by Delta Dental with a visit by the tooth fairy. 805 E. Pine. 206-324-9996.
Fathom Events and Crunchyroll will screen episodes one through twelve subtitled in English of “Yuri!!! On ICE”, a popular sports anime from Japan. It follows a Japanese figure skater, his Russian coach and a Russian rival during the Figure Skating Grand Prix. Screens at theatres across the Puget Sound on Oct. 13 at noon. Go to www.fathomevents.com for advance tickets or buy at your local theatre box office. Directed by Sayo Yamamoto and written by Mitsuro Kubo.
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. “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).
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. Here are some highlights – The 13th TSAFF Festival Launch Party on Thurs., Sept. 13 at 6:30pm at Seattle University with two-time Academy Award winning Pakistani director Sharmeen Obald-Chinoy and a screening of her Oscar-winning film entitled “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.” Sept. 28 Opening Night Red Carpet Gala includes the screening of Asim Abbasi’s “Cake” at 6:30pm at Seattle Art Museum. With visiting filmmakers (like Mehreen Jabbar whose film “Lala Begum” screens on Sept. 29), the director/cast in attendance, live entertainment and appetizers. “Drawn Together: Comic Diversity And Stereotypes” starts on Sat., Sept. 29 at 2pm. A screening of a film by Harleen Kaur and a multicultural panel of comics creators (including Vishavjit Singh, Sikh Captain America) who will discuss cartooning and its connection to race and identity, and the power of media representation to dispel stereotypes. TasVR is a virtual/augmented reality experience that invites you to immerse yourself in stories from Pakistan, India and more. Takes place on the weekend of Sept. 29 – 30 from noon – 4pm at SIFF and again on Mon., Oct. 1 at 6:30pm at the HIVE Media Lab at KCTS .”Centerpiece Film Focus” will be a screening of “Salam: The First Nobel Laureate” by Anand Kamalakar on Thurs., Oct. 4 at 6:30pm. Producers Zakir Thaver and Omar Vandal will be in attendance. The TSAFF 2018 Symposium includes thought-provoking panels and discussions on media, activism and social justice from South Asia and its diaspora on Fri., Oct. 5 starting at 9am at UW, Bothell. “Closing Night Awards Ceremony With Director Vishal Bhardwaj” on Sun., Oct. 7 at 4pm at Seattle University with a special feature film screening of one of his films and post-film Q & A with Vashal Bhardwaj, followed by awards announcements and reception. For more information, 206-349-4478 or try tasveer.org or filmfreeway.com. Also #TSAFF2018 #KnowMe/@TasveerSeattle.
The Tacoma Film Festival goes on Oct. 4 – 11, 2018 with passes on sale now. Go to tacomafilmfestival.com for details.
“TWIST -The 23rd Seattle Queer Film Festival” screens from Oct. 11 – 21, 2018 around the Puget Sound with local, national and international films. Go to www.threedollarbillcinema.org for more details.
Crosscut and KCTS launch a new arts and culture video series hosted by artist/entrepreneur and scientist Susie Lee entitled “The Art of the Matter/The Stuff Around Us.” The first episode is on “Northwest Clay.” Episodes are every other week on Facebook or Twitter. Video by Stephen Hegg and Aileen Imperial. Go to crosscut.com for details.
A rare early Indian film by Himansu Rai and Franz Ostan entitled “A Throw Of Dice” in which two kings gamble for a woman was shot in 1920s Rajasthan. It screens on Sun., Jan. 13 at 2pm with a new music score. Seattle Art Museum auditorium downtown. $10 or SAM members, $5.
“Venus” is a new transgender comedy/romance written & directed by Eisha Marjara. Complications abound in this story of a typical Indian family when a son under pressure to marry a nice Indian girl comes out of the closet. A snowball effect follows when gender, generations and cultures collide. Released on DVD & VOD in the US on Sept. 24, 2018. For details, go to http://www.wolfevideo.com
Actor Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”) will play the title character in Armando Iannucci’s screen adaptation of Charles Dicken’s “David Copperfield”. It’s the latest case of color-blind casting and Patel’s not alone. Benedict Wong plays Mr. Wickfield and Nigerian-born Brit, Nikki Amuka-Bird plays Mrs. Steerforth. Ealing Studios has titled the film “The Personal History of David Copperfield” and it will come out next year. Other upcoming examples include “Mary Queen of Scots” in which Brit.-Chinese actress Gemma Chan plays the aristocrat Bess of Harwick. A new biopic of French writer “Colette” has Asian-Brit Ray Panthaki and a black actor, Johnny K. Palmer. Excerpted from an April 2018 issue of The Guardian.
UniGlobe Entertainment present’s Singh Gujral’s latest film entitled “5 Weddings” which hits the international film circuit beginning Sept. 21, 2018. It showcases the vibrant ceremonies at India’s weddings with a subplot that features Hijras, a sect of transgender dancers who have long been an integral part of Indian wedding tradition for centuries. For details, go to www.5WeddingsMovie.com.
Anoushka Patnarajah has been appointed the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.
A new season dawns on both TV screens and the silver screen. Here’s a look at some new offerings. With the advent of multiple cable networks, television has diversified. South Korean Director Park Chan-wook directs “The Little Drummer Girl” for AMC. Director Cary Fukunaga (“Beasts of No Nation”) teams up with writer/producer Patrick Somerville to do “Maniac”, a 10 episode limited series on Netflix about a woman (Emma Stone) and man (Jonah Hill) involved in a clinical drug trial which also stars Justin Theroux and Sonoya Mizuno. Kelly Marie Tran stars in a dark comedy by Facebook Watch entitled “Sorry For Your Loss.” Angela Kang oversees “The Walking Dead” in its ninth season on AMC. Alan Yang stars in Fred Armisen’s take on “Southern California” in “Forever” on Amazon. Comic/commentator Hasan Minhaj of the “Daily Show” gets his own weekly series entitled “Patriot Act” on Netflix. Sam Esmail has a new psychological thriller entitled “Homecoming” with Rami Malek on Amazon. Some films for the new season include the following. September offerings include the following – When a Filipina transgender woman was killed in 2014 in the Philippines, it became an activist cause. PJ Raval follows the case in a documentary film entitled “Call Her Ganda.” “Dragonfly Eyes’ is by internationally known Chinese artist Xu Bing. His last project was using using material shot on surveillance cameras in China. Now he has taken that footage and woven it into a fictional narrative. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the team behind the mountain-climbing documentary “Meru” are back with another one about climber Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan in Yosemite with no net. “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.” is a documentary film on this famous rapper who is the daughter of a Tamil activist in Sri Lanka. She spent her childhood as a refugee in Britain. She talks about how all those experiences shaped her music. “Goosebumps 2:Haunted Halloween” drawn from R. L. Stines’s horror books has Ken Jeong in the cast. John Cho is one of the varied cast in “The Oath”, a film about Thanksgiving promises by Ike Bairnholtz. Xiao Feng directs a WWII drama staring Bruce Willis. South Korean director Lee Chang-dong takes on a Haruki Murakami story in “Burning” in which a triangle of an aimless young man, a mysterious young woman and a wealthy charmer become entangled. Caused a stir at Cannes. Yen Tan directs “1985” in which a young man sweats over coming out to his conservative family. Stars Cory Michael Smith. Singapore director Sandi Tan picks up the pieces of an unfinished film she did with friends in “Shirkers”. Set for November, 2018 are these following films. Rami Malek stars as Freddie Mercury, the South Asian lead singer of Queen, a project that has seen its fits and starts. Directed by Bryan Singer who was fired before the film’s completion. Will the completed result be worth the wait for music fans? “The Front Runner” adapted from Matt Bai’s book by the author himself has Hugh Jackman playing Gary Hart, a presidential candidate derailed by an affair. The great Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest film “Shoplifters” nabbed the top prize at Cannes this May. It’s about a story of petty thieves who take in a young girl. “Mirai” is Mamoru Hosoda’s latest anime feature about a boy jealous of his infant sister – then he meets her again as a time-traveling teenager. December, 2018 has these films coming out – “Dead Souls” is an epic documentary by Wang Bin that records the testimonies of survivors of Chinese re-education camps in a 1957 purge by the Communist Party. “Alita: Battle Angel” is James Cameron’s produced epic adapted from Yikito Kishiro’s manga series about a sympathetic cyborg as directed by Robert Rodriguez. “Destroyer” is a crime story with Nicole Kidman playing a detective in Los Angeles as directed by Karyn Kusama.
The Written & Spoken Arts
The late community activist Bob Santos’ memoir of growing up in the CID was a best-selling book that quickly went out of print. Now a 2nd edition of “Hum Bows, Not Hot Dogs” beings it back in print. Come celebrate at a book party on Sept. 25, 2018 at 6pm at Wing Luke Asian Museum.
Town Hall Seattle continues their stimulating series of events all over town as their original space is being renovated. Town Hall & The Collective present “Kai-Fu Lee: China, Silicon Valley, and the Dual Visions of AI” in which technology executive Lee talks about the dual visions of China and the U.S. in pursuit of AI, and how this rapidly expanding technology will impact our jobs and societies. Thurs., Sept. 27 at 7:30pm. At the Collective located at 400 Dexter Ave. N.
Filipino American Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas reads from his memoir “Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen” on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 at 7:30pm. Dubbed “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America”, Vargas talks about the sense of homelessness, the unsettled and unmoored psychological state that undocumented immigrants like Vargas find themselves in. Seattle First Baptist Church on First Hill at 1111 Harvard Ave. Go to townhallseattle.org for details. On Mon., Oct. 1 at 7:30pm, cartoonist/activist Vishavjit Singh known for his persona of “Sikh Captain America” talks with Sharon Chan of the Seattle Times about the importance of confronting our own stereotypes and addressing the confining nature of labels we use every day, unconsciously or not. At Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute at 104 – 17th Ave. S.
Open Books has the following events –Sept. 22, 2018 at 7pm is a group reading from “They Said: A Multi-Genre Anthology of Contemporary Collaborative Writing.” Includes IE contributing writer/poet Michael Schmeltzer who joins a talented group of other writers. Local poet/educator Rick Barot teaches a workshop entitled “The Personal & the Political” Oct. 21 at noon and Oct. 28 at 10am. Pre-registration fee of $75 per person. The class will look at a handful of poets for ideas on how to pivot between the personal and political in our own writing. Barot has published three volumes of poetry and directs the Rainier Writing Workshop MFA program in Creative Writing at PLU in Tacoma. His new book “The Galleons” is forthcoming from Milkweed Editions in 2020.
Mia Ayumi Malhorta, a former UW MFA graduate returns to town from the Bay Area for a book launch reading from her debut poetry collection entitled “Isako Isako” (Alice James Books) on Oct. 26 at 7pm. The book looks at generations of Japanese American women in her own family and how they were affected by the history of internment during WWII. Local poet Dujie Tahat joins fellow 2018 Jack Straw writers Kamari Bright, Jalayna Carter, Bryan Edenfield and Corbin Louis in a 2018 Jackstraw Writers Reading on Nov. 30, 2018 at 7pm. Open Books is a poetry only bookstore located in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood at 2414 N. 45th St. 206-633-0811 or try [email protected]
The University Book Store presents the following authors at various Seattle locations. Kazu Kibuishi talking about his latest fantasy graphic novel entitled “Super Nova (Amulet #8)” on September 25 at 7pm at University Temple United Methodist Church. A $24.99 ticket admits the family and includes one copy of the book. Advance tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets. 1415 43rd St. 206-632-5163. On Sunday, Sept. 30 at 2pm, catch Juleah del Rosario reading from “500 Words or Less” at the University District branch of the University Book Store. It’s a young adult novel about a high school girl who tries to re-define her sullied reputation by writing college admission essays for her Ivy League obsessed classmates. Along the way she loses her moral compass and self-doubt sets in. How can she turn it around? A novel in verse form. 4321 University Way NE. 206-634-3400.
UW Professor Paul Atkins will talk about the life of Fujiwara no Teika, highlighting important events in his life, the places he lived and traveled and his literary activities and his poems. Sponsored by Washin Kai. Thurs., Oct. 25 at 7pm. UW Kane Hall on the University of Washington, Seattle campus.
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. On Wed., Sept. 19 at 7pm, the store welcomes Sharon H. Chang & Friends. Chang reads from “Hapa Tales and Other Lies”, a book that chronicles the journey of a mixed race woman whose search for roots in Hawai’i also uncovers the real impact of colonization and corporate tourism on that island’s people and culture. Joining Chang this evening will be performers Marianmaca Pinlac, Selena Velascok Angel Alviar-Langley and Ryann Kalei Okalani Harumi Onzuka. Novelist Preti Taneja reads from “We That Are Young” (Knopf) on Sept. 24 at 7pm at the bookstore. In this book, a family saga plays out as the young siblings of a family company are locked in a power struggle that spans palaces, slums and luxury resorts all over India. Join Co-editor Frank Abe (see related article in this issue) and contributors Shawn Wong and Stephen Sumida in a talk and discussion with Tom Ikeda of Densho about a new anthology entitled “John Okada – The Life & Rediscovered Work Of The Author of NO-NO Boy” (UW Press) edited by Frank Abe, Greg Robinson, and Floyd Cheung. This event billed as “John Okada: a Celebration And Book Launch” takes place on Sept. 22, 2018 at 2pm at Seattle Central Public Library (Microsoft Auditorium) where Okada once worked as a reference librarian. 1000 4th Ave. in downtown Seattle. 206-386-4636 or go to www.spl.org. Editor Arjun Singh Sethi will discuss “American Hate: Survivors Speak Out” (The New Press) on Sept. 27 at 7pm also at Seattle Central Public Library’s Microsoft Auditorium. This new collection features interview with immigrants in America who have been victims of hatred and racial prejudice before and after Donald Trump was elected President. On the same night, Thurs., Sept. 27 at 7pm at Elliott Bay there will be a program entitled “Writers From All Over The World: Bayasgalan Batsuuri, Cai Tianxin, Don Coman and Bejan Matur. The University of Iowa International Writing Program presents a group reading of authors from Mongolia, China, Romania and Turkey. Nicole Chung (see related article elsewhere in the paper) talks about her memoir about being a Korean adoptee entitled “All You Can Never Know” at the Microsoft Auditorium in the Seattle Central Public Library on Oct. 4 at 7pm. Oct. 8, 2018 at 11:45pm is the date the “Countdown Midnight Release for Haruki Marakami’s latest novel entitled “Killing Commendatore” complete with drawings and prizes. On Oct. 9, 2018 at 7pm, the bookstore welcomes a quartet of talented poets all with new titles in hand. E. J. Koh, Keegan Lester, Carly Joy Miller and Jane Wong will appear. Oct. 14 brings Zhang Er & Leonard Schwartz, two wonderful (and married) poets who teach at Evergreen College who have new titles out to share. Zhang Er reads from “First Mountain” (Zephyr) translated by Joseph Donahue. This book traces a moving return to her homeland. Schwarz reads from “Salamander: A Bestiary” (Chax) and “Heavy Sublimation” (Trask House). South Korean fiction writer Kim Sagwa comes on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7pm with local translators Bruce & Ju-Chan Fulton to read from her translated English debut, “Mina” (Two Lines Press). The book is a portrait of three Korean teenagers trapped in the grip of middle class affluence and Western cultural hegemony with no place to escape. Also on the bill is local poet/translator Dom Mee Choi. This event takes place at the book store. “Civic Saturday With Eric Liu & Friends” takes place on Sat., Oct. 20 at 10:30am at Fremont Abby. This is a civic analogue to church: a gathering of friends & strangers in a common place to nurture a spirit of shared purpose- call it American civic religion – the creed of liberty, equality and self-government that truly unites us. Includes music, readings and a civic sermon by author/community activist Eric Liu. The Fremont Abbey is at 4272 Fremont Ave. N. Free but please pre-register at www.citizenuniversity.us. Poet/prose writer Natasha Kochicheril Moni joins Rena Priest in a Floating Bridge Press Group Reading on Sun., Oct. 21 at 3pm back at the bookstore. Moni was “A Nation (Imagined)” winner of this year’s Floating Bridge Press Chapbook Award. Priest’s “Sublime Subliminal” was a Floating Bridge Press Chapbook Award Finalist. On Oct. 23, 2018 at Seattle Public Central Library on the 4th floor, Room 1 there will be a reading from “West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House” (Penguin). Former staff members Gautam Raghavan and Lean Kat-Hernandez who have essays in this anthology will appear in conversation with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. Free, no tickets needed. Co-preseted jointly by Elliott Bay and Seattle Public Library. 1000 Fourth Ave. ASL Interpretation provided. Go to www.spl.org for details. On Wed., Oct. 24 at 7:30pm physician/writer/poet Chaya Bhuvaneswar discusses her new book of short stories entitled “White Dancing Elephants” (Dzanc Books) back at the bookstore. Also at Elliott Bay, UW Professor Radhika Govindrajan discusses “Animal Intimacies: Interspecies Relatedness in India’s Central Himalayas” (University of Chicago) on Mon., Oct. 29 at 7pm. The book explores the range of intimate relationships people in this region have with the animals. Co-presented withTasveer.
Seattle journalist, editor and filmmaker Frank Abe will talk about the anthology he co-edited entitled “John Okada – The Life & Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-No Boy” (UW Press) on Sat., Nov. 10 at 2pm. Kinokuniya Bookstore in Uwajimaya at 525 S. Weller in the CID.
Former Seattle resident Amy Bhatt will talk about her new book “High Tech Housewives” on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7pm. Brick & Mortar Books at 7430 – 164th Ave. NE, Suite B105 in Redmond. 425-869-0606.
Hugo House, that venerated Northwest center for writers and poets re-opens in brand-new digs with expanded space but in the same location. Catch the following readings and celebrate their new space. Former Hugo House writer-in-residence Sonora Jha hosts “South Asian Writers of the Pacific Northwest” which features Jordan Alam, Sasha Duttchoudhury, Jasleena Grewal and Shankar Narayan. Sept. 27 at 7pm. Noted science fiction writer Ted Chiang is interviewed by fellow science fiction author Karen Joy Fowler on Oct. 16, 2018. Bay Area poet/musician P. C. Munoz performs his sound/text performance of “Half-Breed” which explores historical and contemporary perceptions of multiracial people and mixed-race identity. Seattle writer Sharon H. Chang opens. Oct. 22, 2018 at 7pm. The always entertaining Hugo Literary Series returns on Nov. 9, 2018 with Singer/songwriter Shelby Earl and writers Jim Shepard, Lauren Groff, R. O. Kwon and Kim Fu. Also with the opening of the new Hugo House, the writing center rolls out a new series of classes/workhops with a varied number of subjects taught by a talented group of writers like Nisi Shawl, Sonora Jha, R. O. Kwon, Anne Liu Kellor, Michelle Penaloza, Richard Chiem, Diana Xin, Anglela Garbes, Lora Shinn, Aimee Bhausar and Shankar Narayan. If you have questions, try [email protected]. 1634 – 11th Ave.
O. Kwon reads from her debut novel entitled “The Incendaries” on Sat., Nov. 10, 2018 at 7pm. The book centers around a college freshman tormented over her mother’s death and drawn into an extremist religious cult. Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. 17171 Bothell Way NE. Lake Forest Park, WA. 206-366-3333.
The Wing Luke Asian Museum has their first-ever “Book-O-Rama” book fest this fall set for Sat., Nov. 17, 2018. It will feature local Asian Pacific American authors and book illustrators. Free, open to the public and family-friendly. 11am – 2pm. Includes book signings, talks and art demonstrations.
Seattle Arts & Lectures returns with their always stimulating series of writers, poets and a new journalism series. As part of the “Women You Need To Know” series, award-winning writer & director of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project, Soraya Chemaly comes on Jan. 31, 2019 to speak about her new book entitled “Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger.” As part of the Poetry Series, acclaimed poet Kimiko Hahn will come April 25, 2019 for a program entitled “Poems For The Planet” which will include her and a group of friends. It’s a celebration of both Earth Day & National Poetry Month with eco-poetics as a mode of creative resistance. Visit or call for more information at 206-621-2230×10 or lectures.org.
UWALUM.COM/GOLECTURES present their Autumn 2018 series of Public Lectures. Some highlights include – In the series entitled “Engineering For Social Good: Assistive Robots, Environmental Equity And Disaster Relief”, Professor Siddhartha Srinvasa will address the topic of “Building a Robot Butler: Towards Fluent Human Robot Interaction” on Oct. 11, 2018 at 7:30pm in Kane Hall 130 on the UW Seattle campus. In the “University Honors Program”, the topic of “Global Challenges/Interdisciplinary Answers: The Question of Rights?” will be addressed by Angelica Chazaro, Assistant Professor of Law, UW, Megan Ming Francis, Associate Professor of Political Science, UW, Tom Ikeda, Executive Director, Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project and Vicky Lawson, Professor of Geography, Honors Program Director, UW. This panel discussion takes place on Nov. 14, 2018 at 6pm in the HUB North Ballroom on the Seattle UW campus. In the “Simpson Center/Katz Distinguished Lectures In The Humanities”, Jordanna Bailkin, Professor of History, UW addresses the topic of “Unsettled: Citizens, Migrants and Refugees in British History” on Dec. 6, 2018 at 7pm in Kane Hall 210 on the Seattle UW campus. All lectures are free and located on the UW campus unless otherwise noted. Register now to attend by going to UWALUM.COM/GOLECTURES or by calling 206-543-0540.
Tasveer and Elliott Bay Books present “Tasveer Reads: South Asian Lit Fest” on Sat., Jan 12 & 19 at 2pm. Discussions with writers from South Asian diasporas are featured in this festival. Seattle Art Museum downtown in Plestcheeff Auditorium. Visitsam.org/tickets or call 206-654-3210.
Dori Jones Yang’s “The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball” was a finalist in the “Books for Middle Grade Readers” category for the 2018 Washington State Book Awards. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Sat., Oct. 13, 2018 at 7pm at Seattle Central Library’s Microsoft Auditorium on Level 1. 1000 Fourth Ave. downtown.
The National Book Award for poetry longlist has been announced. “Eye Level” (Graywolf Press) by Jenny Xie and “Ghost of” (Omnidawn Publishing) by Diana Khoi Nguyen are both on that list. The winner will be announced at a Nov. 14, 2018 ceremony in New York.
Noted historian/writer/educator Dawn Mabalon passed away in August, 2018 at the age of 46. A Stockton native, she taught as Associate Professor in the Department of History at San Francisco State University. Her groundbreaking publication was “Little Manila Is in the Heart: The Making of the Filipino American Community in Stockton, California.” Forthcoming is a book for children entitled “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong”, co-written with Gayle Romasanta due out this fall.
Actor Keanu Reeves has been known to take on other projects besides acting. He’s been part of a mid-90’s alt-rock band, co-founded a motorcycle manufacturer and now is engaged in bookmaking. Along with business partner/visual artist Alexandra Grant, he has launched a small press called X Artists’ Books. They combine the release of these books with other activities such as staged performances or art exhibitions. The books are stocked in art bookstores in cities around the world or available through an online subscription program.
Bamboo Ridge Press’s 40th Anniversary Gala & Fundraiser “Not Pau Yet Party!” takes place on Sat., Oct. 20, 2018 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i from 5 – 9pm. For over four decades, Bamboo Ridge has furthered the cause of Hawai’i’s literature through publication, readings, workshops and events. Go to www.bambooridge.com for details.
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! –
“Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen” (Dey Street) by Jose Antonio Vargus. This Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist has been called “the most famous undocumented immigrat in America.” In this book, Filipino American writer Vargas recounts his experiences passing as an American and being forced to lie about his identity and origins. Vargas appears soon in Seattle to talk about his book.
“500 Words or Less (Simon Pulse) by Juleah Del Rosario who grew up on the Eastside. When a high school senior tries to salvage a sullied reputation by writing college admission essays for college classmates bent on getting into Ivy League schools, she begins to lose part of herself. What can she do to find the right path to her future? A young adult novel written all in verse.
“Little Soldiers – An American Boy, A Chinese School, and the Global Race to Achieve” (Harper) by Lenora Chu. When this American journalist moved to Shanghai, she enrolled her boy in a local school. At the time, Chinese students were outpacing Americans in math, reading and science. But at what price? This book asks us to reconsider the true purpose of education as China and the West compete for the political and economic dominance of a new generation.
“Lotus & Feather” (Disney Hyperion) by Ji-li Jiang and illustrated by Julie Downing tells the tale of a lonely girl and an endangered bird who meet and the relationship that develops that begins to heal both of them. A children’s picture book based on a true story.
“Love & War – An Alex & Eliza Story” (Putnam) by Melissa De La Cruz is the second volume that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton and his marriage to his wife Eliza and how as they begin a new life as a married couple their relationship is tested by the American revolution and then, a jealous rival. This historical young adult novel may attract youngsters whose interest in early American history may have been piqued by the popularity of the Broadway musical, “Hamilton.”
“A Pace For Us” (SJP for Hogarth) by Fatima Farheen Mirza looks at a Muslim American family as they gather for a wedding and what has shattered their ties and what can possibly bring them back together.
“A Tangle of Brungles” (Karadi Tales) by Shoba Viswanathan with illustrations by Culepo S. Fox. A children’s tale of a witch who cooks up a potion to summon a dastardly count she pines for only to be surprised by the results. Fox’s vivid, fiery images illuminate every page. Will appeal to kids who love horror and enchantment.
“Shallow Puddles” is a catalogue of a recent gallery exhibit by iconic Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara in which images of faces were executed on shallow circular dishes covered with patches of canvas. Each face is a portal to a world inundated with water.
“Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market” (Karadi Tales) by Chitra Soundar and Kanika Nair. What happens when a farmer heads to market full of produce only to meet unexpected obstacles at every turn? Will he make it and what will happen? With an intriguing story and eye popping colors, this will keep kids guessing.
Arcadia Publishing presents a new history book in their “Images of America” series entitled “Minidoka National Historic Site” by Hanako Wakatsuki, Mia Russell and Carol Ash. An exploration of the history of this internment camp that imprisoned 13,000 American citizens and legal resident aliens of Japanese ancestry from 1942 – 1945. Includes archival photographs with text. Published August 2018.
“America Is Not The Heart” (Viking) by Elaine Castillo responds to Bulosan’s classic story with a modern retelling of three generations of Filipina women struggling to balance the promise of the American dream with the unshakeable grip of history.
“AI Superpowers – China, Silicon Valley, And the New World Order” (HMH) by Dr. KaiFu Lee. Lee looks at how China is catching up to the U.S’s long established leadership position in artificial intelligence and what it could mean in the shifting economic landscape.
“Threads” (Disney Hyperion) by Ami Polansky. When a twelve-year old American girl gets a purse made in China, she finds a note inside from a kidnapped girl forced to work in a Beijing factory begging for help. But can a girl in Illinois so anything to help? A young adult novel taken from today’s news.
Shaun Tan, the author/illustrator of th award-wining graphic novel, “The Arrival” returns with “Tales From The Inner City” (Arthur A. Levine), a collection of highly original stories rich with feeling and cinematic images from another world. Is it the end of life on this planet or the beginning of another existence?
“Very Close to Pleasure, There’s a Sick Cat And Other Poems” (Seagull) by Shakti Chattopadhyay as translated by Arunava Sinha. These striking poems come from the co-founder of the Hungry Generation literary movement of 1960’s Bengal. He uses colloquial street lingo mixed with Sanskritized expressions that reflect the lived reality of India like never before.
“I’M OK” (Simon & Schuster) by Patti Kim is an authentic story of a Korean American boy who loses his father and faces issues of loss, race, gender and income inequality. A young adult novel that deals with real issues.
“The Incendiaries” (Riverhead) by R.O. Kwon tells the story of a classic love triangle between two college students and God. She examines the lines between faith and fanaticism and the rational and the unknowable.
“A Portrait of the Self As Nation – New & Selected Poems” (Norton) by Marilyn Chin gathers together some of her best poems from all her books into one volume including new poems and translations. The poems cover her Chinese heritage, assimilation in America and passionate poems of tender love and longing
“Rise of the Isle of the Lost” (Disney Hyperion) by Melissa De La Cruz is Book Three of a pirate fantasy that pits good against eveil in a race against time in a kingdom beneath the sea.
“We Have Not Stopped Trembling Yet – Letters To My Filipino-Athabascan Family” (SUNY) by E.J.R. David is a series of letters by a Filipino American immigrant written to his mixed-race family in which he shares his struggles, insecurities and anxieties as an immigrant, husband & father living in the lands dominated by his family’s colonizer.
“Picture Us in the Light” (Hyperion) by Kelly Loy Gilbert tells the story of a young budding artist set for college who struggles with the discovery of family secrets and the possible betrayal of a friend. When the façade crumbles, he must face the past in order to build a future that truly belongs to him.
“The Long Path to Wisdom” – Tales From Burma” (Other Press)by Jan-Philipp Sendker brings together a group of ancient folk tales collected in Burma over visits to that country spanning twenty years. Suitable for adults and children alike, the stories incorporate tales of lost clove, failed revenge, eternal suffering but also faith rewarded, justice, love and eternal happiness. The recent history of Myanmar mirrors the stories found here.
“Grandmother’s Visit” (Groundwood) by Betty Quan as illustrated by Carmen Mok. A little girl who loves her Chinese grandmother forges a special relationship. But when her grandmother dies, what will heal the void? A touching story with evocative images that can help children understand the loss of loved ones and the healing power of memory.
“Aru Shah And The End of Time” (Disney Hyperion) by Roshani Chokshi. When a little girl who makes up stories is caught in a lie by schoolmates, she must stop an evil demon and journey through the kingdom of death to make things right.
“Autobiography of Death” (New Directions) by Kim Hyesoon translated from the Korean by Don Mee Choi with drawings by Fi Jae Lee. A powerful new book of poems that represent each, a single day during which the spirit roams after death before it enters the cycle of reincarnation. Death’s history is Korea’s and the poet chronicles it with an unflinching eye for detail and truth. The translation is by an award-winning Seattle poet.
“Son of Amity” (Oregon State University Press) by Peter Nathaniel Malae. This novel examines three lives on the verge of ruin in a small Oregon town. A half-Samoan ex-con, an Iraq war veteran and a woman who is a recent convert to Catholism interact around a little boy who could be their saving grace.
“Drawn Together” (Disney Hyperion) by Minh Le and illustrated by Dan Santat. When a little Vietnamese American boy is dropped off to visit his grandfather, he finds the language barrier stops them from communicating. But then the two find another language to share that needs no words and worlds open up.
“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.
“If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi” (Flatiron) by Neel Patel. Patel undermines stereotypes while he tells the stories of first-generation Indian Americans from different strata of life in all their human complexity.
“The Very Fluffy Kitty Papillon Goes to the Vet” (Disney Hyperion) by A. N. Kang. When a fluffy cat gets the hiccups and loses his power to float, his owner takes him to the vet in this picture book for kids.
“Newcomer” (Minotaur) by Keigo Higashino is the latest in a series of best-selling mysteries by this Japanese crime novelist. When a woman is killed in Nihonbashi, a detective new to the department must unravel the secrets of dozens of suspects to bring the actual murderer to justice.
“The Crocodile and the Dentist” (Chronicle) by Taro Gomi. In whimsical color images, this famed Japanese children’s writer/artist tells both sides of the story – the dread and anxiety that creature and human must face on a yearly encounter.
“The Storm” (Atria) by Arif Anwar follows the lives of numerous characters in the wake of a devastating cyclone that hits Bangladesh. He shows us how families love, betray, honor and sacrifice for one another when disaster strikes.
“What We Were Promised” (Little Brown) by Lucy Tan. This debut novel tells the story of Chinese immigrants who leave America to return to their hometown of Shanghai. It reveals the persistence of the past, the inevitability of the present and the complexities of balancing individuality with community.
“The Dead Eye And The Deep Blue Sea – A Graphic Memoir of Modern Slavery” (Seven Stories Press) by Vannak Anan Prum tells the story of a Cambodian man held hostage for years on a fishing vessel as told to Jocelyn and Ben Pederick. Opens a window to the slave trade and the plight of destitute boys and men forced to work on fishing boats in Asia, trapped on the Indian Ocean. With text and powerful artwork by the author.
“Playing Changes – Jazz for the New Century” (Pantheon) by Nate Chinen. This astute Asian American music critic has written and commented about this music for over twenty years at the New York Times, Jazz Times, WBGO Radio and NPR Radio. His essays follow the music and flows to where it takes him. He avoids the convenience of boxes and categories to get a real take on where jazz sits today.
“Dim Sum of All Fears” (Noodle Shop Mystery Book 2) by Vivien Chien is the second in a series of mystery novels that take place in a Chinese suburban shopping mall. On St. Martin’s paperbacks. Out August 2018.
“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.
“My Brother’s Husband – Vol. 2” (Pantheon) is the second and final volume of this graphic novel by Gengoroh Tagame as translated by Anne Ishii. A best-selling award-winner in Japan, it tells the story of a Japanese dad and his young daughter and the surprise visit they receive when the dad’s late broather’s husband from Canada knocks on their door. Issues of how Japanese society looks at gay marriage and relationships surface through the vividly drawn narrative.
“Millie’s Missing Yawn” (Gibbs-Smith) by you Jung Byun is a lovely picture book about a little girl who loses her yawn and can’t go to sleep without it. She travels the world in search of it, meeting a whole host of interesting characters along the way.
“Rage Becomes Her – The Power of Women’s Anger” (Atria) by Sorayu Chemaly. Looking at female rage, the author calls for women to turn that anger into action for change in today’s authoritarianism.
In “Brainfever” (Norton), Kimiko Hahn uses recent findings in science, ancient Japanese aesthetics and observations from her life as a woman, wife, mother, daughter & artist into sharply observed poems.
In “Patient X – The Case Book of Ryunosuke Akutagawa” (Knopf), acclaimed British author David Peace weaves together twelve interconnected tales about this early-twentieth-century Japanese writer into a tapestry. Fascinated by the writer and inspired by his stories, essays and letters, Peace creates an evocative portrait of genius and creativity.
Young adult author Traci Chee unspools a fantasy landscape of vivid characters in a trilogy entitled “Sea of Ink and Gold” (Putnam’s). This epic starts with “The Reader”, then proceeds to “The Speaker” and concludes with “The Storyteller”. It tells the story of a family plagued by murder and kidnapping and what they must do to seek justice in a world gone awry.
“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.
“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.
Muralist and community artist Katie Yamasaki celebrates the cultural diversity of her family in “When the Cousins Came” (Holiday House), a delightful picture book on the fun that ensues when city kids visit their country cousins.
“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.
One gets a look at celebrated Chinese writer Yu Hua’s early short stories in this collection entitled “The April 3rd Incident” (Pantheon) slated for Nov., 2018 release. A tale of fractured realities in the mood of Kafka, these stories are surreal, thought provoking and darkly comic. A record of the changes going on in modern Chinese literature in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
How does a family survive when the internet goes down? In “The Manic Panic” (Creston), Richa Jha and Mithila Ananth create a young heroine who shows the way.
“Killing Commendatore” (Knopf) is popular Japanese fiction writer Haruki Murakami’s latest offering. A portrait painter discovers a previously unseen painting in a famous artist’s attic which leads to a journey that must be completed. A story of love, loneliness, war and yes, a loving homage to “The Great Gatsby.”
“The Chinese Pleasure Book” (Zone) by Michael Nylan due out Oct., 2018 delves into ancient philosophy to provide modern readers with a theory of pleasure informed by writers and courtesans and poets from Chinese literary history.
“D is for Dragon Dance” (Holiday House) is a new reprint of a picture book by Ying Chang Compestine that uses letters of the alphabet to illuminate the joyful elements of the new year as richly portrayed by artist YongSheng Xuan.
“Hybrid Child” (Minnesota by Mariko Ohara as translated by Jodie Beck is a classic of Japanese speculative fiction that blurs the line between consumption and creation when a cyborg assumes the form and spirit of a murdered child. This is the first English translation of a major work of science fiction by a female Japanese author.
“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.
“Sunzi – The Art of War” (Princeton) by C. C. Tsai is a cartoonist who has spent his career bringing Chinese classics to life and modernizing them yet straying true to the essence of each story. He does this again with this ancient book on warfare and strategy still consulted by those in the know.
“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.
“Smoke in the Sun” (Putnam) by Renee Ahdieh is a young adult novel about a teenage heroine who hopes to infiltrate an underground gang so she can bring her would-be murderer to justice. But what happens when love intervenes in this medieval fantasy?
“Sanpaku” (Archaia) by Kate Gavino gives voice to the insecurities that abound in teens of all cultures. A graphic novel done in somber black and white.
“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.
“Severance” (FS&G) by Ling Ma takes the insidious politics and day to day drudgery of the office job and does a mash-up of post-apocalyptic horror mixed with office satire in this dark novel.
“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.
“A River of Stars” (Penguin Random House) is a debut novel by Vanessa Hua in which a pregnant Chinese woman travels to California to have her child and stakes a claim to the American dream.
“Nisei Naysayer – James Matsumoto Nomura – The Memoir of Militant Japanese American Journalist, Jimmie Omura” (Stanford University Press) edited by Arthur A. Hansen. Journalist James “Jimmie” Omura fearlessly called out leaders in the Nikkei community for what he saw as their complicity with the U.S. government’s unjust and unconstitutional efforts to take away citizen’s rights. This book provides an essential first-hand account of Japanese American wartime resistance. With contributions from Asian American activists and writers such as Frank Chin, Yosh Kuromiya and Frank Abe.
“Mixed – A Colorful Story” (Henry Holt) is a kids picture book by Arree Chung that uses the simple motif of colors fighting for power and how a never-before-seen color saves the day by bringing peace and harmony as a life lesson.
“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.
“Grenade” (Scholastic) bu Alan Gratz tells the story of an Okinawan boy soldier told to kill an American soldier and a young American marine trying to survive the battle for Okinawa. When the two meet, their lives will change forever in this young adult novel.
“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. Inquiery as art.
“Amal Unbound” (Nancy Paulsen) is a young adult novel about indentured servitude and how a young girl struggles to become educated and free against all odds.
In a change of pace, award-winning novelist Ha Jin takes on the challenge of weaving together a deeply felt biography of one of China’s greatest poets in “The Banished Immortal – A Life of Li Bai” (Pantheon).
News/Opportunities
The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is now accepting applications for [email protected] Street Station Advisors. This group will work with ARTS staff to ensure that the programming centers racial equity, represents and welcomes diverse communities, and showcases many creative disciplines. Advisors must be 15 years old by the first meeting on Nov. 14, 2018. There are no specific education or work requirements. Advisors will serve a two-year term beginning Nov. 2018 and ending Oct. 2020. Meetings take place on the 2nd Wednesdays of each month at King Street Station from 3:30pm – 5:30pm. Advisors will receive a $400 annual stipend to cover transportation/parking for meetings. For more information, contact [email protected]. Deadline for applications is wed., Sept. 26, 2018 at 5pm PST.
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 “Crow” 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. Artist Trust can be found at 1835 – 12th Ave. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill or go to artisttrust.org for more details.
The Henry Teen Art Collective is a group of young thinkers, makers, and leaders who propose new ideas and build community around contemporary art. They are now looking for new members. Collective members meet weekly to meet artists, explore exhibitions, and collaborate on projects aimed at supporting youth voices through art. The program offers a stipend or community service credit. Youth of color, LGBTQ+ and individuals of all abilities are encouraged to apply. Deadline for applications are by midnight on Sept. 30, 2018. Accepted members will be notified by Oct. 10, 2018. First session starts on Nov. 1. For details and application try [email protected].
Volunteers are needed for the 28th Japan-American Grassroots Summit. From Sept. 18 – 24, 2018, nearly 150 Japanese people will visit Washington state for the 28th Japan-America Grassroots Summit, an international exchange program. They will experience two days in Seattle and three days in 14 localities across the state. If you are interested in helping show our warm hospitality to visitors from Japan, the host organization of The Japan-America Society is actively seeking volunteers. To sign up and for more information, visit https://jassw.info/Grassroots2018 for details.
“AMAZON AIR: Artist-in-Residency Program 2019 is open to visual artists based in the Greater Pacific Northwest and provides regional artists with a temporary and unique work environment, project support and a new audience. Artists selected receive $10,000 in project support. They must commit to a minimum of 16 hours a week in studio over a ten week period, as well as hold an in-house workshop and lecture during their residency. Artists are also asked to exhibit current work on site, and contribute a current piece to Amazon’s collection. The first residency 0f 2019 will start Feb. 1. There is a $15 application fee. The request for proposals is open now and will close on Sept. 25, 2018. Artists can apply at https://shunpike.submittable.com/submit/117158/call-for-artist-in-residence-2019. AIR is presented by the Amazon Expressions Lab and powered by SHUNPIKE. For more information, please contact us at [email protected]
The Washington State Historical Soceity recently announced their annual History Awards honorees. Deva Leinani Aiko Yamashiro posthumously received the Peace And Friendship Award for her work as founder and director of the Ke Kukui Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to sustaining and sharing Hawaiian culture. Under her leadership, Ke Kukui brought thousands of people together to learn about Hawaiian culture through classes, competitions, music and festivals.
Roy Choi, the L.A. chef behind Kogi BBQ Truck and other food ventures will open “Best Friend”, his new upcoming restaurant at Park MGM in Las Vegas on Dec. 28, 2018. Choi explains the new venue will be “Koreatown in a capsule – a portal to the streets of L.A. but also rooted in what makes Las Vegas, Vegas.
“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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