preview: explorASIAN2014
Every May in Vancouver, Asian culture steps to the fore as the city celebrates Asian Heritage Month with explorASIAN, an explosion of Asian culture and heritage that takes over the city for the entire month (and beyond).
The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society was established in 1997 following a Canada Council-funded conference that explored the possibility of creating a national festival hosted by individual communities. The scoiety plays a major role in bringing together artists from across Greater Vancouver’s culturally diverse Pan-Asian artistic and cultural communities to perform, to explore and to collaborate on a wide range of cultural and artistic endeavours.
In response to public concerns over the growing size of our increasingly institutionally-complete ethnic silos explorASIAN 2014 adopted the themes of integration, identity and hybridization of cultures to encourage the Pan-Asian artistic and cultural communities to address these issues. Our Generation One event featuring first generation immigrant artists titled, “So this is Canada,” requests submissions from artists reflecting their Canadian identity and experience.
The explorASIAN festival continues to evolve to meet the needs of our multicultural society and to serve as the driving force that helps our Pan-Asian Canadian cultural communities progress to a higher level of awareness, inclusivity, integration and participation in the mainstream of Canada’s artistic and cultural community.
Full event listing and details: www.explorasian.org
Selected Events
Friday, May 2, 7 pm (reception 6 pm)
REED: The Life and Works of Roy Kiyooka
Tonari Gumi 101-42 W.8th Ave, Vancouver
Roy Kiyooka, Japanese-Canadian multimedia artist was a seminal force in the New York School of Painting. REED follows the life of a brilliantly creative and often spontaneously unpredictable man whose work continues to reverberate powerfully in our times. Panel of Fumiko Kiyooka, Roy Miki, and Henry Tsang will discuss Roy’s legacy. Tickets 604.687.2172
Saturday, May 3, 2 pm
Official Opening, explorASIAN 2014 Festival
and Generation One
International Village Mall, International Arts Gallery
88 Pender Street West, Vancouver
Part One: May 3-15, “So This Is Canada”
Exhibition of works of first generation Pan-Asian immigrant artists
Part Two: May 17-31 opening 2 pm, May 17,
“Vancouver” by photographer/artist Water Poon
Apart from using traditional Chinese rice paper, brush and ink as medium of painting, Water POON makes a bold attempt to use acrylic paint to depict the scenery and beauty of Vancouver.
www.iagbc.ca, Tel: 604-569-1886
May 7, 10, 14 First Families, First Stories: Research workshops
exporASIAN’s First Families, First Stories History project was initiated by the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society to begin the process of giving voice to pioneering families of Asian Heritage and to share the story of their arrival and settlement in Canada.
Part One: History Research Workshop
Vancouver Public Library, May 7 and 14th, 6:30-8 pm Central Branch (free) The workshop will help you learn to use search engines, access Ancestry Library Edition, Family Search, the VPL catalogue, as well as various Special Collections resources
Part Two: Writing a Historical Narrative
UBC Learning Exchange, May 10th, 1- 4 pm (fee $25) Asian Canadian Heritage – for those who are interested in researching their family and community’s history. Facilitator: May Yan-Mountain who published Research Guide to Chinese Genealogy.
Part Three: An Asian North American Primer
All you need to know but never bothered to ask
May 10, 2 – 4 pm UBC Learning Exchange, 610 Main Street, Vancouver
Do you know that the first South Asian Person set foot on North American soil in 1648 and that South Asians were kept as slaves on American plantations? Historian Jim Wong-Chu will amaze you with little known facts about your early Asian ancestors. $20 per person. www.explorasian.org
May 9-11
Sound of Dragon Music Festival
The Roundhouse Community Arts & RecreationCentre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
soundofdragon.com
Sound of Dragon is Vancouver’s first festival devoted entirely to Chinese music, showcasing very diverse musical styles: ancient folk and classical repertoire, contemporary compositions, jazz, world, fusion, electronics, and avant-garde improvisation, in solo, chamber, and orchestral performances.
Saturday May 10, 2pm – 4pm
World Poetry Vancouver
Brittania Community Centre, Ice Rink,
Activity Room 11, 1661 Napier Street
PIONEERS, MAVERICKS AND GAME CHANGES
During Asian Heritage Month in May, World Poetry Vancouver celebrates Asian Canadian writers and poets who have forged a path for others through their groundbreaking work; writers and poets who break the mold and live “outside the box” and avoid being pigeonholed by their ethnicity, expanding the spectrum of themes encompassing but also going beyond race and culture, challenging stereotypes to embrace a broader vision of what it means to be Asian Canadian.
To quote Walt Whitman: “Within us lie multitudes.”
With our Partners, the Britannia Community Centre
Hosts Ariadne Sawyer & Kagan Goh
Featuring
Fiona Tinwei Lam
Loretta Seto
Ray Hsu
Lydia Kwa
Candie Tanaka
Fernando Reguero
Lilija Valis
Musicians: Enrico Renz & Lawren Nemeth
Open Mic. Free raffle. Refreshments.
Information: 604-526-4739 www.worldpoetry.
Diversity & multilingual readings
May 10-24
BLOOM 2014 – Daruma Project
Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre,
6688 Southoaks Cres, Burnaby
604-777-7000 • info@nikkeiplace.org
Daruma, a popular talisman of good luck in Japan, traces back to the origins of Zen in the 5th century. 100 artists will personalize a daruma for a special exhibition opening in conjunction with NNMCC Spring Bazaar on May 10 culminating in May 24 fundraising party. Admission free.
May 14 • 7-9pm
2014 Milton K. Wong Lecture:
The Global Eco-crisis: Diversity, Resilience and Adaptability by Dr. David Suzuki
The Chan Centre for Performing Arts
6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver
cstudies.ubc.ca/public-lectures
In such uncertain times, we must look to biology to find a strategy for survival and the key is diversity.
May 21-22
100th Anniversary of the Komagata Maru Episode
Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver
komagatamaru100.com | 604-736-4431
May 21 Opening of Unmoored: Vancouver’s Voyage of the Komagata Maru. Racial discrimination, intercultural dialogue and political revolution come together to ensure the Komagata Maru is still mapped today onto the streets and landscapes of Vancouver.
May 28 -31, 8pm
Theatre Replacement’s Kate Bowie
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
$15 tickets, (Regular $32/$27)
PROMO CODE: exploreA
Book online or by phone:
tickets.shadboltcentre.com
Box Office 604.205.3000
June 1 • 5:30pm
explorASIAN Recognition Awards Gala Dinner
Pink Pearl Restaurant, 1132 Hastings St
Vancouver • explorasian.org
Leaders in the Filipino-Canadian community will be honoured with Community Builders Awards.
June 1 • 5:30pm
explorASIAN Recognition Awards Gala Dinner
Pink Pearl Restaurant, 1132 Hastings St
Vancouver • explorasian.org
Leaders in the Filipino-Canadian community will be honoured with Community Builders Awards.
Date TBC
Exploring Our Heritage: Chinatown & Japantown
UBC Learning Exchange, 612 Main St, Vancouver
learningexchange.ubc.ca/tour
Learn about the vibrant history of Chinatown and Japantown in guided, interactive walking tours of the neighbourhoods. Share your own memories and experience. Discuss changes in the area, for better or worse, over time.
