Coming Up at the Asian Arts Initiative

All activities will take place at the Asian Arts Initiative’s new home at 1219 Vine Street in Chinatown, Philadelphia unless otherwise noted.

In Our Theater    In Our Gallery    Upcoming Workshops

                            

Annual Benefit Banquet, Friday, April 24, 2009

Celebration Under the Stars
April 3 - July 6
Closing reception: Monday, July 6, 7-9 p.m.

Stop by and revel in an evening of music, food, and community with the Asian Arts Initiative to celebrate the final evening of "the little red string" installation by artists Jonathan and Kimberly Stemler:

WHERE

Carlton Street between 11th & 12th Streets, Chinatown
(Carlton is north of Vine, south of Callowhill, one block away from the Initiative)

WHAT

Visually suggesting stars and constellations, "the little red string" lanterns beneath a dark viaduct light the way for the community's expansion in Chinatown North. Each of the lanterns are inscribed with personal stories from community members describing their connection with the night sky in their respective homelands and traditions.

This is the last chance to enjoy the beauty that they have brought to the neighborhood before the artists remove the lanterns the following day!

Entertainment will include live music by local guitar players Wayne Hsu, Annie Seng, Owen Zhong, and others. Musically inclined community members are encouraged to bring your own instruments and join the jam session!

Light refreshments will be provided, and community members are encouraged to each bring a dish to share as a potluck picnic.

Admission is free. Donations are always accepted!

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Vision for Chinatown North: A Community Forum
Wednesday, July 22
6-9 p.m.

Come learn about the programming of the various Chinatown North community organizations and share your vision for Chinatown North*!


Co-hosted by the Asian Arts Initiative and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, this forum will be an opportunity to proactively organize and take ownership of Chinatown North and develop it into a vibrant neighborhood!

Residents and friends of Chinatown are invited to participate. PCDC will provide interpretation in Cantonese and Mandarin. A list of presenting organizations will be announced closer to the date.

Refreshments will be provided.

*Chinatown North is the segment of Chinatown that was split from Chinatown Core by the Vine Street Expressway.

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Urban Convergence
June 12 – August 2
Opening reception: Friday, June 12, 5:30 p.m. 
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-6pm

The marriage between art and culture has never been more prominent than it is today. Examples abound: Damien Hirst’s paintings as the backdrop of Jay-Z’s music videos; Takashi Murakami’s designs on Louis Vuitton’s accessories and Kanye West’s album cover; graffiti art on Converse sneakers, Sprint advertisements, and energy drinks; Shepard Fairey’s iconic "HOPE" portrait of President Obama.  These collaborations reflect an unprecedented merging and morphing of artistic genres and culture—high art with street art, underground with pop, fine art with street culture—that is breaking down social barriers and dated paradigms and clearing space for new ideas and aesthetics.

Hailing from metropolitan hubs throughout the country—Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington D.C.—these artists will share exciting work in a variety of mediums and styles that demonstrate a nationwide convergence toward a fresh contemporary sensibility with an urban edge: Pose II, Joshua Mays, Dave Cramske, Isaac Lin, Rodney Camarce, Jesse Olanday, Sun You, Figments by Ciriaco, Anjni Raol, Shin Ae Tassia, Chanika Svetvilas, Bret Syfert, Junghwa O’Connell, Miss Tina Wong, Teel MUL, and Dan "R5" Barojas.

This project has been supported in part by Artists & Communities, a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation made possible by major funding from The Heinz Endowments, the William Penn Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.





Chinatown In/flux: Future Landscape
Neighborhood exhibition
April 3 – August 2
Opening reception: Friday, April 3, 5:30 p.m. 
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-6pm

Facing the constant challenge and need for growth, the Chinatown community now stretches across the historic barrier posed by the Vine Street Expressway. As the Asian Arts Initiative moves into this new part of the neighborhood, we present a series of site-specific art installations to engage residents and visitors in imagining the Future Landscape of Chinatown North. With invited artists Rebecca Hackeman, Nadia Hironaka, Kikuchi + Liu, Kimberly and Jonathan Stemler.




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In Our Theater

We look forward to re-opening our curtains for the fall 2009 season!  Check back later this summer for the season calendar!

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