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!
* *
* * * 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.
* *
* * * 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.
* *
* * *
In Our
Theater
THANK YOU for supporting the Asian Arts Initiative and our programs during the spring 2009 performance season!
We look forward to re-opening our curtains for the fall 2009 season! Check back later this summer for the season calendar!
* *
* * *
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
The Asian Arts Initiative hosts
in collaboration with the
City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program: Big Picture: a year-long mural-making
workshop for youth
July 6 to August 14, 2009
Monday to Friday: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
This workshop is free and open to all interested youth ages 10-18.
Register Now! Contact Chon at 215.557.0455 or
chon@asianartsinitiative.org
www.asianartsinitiative.org
* *
* * * Youth Lounge
July 7 to August 13, 2009
Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2 - 5 p.m.
Details will be made available soon. Please check back!
* * * * *
Please note our new mailing address:
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA
19107
Phone: (215) 557-0455
Please sign our on-line petition
to urge City and State repre-
sentatives to support the Asian
Arts Initiative's multi-tenant arts
facility in Chinatown: