Arts & Entertainment Calendar
A regional roundup of events of special interest to Asian Americans

Arts
1999 Art China Works by Ai Weiwei, Cai Jin, Chen Haiyan, Guo Jin, Guo Wei, Hong Hao, Lin Yan, Mao Yan, Shen Ling, Son Yonghon, Su Xinping, Wang Qingsong, Wang Yuping, Xin Haizhou, Yang Shaoban and Zang Hao are on exhibit through July 24. (LIMN Gallery, 292 Townsend, San Francisco. 415-977-1300.)

Art of Chinese Gardens Black-and-white photographs by Chung Wah Nan, which record the natural beauty and architecture of Chinese gardens, are on exhibit through June 27. (Chinese Culture Center, 750 Kearny St., San Francisco. 415-986-1822.)

Creative Impressions Wood-block prints by 24 artists with disabilities from China, Korea, Japan, Cambodia and Vietnam are on exhibit through June 30. (Asian Resource Gallery, 310 Eighth St., Oakland. 510-869-6027.)

Heroic Warriors: Chinese Hoopsters of the Past This exhibit features photographs and memorabilia tracing the history of the Hong Wah Kues and the San Francisco Saints, two Chinese American professional basketball teams. Through June 26. (Chinese Cultural Center, 750 Kearny St., San Francisco. 415-421-6443.)

Joyce Hsu The artist’s installations, Bobby and Argi, part of a larger work called The World of Nature, depict two insect-like creatures made of balsa wood, aluminum and doorskin. Ongoing. (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., San Francisco. 415-978-2700.)

Kumi Yamashita Selections from two of the artists series are on exhibit. One series uses a light source to create silhouettes with wooden blocks attached to a wall. The other series is composed of large-scale portraits created with rubbings from her subject’s credit card. (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., San Francisco. 415-978-2700.)

Mabuhay: Our Stories Old and New Twelve Bay Area-based Filipino American artists, including Minerva Amistoso, Eliza Barrios, Terry Acebo Davis, Lori Kay, Fred LaGapa, Ileana Lee, Romel Padilla, Rick Rocamura, Lee Tacang and Carlos Villa -- display their paintings, photographs, sculptures and illustrations. (Triton Museum of Art, 1505 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara. 408-247-3754.)

New Stories from an old chapter Works by renowned Filipino artists Elmer Borlongan, Santiago Bose, Brenda Fajardo, Karen Flores, Mark Justiani and Noel Soler Cuizon are on display. (Pacific Bridge, 95 Linden St. No. 6, Oakland. 510-451-8840.)

Shioh Kato Recent mixed-media, painting and calligraphy works by the artist are on exhibit through July 4. (Gallery Piazza, Sausalito Piazza Building, 819 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 415-331-6711.)

The Unending Path Twenty-three large-scale paintings by Hong Kong artist Harold Wong explore the artist’s stylistic transformation from traditional landscapes to abstraction. Ongoing. (Asian Art Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-379-8800.)

They Hold Up Half The Sky The Asian American Women Artist’s Association 10th anniversary show includes works by Kay Kang, Lenore Chinn, Chie Utsumi Connolly, Flo Oy Wong, Karen Nagano, Grace Munakata, Indigo Som, Yeung Ha, Lee Ann Younger, Grace Illagan Angel and Dawn Nakanashi. Through June 25. (SOMAR Cultural Center, 934 Brannan, San Francisco. 415-552-7709.)

Vi Ly, Thai Bui and Kai Hong Abstract oil paintings and sculptures by the three Vietnamese American artists are on exhibit through July 2. (Pacific Bridge, 95 Linden St., No. 6, Oakland. 510-451-8840.)

Weather Twenty-one new stone sculptures by renowned Japanese artist Masuo Nakajima are on exhibit through July 4. (Cecile Moochnek Gallery, 1809D Fourth St., Berkeley. 510-549-1018.)

Dance
Bamboo Girl Meets Big Dicks, Asian Men -- Hearts Afire! Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians and New York City’s Slant performance group present works from 1993 to present. June 24-26, 8 p.m.; June 27, 2 p.m. $18, $22. (Theater Artaud, 450 Florida St., San Francisco. 415-621-7797.)

Ethnic Dance Festival On June 18-20, festival performers include Lestari Indonesia, Elena, kakiko hula dancers, Charya Burt and Kala Vandana Dance Center. The closing weekend, June 25-27, features Il Hyun Kim and Kaiaulu. $15-$25 for single tickets; $65 for one-weekend subscriptions. (Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco. 415-392-4400 or 415-986-0411.)

Sokkyo Butoh Judith Kajiwara teaches Japanese butoh dance techniques Tuesdays, June 22-Aug. 24, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center; and Thursdays, July 1-Aug. 26, 8 p.m.-10 p.m., at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. $10 per class. (JCCC, 1840 Sutter St., San Francisco; 415-567-5505. OACC, 388 Ninth St., Oakland; 510-208-6080.)

Events
Barrio Fiesta To celebrate the opening of its new exhibit, From the Rainbow’s Varied Hue: Textiles of the Southern Philippines, the Asian Art Museum is hosting a gala reception, which includes dancing, food by Jeremiah Towers’ Star San Francisco and live Filipino music by Mabal. June 23, 6:30 p.m. $100, $65 for individuals 30 and under. (Asian Art Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-557-6988.)

Gaparet The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance presents performances by the GAPA Men’s Chorus, GAPA Dance Troupe and Matt Yee. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $15, $20, $10 members. (SOMAR Cultural Center, 934 Brannan, San Francisco. 415-282-GAPA.)

Japanese Cultural Fair San Francisco Taiko Dojo, Watsonville Taiko, the Okinawan Dance Academy, the Japanese Music Institute and the Chimizu Band will perform at this festival, which includes kite-making workshops and mochitsuki, sado and ikebana demonstrations. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Mission Plaza, Mission and High streets, Santa Cruz. 831-475-2115.)

Film
Passion on the Edge The San Francisco Cinematheque presents short experimental films, including I.H. Kuniyuki’s Splayd Molecular Time, Tran T. Kim-Trang’s Operculum, Matthew Abaya’s Earthworms and Camera Obscura’s New Freedom. June 26, 7:30 p.m. $7, $3.50 students, seniors and members. (San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut St., San Francisco. 415-558-8129.)

The Face of Another Director Hiroshi Teshigahara and novelist Kobo Abe, creators of Woman in the Dunes, produced this 1966 film, which depicts a man whose facial features have been erased in an industrial explosion. June 23-26, 8:50 p.m. $7, $5 seniors, $4 children. (Fine Arts Cinema, 2452 Shattuck, Berkeley. 510-848-1038.)

Theater
Eth-noh-tec Auditions The story-telling ensemble is holding auditions Friday-Saturday. (Eth-Noh-Tec, 977 S. Van Ness, San Francisco. 415-282-8705.)

Migiwa: Water’s Edge Tokyo-based dancer/choreographer Eri Majima collaborates with John Doyle and sculptor Noriko Nagano in premiering this evening-length Butoh-based contemporary dance. June 28-29, 8 p.m. $8.50-$12. (Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa St., San Francisco. 415-621-7978.)

Arts
Gods and Goblins: Japanese Folk Painting from Otsu Paintings of foolish monkeys, wrestling gods, playful goblins and humorous caricatures make up the first major West Coast exhibit of folk art from the Town of Otsu, Japan. Ongoing. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-449-2742.)

Grasslands of Mongolia Recognized as one of China’s 100 most outstanding living artists, Mongolian artist Hao YiQiang presents his first American exhibition, which features paintings inspired by the landscape and people of his homeland. Through June 20. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-449-2742.)

Images from a changing world: kalighat paintings of calcutta The first American exhibition of Indian Kalighat painting in the United States, this exhibit features 128 works in a variety of media. Through Aug. 30. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-857-6000.)

In Search of Gold Mountain An exhibit about the photographic history of Chinese Americans in San Diego is on view. Ongoing. (San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, 404 Third Ave., San Diego. 619-338-9888.)

Matsumi Kanemitsu and nancy uyemura Paintings and works on paper by the late Kanemitsu will be shown along with recent works by Uyemura. Through July 31. (Molly Barnes Gallery, 1414 Sixth St., Santa Monica. 310-395-4404.)

Sketches of Cambodia Chanthoeurn Piatt and Valivann Seangly, two survivors of the Khmer Rouge now living in the United States, exhibit their paintings. Through July 4. (Sunyata Gallery, 331 W. Seventh St., San Pedro. 310-832-5516.)

The Three Graces: Music, Painting and poetry in the Art of India Fifty-one works include 40 paintings personifying Indian ragas, or poeticized musical modes. Ongoing. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-857-6000.)

Walk in Splendor: Ceremonial Dress of the Minangkabau of Indonesia More than 250 magnificent textiles and silk garments comprise this exhibit celebrating the sophisticated weaving traditions of the Indonesian archipelago. Ongoing. (Fowler Museum, UCLA campus, west of Royce Hall, Los Angeles. 310-825-4361.)

Film
Overstay Director Ann Kaneko presents and talks about her film, a timely and intimate exploration of the lives of foreign migrant workers in Japan. June 26, 2:45 p.m. At 1 p.m., scholars from the International Nikkei Research Project will hold an informal discussion of “Nikkei Communities in the Global Arena.” (Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., Los Angeles. 213-625-0414.)

Theater
Cold Tofu Comedy Improvisation Cold Tofu, a multicultural comedy group, performs new material. June 24, 7:30 p.m. (Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., Los Angeles. 213-625-0414.)

The Night the Moon Landed on 39th Street Writer and performance artist Dan Kwong premieres his new work, in which science meets silliness as he explores America’s space program, the origins of the cosmos and karaoke in zero gravity. Today-Sunday, June 24-27, July 1-3; 8:30 p.m. $15, $12 students and seniors. (Highways, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-315-1459.)

Workshops
Philippine Folk Dance Workshop Celia De Fato, founder of the Kultura Philippine Folk Dance Group, teaches traditional folk dance Wednesdays-Friday, June 30-July 16, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. $70. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-449-2742.)

Taiko Drumming workshop Kristin Friesen of Kishin Taiko teaches basic drumming techniques on Saturdays, June 26-Aug. 14, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. $45. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-449-2742.)

Arts
A Good Place to Land One’s Feet An exhibit documenting Brooklyn’s new Chinese American community, based on oral histories and photographs, is on display. Ongoing. (Museum of Chinese in the Americas, 70 Mulberry St., New York City. 212-619-4785.)

Chinese Celadon Ceramics Forty-four glazed stoneware vessels made in China between the Western Han dynasty and the Qing dynasty are on display. Ongoing. (Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive at 12th St. S.W., Washington, D.C. 202-357-2700.)

Devi: The Great Goddess An exhibition of 120 paintings and sculptures of the Hindu goddess are on exhibit. Ongoing. (Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Independence Ave., Washington, D.C. 2092-357-2700.)

Family Portraits Images of New York Chinatown’s diverse families are on display. Ongoing. (Museum of the Chinese in the Americas, 70 Mulberry St., Second Floor, New York. 212-619-4785.)

Six O’Clock Observed Photographs by Toyo Tsuchiya of the Mid-Career Artists Group are on exhibit through June 26. (Asian American Arts Center, 26 Bowery, third floor, New York City. 212-233-2154.)

Where Is Home? Chinese in the Americas Artifacts and personal testimony documenting the Chinese diaspora -- as it relates to women, faith, youth and home -- are on display. Ongoing. (Museum of the Chinese in the Americas, 70 Mulberry St., Second Floor, New York. 212-619-4785.)

Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion A selection of 12th-20th century Tibetan Buddhist art from the collections of Chelley and Donald Rubin are on exhibit. Through Aug. 28. (Tibet House Cultural Center, 22 W. 15th St., New York City. 212-807-0563.)

Readings
Gish Jen The Chinese American author of Who’s Irish?, which includes a short story chosen for The Best American Short Stories of the Century, reads from her book. Wednesday, 7 p.m. (Museum of Chinese in the Americas, 70 Mulberry St., New York City. 212-619-4785.)

Theater
Margaret Cho The acclaimed comedian makes her New York theatrical debut. June 22-July 31. (Westbeth Theater Center, 151 Bank Street, New York City.)

Contact our Calendar Editor