Japanese choreographer and artist Hiroaki Umeda at Wood Street Galleries, December 28 - 30.

Japanese choreographer and artist Hiroaki Umeda will perform at downtown Pittsburgh's Wood Street Galleries from December 28 through 30, it was announced recently.

Hiroaki Umeda is a choreographer and a multidisciplinary artist recognized as one of the leading figures of the Japanese avant-garde art scene. Since the launch of his company S20, his subtle yet violent dance pieces have toured around the world to audience and critical acclaim. His work is acknowledged for the highly holistic artistic methodology with strong digital background, which considers not only physical elements as dance, but also optical, sensorial and, above all, spatiotemporal components as part of the choreography. Based on his profound interest in choreographing time and space, Umeda has spread his talent not only as a choreographer and dancer, but also as a composer, lighting designer, scenographer and visual artist.

Join us at Wood Street Galleries for special, small group performances of Hiroaki Umeda’s high intensity solo work, Intensional Particle. The piece showcases Umeda’s signature style of mixing digital imagery, minimal soundscape, and extremely potent corporeality.

Tickets are available online. Wood Street Galleries is located at 601 Wood Street, atop the Wood Street T Station (map).

Bayanihan Mural Unveiling at Philippine Center of Pittsburgh, November 26.

The Philippine Center of Pittsburgh will host a Bayanihan Mural Unveiling on Saturday, November 26.

Since 2018, the Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh (FAAP) has been working on making the Philippine Center a building to call “home” for the Filipino community in Western Pennsylvania. FAAP has been working with Eliseo Silva; a renowned Filipino artist with over 35 years experience creating murals and more than a hundred award-winning public art projects, exhibits, and installations all over the world; to develop a mural which embodies the Bayanihan* spirit. The installation of this mural will finally give this building its “heart.”

Join us this Saturday, November 26 from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm for the unveiling of the mural and a meet-and-greet with the artist. Refreshments will be served at this free event.

Reserve your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bayanihan-mural-unveiling-tickets-472110393897

*“Bayanihan” is known as the Filipino spirit of communal unity to achieve a goal. It can be traced back to rural Philippines where the town’s people were asked to help move a family’s entire house to a new location. In order for the volunteers to carry the house, approximately twenty volunteers would move in unison, carrying bamboo poles that were secured underneath the house. This image is central to the mural.

The Philippine Center of Pittsburgh is located at 200 Church St. in West Mifflin (map).

Doreen Chan “HalfDream: Another Room” Opening Reception, December 2 at Mattress Factory.

The opening reception for the upcoming Mattress Factory exhibit, Doreen Chan's "HalfDream: Another Room," will be held on December 2.

The Mattress Factory is pleased to announce HalfDream: Another Room, a new solo exhibition by Hong Kong and US-based artist Doreen Chan. This new site-specific installation engages Chan’s on-going participatory art project, HalfDream, in which users around the world can describe their dreams, adding them to a database which matches common dreams of participants and connects “dreammates.”

Join us on Friday, December 2 from 6-8 PM for the opening reception and a conversation with the artist. “Dream drink” cocktails and light bites from Salems Grill will be available.

Traditional Japanese Puppetry in Dialogue with Contemporary Puppet Theater, November 10 at Pitt.

via tomleeprojects.com 
The Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh will host puppeteer Tom Lee and his lecture "Traditional Japanese Puppetry in Dialogue with Contemporary Puppet Theater" on November 10.

Join us for this talk with director, designer, and puppet artist Tom Lee. Mr. Lee is the creator of the multimedia puppet piece "Akutagawa," which he will be directing in Pittsburgh this February. During this talk, he will discuss this piece and his process to puppetry as an art form. For questions about the event, please contact Elizabeth Oyler (eaoyler@pitt.edu). This talk is sponsored by the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature and with support from the Japan Iron and Steel Federation Endowments of the University of Pittsburgh and the Asian Studies Center of the University Center for International Studies.

The talk starts at 11:00 am in 135 Chevron Hall (map).

Slam Poetry with Asia Samson, November 15 at Pitt-Johnstown.

The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Program Board will present Slam Poetry with Asia Samson on November 15.

Since 2009, The Asia Project has toured over 2000 colleges with an acoustic music poetry act that has amazed audiences all over the country. On the microphone is Asia Samson: writer, poet and part-time ninja. He has been seen on HBO Def Poetry Jam and has shared the stage with such artists as Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, DMX, Mos Def, Dead Prez and KRS-One. Accompanying him on the guitar is his brother-in-law Jollan who uses music to create an atmosphere that brings poetry to emotional levels you would never expect. They have been featured on HBO Def Poetry, Button Poetry, TEDx, NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, SoFar Sounds, Story Conference, and Entrepreneur’s Organization. They have worked with companies such as the US Military, Nokia, Disney, To Write Love On Her Arms and AEvolve. They have broken college-booking records for the most booked poetry act in the college market garnering them the awards of APCA College Performer of the Year and thrice APCA Spoken Word Artist of the Year.

The event start at 8:00 pm in the Student Union at UPJ, and registration is required.

Nakashima: A Bridge between East and West, November 12 at Pitt.

via nakashimawoodworkers.com

The Japanese Nationality Room Committee at the University of Pittsburgh will host Mira Nakashima and "Nakashima: A Bridge between East and West" on November 12.

Mira Nakashima is the daughter of the acclaimed architect, furniture designer, and craftsman George Nakashima. She will speak about her father's legacy and how his cultural ties to Japan affected his method of design in both furniture and architecture.

Mira Nakashima President and Creative Director of George Nakashima Woodworkers, who produce one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted, made to order furniture in their workshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

The event runs from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in 324 Cathedral of Learning. It is free and open to the public, though advance registration is required.

Mai Khoi & The Dissidents in concert at Alphabet City, November 30.

via mai-khoi.com

Mai Khoi & The Dissidents will play a free concert at Alphabet City---and broadcast online---on November 30.

City of Asylum artist-in-residence Mai Khôi presents a concert of brand-new music composed in collaboration with Pittsburgh-based pianist Mark Micchelli.

Khôi founded Mai Khôi and the Dissidents in Vietnam in 2017 as a vehicle to perform her genre-busting songs protesting government censorship and police violence. The band performed secretly at underground shows in Hanoi until threats from the Vietnamese government forced the band to change their name, then ultimately dissolve. Following Khôi’s exile to the United States, she reformed the band with local Pittsburgh musicians while continuing the group’s radical mission.

The American iteration of Mai Khôi and the Dissidents is an eclectic jazz-pop quintet that’s as likely to launch into a noisy protest song or collective improvisation as a lullaby or a love ballad. They have also toured Khôi’s multimedia stage show Bad Activist at high-profile venues in Pittsburgh, New York, and Las Vegas.

The show starts at 7:00 pm at Alphabet City at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map). Tickets are free but registration for the in-person and online performances is required.

1934 Korean silent film Crossroads of Youth (청춘의 십자로) with live music and narration, November 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 1934 Korean silent film Crossroads of Youth (청춘의 십자로), accompanied by live music and byeonsa narration, on November 5.

During the silent film era in Korea, movie screenings were accompanied by live music and narrators call Byeonsa. This special screening of Crossroads of Youth invites you to encounter the film just as Korean audiences did in 1934. The Korean Film Archive and director Tae-young Kim have reimagined the traditional Byeonsa theatrical event, bringing together the film, live musicians, actors, and narration for a dynamic multimedia experience.

The screening will be held on the 7th floor of Alumni Hall (map). Tickets are free, though registration is required.

Story Saturday: A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi by James Yang, November 19 at Carnegie Museum of Art.

The Carnegie Museum of Art will present "Story Saturday: A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi by James Yang" on November 19.

Join us in the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Decorative Arts and Design galleries for an in-person story time with curatorial assistant Alyssa Velazquez reading A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi by James Yang followed by an art-making activity for children 12 and under.

Refractions: Tishan Hsu & Ryan Inouye, November 3 at Carnegie Museum of Art.

The Carnegie Museum of Art will host a discussion with artist Tishan Hsu and Carnegie International associate curator Ryan Inouye on November 3. The event runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Join us for a series of in-person conversation-based readings, artist talks, and performances that position artists in the 58th Carnegie International in conversation with people across disciplines, practice, and geography. Designed to expand the context and experience of the exhibition, these live conversations will ignite the imagination with language, music, histories, cultural reflection, personal narratives, and more. Free, museum admission not required. Registration is encouraged, please register below.

Object Lesson: Wen-Ying Tsai, November 1 at University of Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh's University Art Gallery will host a discussion of a piece by Chinese-American artist Wen-Ying Tsai on November 1.

In 1971, the UAG acquired a work by Wen-Ying Tsai, an innovative Chinese-American artist best known for his cybernetic and light sculpture. The work has rarely been exhibited since that time. Join Prof. Alex Taylor and Vuk Vuković, PhD Student, as they take a closer look at Tsai’s work in the UAG collection. They will discuss Tsai’s work and discuss the special challenges of exhibiting and caring for kinetic sculpture.

The talk runs from 12:15 to 1:00 pm. Space is limited and registration is required.

Slam Poetry with Asia Samson, November 15 at Pitt-Johnstown.

The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Program Board will present Slam Poetry with Asia Samson on November 15.

Since 2009, The Asia Project has toured over 2000 colleges with an acoustic music poetry act that has amazed audiences all over the country. On the microphone is Asia Samson: writer, poet and part-time ninja. He has been seen on HBO Def Poetry Jam and has shared the stage with such artists as Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, DMX, Mos Def, Dead Prez and KRS-One. Accompanying him on the guitar is his brother-in-law Jollan who uses music to create an atmosphere that brings poetry to emotional levels you would never expect. They have been featured on HBO Def Poetry, Button Poetry, TEDx, NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, SoFar Sounds, Story Conference, and Entrepreneur’s Organization. They have worked with companies such as the US Military, Nokia, Disney, To Write Love On Her Arms and AEvolve. They have broken college-booking records for the most booked poetry act in the college market garnering them the awards of APCA College Performer of the Year and thrice APCA Spoken Word Artist of the Year.

The event start at 8:00 pm in the Student Union at UPJ, and registration is required.

1934 Korean silent film Crossroads of Youth (청춘의 십자로) with live music and narration, November 5 at Pitt.

via @crossroadofyouth 

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 1934 Korean silent film Crossroads of Youth (청춘의 십자로), accompanied by live music and byeonsa narration, on November 5.

During the silent film era in Korea, movie screenings were accompanied by live music and narrators call Byeonsa. This special screening of Crossroads of Youth invites you to encounter the film just as Korean audiences did in 1934. The Korean Film Archive and director Tae-young Kim have reimagined the traditional Byeonsa theatrical event, bringing together the film, live musicians, actors, and narration for a dynamic multimedia experience.

The screening will be held on the 7th floor of Alumni Hall (map). Tickets are free, though registration is required.

"The Kimono: From Tradition to High Fashion," October 17 at Pitt.

via AnOther magazine 

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present Melissa Marra-Alvarez and her talk "The Kimono: From Tradition to High Fashion" on October 17.

Since the opening of Japan’s borders to the West in the late nineteenth century, the kimono has become a dynamic and evolving source of inspiration for global fashion design, particularly in the West. It has had an impact on early haute couture and influenced the “Japanese Fashion Revolution” of the 1980s, as well as the work of contemporary fashion designers. This presentation will examine the kimono as a sophisticated garment that has continually influenced the evolution of fashion.

The talk runs from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall, and is free and open to the public. It is part of Pitt's International Week programming.

The Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus, October 12 in Pittsburgh.

The Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus will perform downtown at the PNC Theatre on October 12.

This event is presented in partnership with the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center. This attraction has been called "incredible," "breathtaking," "stunning," and "quite unbelievable," to quote but a few of the critics. As a special treat for fans of THE PEKING ACROBATS, this all new production now features performers from THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS to create a very special Chinese Acrobatic extravaganza unlike any other! The amalgamation of THE PEKING ACROBATS and THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS offers the unique talents and the very best of both shows.

For the last thirty one years,THE PEKING ACROBATS have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control.THE PEKING ACROBATS are often accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments; the time-honored Chinese music coalesces with high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.

THE PEKING ACROBATS are part of a time-honored Chinese tradition, rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. Tradition demands that each generation of acrobats add its own improvements and embellishments; because of this, high honor is conferred upon those skilled enough to become acrobats. THE PEKING ACROBATS seek to uphold this rich and ancient folk art tradition, bringing it to new technical heights while integrating twenty-first century technology.

“THE PEKING ACROBATS [are] pushing the envelope of human possibility,” combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of “pure artistry.”—Clive Davis of the New York Post

Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are available online. The PNC Theatre is located at 350 Forbes Ave. (map).

Fourth edition of "Fail-Safe: Los Angeles x Pittsburgh"---featuring Asian-American artists Young Joon Kwak, Kim Ye, Caroline Yoo, Davine Byon, and Stephanie Tsong---at Kelly Strayhorn Theater, November 11 and 12.

The November 11 and 12 edition of "Fail-Safe: Los Angeles x Pittsburgh" will prominently feature a number of LA- and Pittsburgh-based Asian-American artists and performers.

Fail-Safe is a recurring variety performance show which brings together artists exploring performance across disciplines to present new experimental projects in early stages of development. Organized by Angela Washko, Scott Andrew, and Jesse Stiles, this fourth edition of Fail-Safe will create a dialogue about performance between Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Fail-Safe: Los Angeles x Pittsburgh comprises two evenings of new and in-progress performance works by interdisciplinary musicians, performance artists, and dancers from these two cities. On both evenings, visiting artists will be preceded by a lineup of Pittsburgh-based artists whose practices share affinities.

On November 11th, Los Angeles-based artists Young Joon Kwak and Kim Ye present a new experimental performance work from their series Rites of Matrilineal Dissent. The digitally mediated performance takes audiences through a journey of failure and discovery, of new selves and new bodies, and new forms of love and kinship. Pittsburgh artists include Caroline Yoo, Goofy Toof, London Williams, and MICHIYAYA Dance featuring Anya Clark.

On November 12th, visiting artist duo Xina Xurner (Marvin Astorga and Young Joon Kwak) will present their cathartic music performance combining DIY and power electronics, mutated vocals, and bad drag to expand ideas about queer and trans bodies. Pittsburgh artists include Swampwalk, Sacred Sauce (Samira Mendoza & Gladstone Butler), and Davine Byon. The performances will be followed by a dance party hosted by Formosa (Jellyfish).

Please be advised: these performances will explore the topic of sexuality and some may include nudity.

Tickets are available online. The Kelly Strayhorn Theater is located at 5941 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map).

The Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus, October 12 in Pittsburgh.

The Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus will perform downtown at the PNC Theatre on October 12.

This event is presented in partnership with the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center. This attraction has been called "incredible," "breathtaking," "stunning," and "quite unbelievable," to quote but a few of the critics. As a special treat for fans of THE PEKING ACROBATS, this all new production now features performers from THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS to create a very special Chinese Acrobatic extravaganza unlike any other! The amalgamation of THE PEKING ACROBATS and THE SHANGHAI CIRCUS offers the unique talents and the very best of both shows.

For the last thirty one years,THE PEKING ACROBATS have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control.THE PEKING ACROBATS are often accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments; the time-honored Chinese music coalesces with high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.

THE PEKING ACROBATS are part of a time-honored Chinese tradition, rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. Tradition demands that each generation of acrobats add its own improvements and embellishments; because of this, high honor is conferred upon those skilled enough to become acrobats. THE PEKING ACROBATS seek to uphold this rich and ancient folk art tradition, bringing it to new technical heights while integrating twenty-first century technology.

“THE PEKING ACROBATS [are] pushing the envelope of human possibility,” combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of “pure artistry.”—Clive Davis of the New York Post

Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are available online. The PNC Theatre is located at 350 Forbes Ave. (map).

Movies from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan help comprise second annual SCREENSHOT: Asia Festival, September 28 through October 3.

The second annual University of Pittsburgh SCREENSHOT: Asia Festival will run from September 28 through October 2 and feature films from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and elsewhere across Asia. The schedule was released this afternoon and includes: 

• Baby Assassins & Martial Arts Short (Japan)
• Dear Tenant (Taiwan) 
• Fire on the Plain (China)
• Maelstrom (Japan), the 2022 Japan Documentary Film Award winner. 
• Small, Slow but Steady (Japan)
• The Girl on a Bulldozer (Korea)

The movies will play at Alumni Hall and Frick Fine Arts on the University of Pittsburgh campus, the Tull Family Theater in Sewickley, and the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District.  Tickets are now available online.

Japanese choreographer and artist Hiroaki Umeda at Wood Street Galleries, December 28 - 30.

Japanese choreographer and artist Hiroaki Umeda will perform at downtown Pittsburgh's Wood Street Galleries from December 28 through 30, it was announced recently.

Hiroaki Umeda is a choreographer and a multidisciplinary artist recognized as one of the leading figures of the Japanese avant-garde art scene. Since the launch of his company S20, his subtle yet violent dance pieces have toured around the world to audience and critical acclaim. His work is acknowledged for the highly holistic artistic methodology with strong digital background, which considers not only physical elements as dance, but also optical, sensorial and, above all, spatiotemporal components as part of the choreography. Based on his profound interest in choreographing time and space, Umeda has spread his talent not only as a choreographer and dancer, but also as a composer, lighting designer, scenographer and visual artist.

Join us at Wood Street Galleries for special, small group performances of Hiroaki Umeda’s high intensity solo work, Intensional Particle. The piece showcases Umeda’s signature style of mixing digital imagery, minimal soundscape, and extremely potent corporeality.

Tickets are available online. Wood Street Galleries is located at 601 Wood Street, atop the Wood Street T Station (map).

Onigiri (Rice Ball) Workshop with Ginger Brooks Takahashi, June 17 in Oakland.

via 5th Luna

The JADED public art programming series will present an Onigiri (Rice Ball) Workshop with Ginger Brooks Takahashi on June 17. From the JADED Instagram page:

Learn how to make onigiri (Japanese rice balls, perfect for taking on picnics or in a lunch box) with various fillings and wraps! The workshop will be limited to 20 people maximum.

After the workshop, we will convene outdoors with a picnic open to the wider public community (open to AAPI allies as well) from 5-7PM! Bring other dishes to share with others!

The workshop will be held at Phipps Conservatory in Oakland (map). Registration is required and can be made online.