The Smithsonian Institution celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage month with events including films, performances, talks, tours and demonstrations.
| WASHINGTON D.C. | |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art |
| Title: | Arts of Japan |
| Date: | Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 23, 1:15 pm Sunday, May 11, 2:15 pm |
| Description: | The tour presents an overview of the Freer's unparalleled collection of Japanese screens, paintings, prints, lacquerware, ceramics, and sculpture. Meet at the Information Desk |
| Location: | National Air and Space Museum, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater |
| Title: | Most Honorable Son: A Japanese American B-24 Gunner in World War II |
| Date: | Thursday, May 1, 7:30 pm |
| Description: | Ben Kuroki, one of the few Japanese Americans admitted to the Army Air Corps, discusses a career that included thirty missions over Europe. The evening includes a screening of the PBS documentary Most Honorable Son and a discussion with the director, Bill Kubota. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Visit www.nasm.si.edu/events/lectures/ticketsform.cfm or call 202.633.2378. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Kodomo-No-Hi: Children's Day |
| Date: | Friday, May 2, 10:15 am, 11:30 am, and 1 pm |
| Description: | Celebrate Japanese Children's Day with the Kodomo Dance Theater, a troupe of young dancers in traditional kimono dress. The program includes a visit to the Freer's galleries to examine Japanese art. Each audience member receives a handmade origami crane. Recommended for ages 6–10. Resident Associate members, $4. General admission, $5 for children, $6 for adults. Call 202.633.8700. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | The Marines Who Never Returned |
| Date: | Friday, May 2, 7 pm |
| Description: | Frequently cited as one of the true classics of Korean cinema, Lee Man-hee's ambitious production conveys intimate moments of camaraderie and friendship among a band of soldiers during the Korean War. Two free tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before the screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Part of the Korean Film Festival D.C. (1962, 110 minutes, Korean with English subtitles) |
| Location: | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Freer Gallery Courtyard |
| Title: | Korean Kites |
| Date: | Saturday, May 3 - Sunday, May 4, 2 pm |
| Description: | Children use an activity book to explore Korean art in the galleries, learn to make a Korean kite in the Freer courtyard, and then fly the kites on the National Mall. Recommended for ages 8–14, accompanied by an adult. Groups larger than eight must make reservations for a morning session by calling 202.633.0461. |
| Location: | Hirshhorn Museum and Sculptures Garden, Ring Auditorium |
| Title: | The Art of Chinese Calligraphy |
| Date: | Saturday, May 3, Saturdays, May 3 - June 14, 1-3:30 pm |
| Description: | In six sessions, students use Chinese brushes and ink as they write basic Chinese characters and compose short phrases and poems. Instructor John Shun-Chieh Wang teaches calligraphy at the Freer and Sackler Galleries. Resident Associate members, $175. General admission, $221. Call 202.633.3030. |
| Location: | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| Title: | MURAQQA': Imperial Mughal Albums from the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin |
| Date: | Saturday, May 3 - Sunday, August 3, 10 am - 5:30 pm |
| Description: | Among the most remarkable of Mughal paintings and calligraphic works are those commissioned by the emperors Jahangir (1605–27) and Shah Jahan (1627–58) for display in lavish albums. The exhibition brings together eighty-six masterpieces, many not previously seen in the United States. |
| Location: | National Postal Museum |
| Title: | Sharing Stories/Sharing Heritage: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Family Day Celebration |
| Date: | Sunday, May 4, 11 am - 3 pm |
| Description: | The whole family is invited to the kick-off event of the Smithsonian's celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The day includes workshops on origami, letter writing, stamp designing, and storybook making; presentations by artist Sushmita Mazumdar, storyteller Kathy Mathieson, and children's book author and stamp illustrator Kam Mak; and performances by Hawaiian dance group Halau O Na Hali'a, South Asian "fusion dance team" Chamak, and the Northern Virginia Rondalla, a string orchestra that plays traditional Filipino folk music. Children's books with Asian American themes will be available for purchase. This is the fifth and final event in the Smithsonian Heritage Month series "Sharing Stories/ Sharing Heritage," which explores the ways objects and stories connect us to our heritage and to each other. |
| Location: | S. Dillon Ripley Center |
| Title: | Cinematic Collaboration: Zhang Yimou and Gong Li |
| Date: | Sunday, May 4, 1 - 4 pm |
| Description: | Film historian Max Alvarez examines the twenty-year artistic relationship between Chinese director Zhang Yimou and actress Gong Li. The director's themes of resilience in the face of hardship have been reinforced by Gong's ability to take on difficult roles. Resident Associate members, $20. General admission, $25. Call 202.633.3030. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Wildflower in the Battlefield |
| Date: | Sunday, May 4, 2 pm |
| Description: | Set in the early days of the Korean War, Lee Man-hee's film views the brutal fighting from the perspective of a young boy who has been adopted as a "mascot" by a group of soldiers. Two free tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before the screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Part of the Korean Film Festival D.C. (1974, 102 minutes, Korean with English subtitles) |
| Location: | Discovery Theater, S. Dillon Ripley Center |
| Title: | American Rice |
| Date: | Tuesday, May 6 - Friday, May 9, Tuesday, May 13 - Wednesday, May 14, and Friday, May 16 10:15 and 11:30 am |
| Description: | In this original Discovery Theater play, written and performed by young people, three Asian American children yearn to find a place and to find their voice in a school talent show. Recommended for ages 7–14. Resident Associate members, $4. General admission, $5 for children, $6 for adults. Call 202.633.8700. |
| Location: | National Museum of Natural History, Rotunda |
| Title: | Asian Arts and Crafts Festival |
| Date: | Friday, May 9, 10 am - 4 pm |
| Description: | The twenty-second annual event includes demonstrations of Thai fruit and vegetable carving; Philippine weaving; Chinese paper folding; Korean calligraphy, watercolor painting, and ceramics; Mongolian mask making; and butterfly painting by Natural History's scientific illustrator Vichai Malikul. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | The Legacy Tour |
| Date: | Friday, May 9, 7:30 pm |
| Description: | Two of the leading father-son teams in Indian music join forces for this celebration of the venerable guru-disciple tradition. Sitar players Partha and Purbayan Chatterjee are joined by the tabla artist Anindo Chatterjee and his son Anubrata. The performance is free, but tickets are required. Two tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before show time on a first-come, first-served basis. A pre-concert gallery tour of Indian art begins at 6:45 pm. |
| Location: | S. Dillon Ripley Center |
| Title: | Regional Riches: China off the Beaten Track |
| Date: | Saturday, May 10, 10 am - 3 pm |
| Description: | The Smithsonian Associates presents an armchair tour of some of China's greatest cultural and religious sites, from the ancient capital of the first imperial dynasty to the mixture of old and new in today's Sichuan province. Resident Associate members, $75. General admission, $110. Call 202.633.3030. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | The Compassionate Art of Indian Temple Sculpture |
| Date: | Saturday, May 10, 1 pm |
| Description: | Art historian and filmmaker Benoy K. Behl discusses the connections between Indian aesthetics, philosophy, religion, and architecture, and screens one of his documentaries. At 2:30 pm, he leads a gallery talk on Indian temple sculpture. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Love, Marriage, and Family in the New Korea |
| Date: | Sunday, May 11, 1 pm |
| Description: | This panel discussion explores recent changes in Korean attitudes towards traditional families and romantic relationships, and how these changes have been depicted in Korean cinema. Panelists include Hyunjun Min of the Korean Film Festival D.C. and director Lee Yoon-ki, whose Ad Lib Night will be screened at the Freer thirty minutes after the talk. (See the Films section.) Free tickets (2 per person) are available at 12 noon on a first come, first served basis. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Ad Lib Night |
| Date: | Sunday, May 11, 2:30 pm |
| Description: | A young woman is approached with a strange request: impersonate the prodigal daughter of a man now on his deathbed. The man's only wish is to see his daughter again so he can die in peace. Lee Yoon-ki's independent feature probes the nature of family relationships and asks whether deception is sometimes better than the truth. The screening is preceded by a 1 pm panel discussion with the director. (See the Talks section.) Free tickets (2 per person) to both events are available at the Freer beginning at 12 noon on a first-come, first-served basis. Part of the Korean Film Festival D.C. (2006, 100 minutes, Korean with English subtitles) |
| Location: | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| Title: | Gallery Talk: Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii |
| Date: | Thursday, May 15, and 29, 4 pm |
| Description: | Docent coordinator Carol Wilson discusses the huge video map of the United States by Nam June Paik who was the first to use the phrase "electronic superhighway." Paik's installation reminds us that each state has a distinct identity and culture, even in today's information age. Meet in front of the work in the Lincoln Gallery, Third Floor. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art |
| Title: | Arts of China |
| Date: | Friday, May 16, and Thursday, May 29, 1:15 pm |
| Description: | Chinese art has flourished since Neolithic times. This tour gives a sense of that sweeping history by highlighting ceramics, lacquerware, paintings, calligraphic works, and ancient bronzes and jades. Meet at the Information Desk. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Dasepo Naughty Girls |
| Date: | Friday, May 16, 7 pm |
| Description: | Featuring an uproarious opening musical number and a yodeling song-and-dance routine by "Anthony, the exchange student from Switzerland," E. J-young's twisted musical comedy satirizes everything from Internet dating to cross-dressing. But beneath the bawdy jokes is a touching story of a poor, shy girl just trying to fit in at the weirdest high school imaginable. Two free tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before the screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Part of the Korean Film Festival D.C. (2006, 103 minutes, Korean with English subtitles) Note: This film is intended for mature audiences. |
| Location: | S. Dillon Ripley Center |
| Title: | The Religions of China: Visions of the Way |
| Date: | Saturday, May 17, 10 am - 4:30 pm |
| Description: | This seminar explores the three major religions of China—Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism—and the basic assumptions underlying the Chinese religious worldview. It is led by Charles B. Jones, professor of religion and culture at Catholic University. Resident Associate members, $85. General admission, $120. Call 202.633.3030. |
| Location: | National Museum of Natural History, Baird Auditorium |
| Title: | Asian Pacific Heritage Music and Dance Performance |
| Date: | Saturday, May 17, 2 pm |
| Description: | The seventh annual event features Shizumi Kodomo, Wat Thai of Washington, D.C., and the Cambodian American Heritage Dance Troupe. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | Birth of a nASIAN |
| Date: | Saturday, May 17, 7 pm |
| Description: | "Trip hop" duo Kate Rigg and Lyris Hung of Slanty Eyed Mama return to the Freer with their electrifying music and comic monologues. The play Birth of a nASIAN features such characters as a "China Latina," who can't seem to tick the right box at the unemployment office, and a thirty-two-year-old woman who finally has enough confidence to go to cheerleading camp. The event is free, but tickets are required. Two tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before show time on a first-come, first-served basis. A pre-performance gallery tour, "East Meets West," begins at 6:15 pm. Meet at the Freer Information Desk. Note: This event is intended for mature audiences. |
| Location: | National Museum of the American Indian |
| Title: | A Hawaiian Festival |
| Date: | Saturday, May 17 - Sunday, May 18, 11 am - 4:30 pm |
| Description: | The National Museum of the American Indian celebrates Hawaiian culture, language, and history. The day includes music, storytelling, films and lectures, and hula performance |
| Location: | National Museum of the American Indian, Patron's Lounge (Fourth Level) |
| Title: | Noenoe Silva |
| Date: | Saturday, May 17 - Sunday, May 18, 2 pm |
| Description: | Noenoe Silva, born on the island of Oahu, teaches courses in indigenous Hawaiian politics, language, and culture at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She reads from her book Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism. A signing of the book follows. |
| Location: | National History Museum, Baird Auditorium |
| Title: | Architectural Olympics in Beijing |
| Date: | Sunday, May 18, 2 pm |
| Description: | In this illustrated lecture, designer Li Xinggang and structural engineer Fu Xuey discuss two extraordinary Olympic structures, the National Stadium (called the "Bird's Nest") and the National Aquatics Center (the "Water Cube"). Students $10. Resident Associate members, $15. General admission, $20. Call 202.633.3030. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium |
| Title: | If You Were Me 2 |
| Date: | Sunday, May 18, 2 pm |
| Description: | This compendium of five short films was produced by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. The films' subjects—including the plight of refugees and immigrants, prejudice against the physically challenged, and the problems of temporary workers—are treated in styles ranging from straightforward documentary to sly comedy. Two free tickets per person are distributed at the Meyer Auditorium one hour before the screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Part of the Korean Film Festival D.C. (2005, 112 minutes, Korean with English subtitles) |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art |
| Title: | Sacred Arts of Asia |
| Date: | Monday, May 19, 1:15 pm |
| Description: | In this tour of works created for worship, participants learn how visual characteristics reflect key religious principles and practices. Meet at the Information Desk. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art |
| Title: | Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and Himalayas |
| Date: | Thursday, May 22, 1:15 pm |
| Description: | The tour includes a discussion on the ways in which the arts of the region are intertwined with the traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism. Meet at the Information Desk. |
| Location: | National Zoological Park |
| Title: | Animals of Asia |
| Date: | Saturday, May 24, 10 am - 12 noon |
| Description: | The National Zoo celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a class in which children meet a number of endangered Asian species and learn about their homes and their adaptations to climate. Recommended for ages 6–9. There is a $28 fee. Register online at nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/Classes/classes.cfm. |
| Location: | Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kogod Courtyard |
| Title: | Sumi-e Ink Workshop |
| Date: | Saturday, May 24, 1 - 4 pm |
| Description: | Local artist Jamaliah Morais demonstrates the freestyle techniques that are seen in the Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition Obata's Yosemite. Register by May 16 at saamprograms@si.edu or 202.633.8490. There is a $50 materials fee. Participants can take the materials home. |
| Location: | National Zoological Park |
| Title: | Panda Paradise |
| Date: | Saturday, May 24 - Sunday, May 25, 10 am - 12 noon |
| Description: | This two-day class concentrates on the life of pandas and their habitat in China. Recommended for ages 4–5. There is a $28 fee. Register online at nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/Classes/classes.cfm. |
| Location: | Freer Gallery of Art, Conference Room |
| Title: | Meet the Author: Grant Hayter-Menzies |
| Date: | Thursday, May 29, 7 pm |
| Description: | Grant Hayter-Menzies discusses his book Imperial Masquerade: The Legend of Princess Der Ling, a colorful biography of a twentieth-century princess and writer who was an apologist of the much-reviled Empress Dowager Cixi and herself a figure of controversy—arguments about her rage in China to this day. A book signing follows. |
| Location: | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| Title: | Yellow Mountain: China's Ever-Changing Landscape |
| Date: | Saturday, May 31 - Sunday, August 24, 10 am - 5:30 pm |
| Description: | Yellow Mountain (Mount Huang or Huangshan) is one of the most beautiful sights in China, and for centuries artists have endeavored to capture that beauty in the shifts of light and changes of weather. The interpretations in this exhibition include seventeenth-century woodblock prints by monks who lived in the surrounding wilderness. |
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