Festival 2022
60+
virtual & in person events
Sponsors
Community Partners V IA
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explorASIAN
VAHMS Team Board of Directors Co-Vice Presidents
Welcome to
Shahid Abrar-ul-Hassan Valentine Ostaszewski Secretary
Sherry Hadian Z. Moghaddam Treasurer
Jimmy Yan Executive Director
Jasper Sloan Yip
Past President & Senior Advisor
Leticia Sanchez
Patricia Woroch Fred Soofi Kiana Hipolito Jessica Lam Judy Lam Maxwell Yuhan Yu Advisors
Leo Cunanan Kelly Ip Hayne Wai Brian Sullivan Bob Sung Farid Rohani Jan Walls Raminder Dosanjh Shiva Mojtabavi Beverly Nann Ken McAteer Winnie Cheung Ambassador
Jeffrey Chan Judy Lam Maxwell Legal Advisor
Melissa Remulla-Briones Honorary Patron
Vivienne Poy Patrons
Elder Larry Grant Fei Wong
explorASIAN Festival is back to celebrate its 26 years of promoting pan-Asian Canadian arts, culture, and heritage in Metro Vancouver. After two years of only producing online events, this year’s Festival is more vital than ever in bringing communities together. As such, we thought it was appropriate to revitalize explorASIAN by reimagining the significance of the Festival. With “explorASIAN” as the main theme for our 2022 festival, this is a year to explore, reconnect, and recognize our humanity to reconcile our relationship with the many diverse communities sharing this land. To this end, we will be presenting more than 60 live, online, and hybrid events to provide spaces and platforms for pan-Asian Canadian cultural expressions. The explorASIAN Festival’s primary purpose is the creation of public awareness and appreciation of the rich pan-Asian Canadian cultural heritage. It is all about music, art, literary works, dance, stage, videos, films, and workshops for all audiences. Through this medium, it encourages us to understand our differences and embrace our commonalities. Thanks to the help of all those who are involved, it has grown to become the second-largest festival celebrating Asian Heritage Month in Canada. The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society serves as the driving force for the Festival, as well as to develop an environment of synergy, collaboration, and identity by establishing solid relationships and partnerships with Asian and Non-Asian artistic and cultural Communities. I am delighted by the efforts that the staff, volunteers, and VAHMS Board of Directors have made to produce another successful festival. My gratefulness to all our collaborators, partners, and sponsors, big and small, for believing in our mission. We could not continue to be the hub of the Asian Heritage Month Celebration without your support. To our dear public, thank you for supporting arts and culture, especially ones from a pan-Asian Canadian voice and perspective. We hope this program will encourage you to experience and familiarize yourself with the strong representation of pan-Asian Canadian communities in Metro Vancouver. We invite you to join us in celebrating this year’s Asian Canadian Heritage Month. Kind Regards,
Volunteers
Leticia Sanchez Past President & VAHMS Advisor
Designer, Program Guide & Poster
The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) and explorASIAN Festival are hosted by and largely attended on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded land and shared territories of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), the sel ̓íl ̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations in the city colonially known as Vancouver. We honour the ancestors of this land and the continual stewardship enacted by the host nations and are deeply grateful for the opportunity and privilege of living and working on these lands.
Elisha Wang Damien Tang Avery Go Isabel Espinosa Clara Lo
Donghee Seo
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Proud sponsors of
explorASIAN
Interconnected Artist Spotlights Interconnected Artist Spotlights
Durrah Alsaif Artist Statement
Originally from Saudi Arabia but now living in Canada, Alsaif is interested in exploring the ever-changing and malleable conditions based on cultural and socio-political notions in her home country via the lens of a person living in North America. She explores these ideas with photography, performance, sculpture, and installation.
Bio
Durrah Alsaif is an interdisciplinary artist, who received her B.A. in 2017 from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She has exhibited her work at galleries nationally. Alsaif had a public artwork in Stadium/Chinatown Skytrain station in Vancouver, BC for her work Qimash as part of the Capture Photography Festival in collaboration with TransLink.
Festival Schedule
Julia Im VAHMS Events
Artist Statement
Minhwa is a Korean art form that I practice to express love to my children and to wish health, peace, stability, freedom, and happiness on others. Minhwa is a type of Korean art that was painted by common folk in the past. People painted to wish for fairness, dream, love, freedom, happiness, health, etc. in their lives. Minhwa uses 5 colours: yellow, blue, white, red, and black to express jewel-like colours given to us by our ancestors. I believe my paintings express a reappearance of minhwa (folk art): a pair of birds enjoying flowers; water and rocks; a beautiful phoenix that brings hope.
Bio
Partner Events
Julia was born in South Korea and graduated with a fine arts education degree from Gyeongin National University of Education. Afterwards, she was an art teacher in middle school. Korean middle school’s art curriculums are heavily focused on theory and European art history. Due to that, she was more exposed to European art style and techniques when teaching her students to paint. In early 2000, her life completely changed. She got married and had three beautiful children. With young children and responsibilities, her career had to go on pause. Also, she made up her mind to move to Vancouver for her children’s education and to become a full-time mother to support them. While she was supporting her kids, she had opportunities in Vancouver to see Indigenous, Chinese, Japanese, and Canadian art, which helped widen her perspective on fine art. In 2019, she was able to resume her career with her family’s support. The support meant so much to her and she wanted to express her passion and roots through one of Korea’s art styles called minhwa. She mainly focuses on painting flowers, birds, and butterflies to wish health, peace, stability, and happiness. explorASIAN
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Interconnected Artist Spotlights Vincent L. Chan Artist Statement
In 2017, my oldest sister and I set off on our first-ever trip to China to connect with our long lost, but not forgotten, older brother. He still lives in the village that our mother was born in San He Chang in the township of Shen Jing, city of Taishan, province of Guangdong and was forced to flee during the exodus from Communism in the early 1950s. “My Mother Was Born Here” is a photographic series captured during our 11 days in this village. There are no family pictures included here. Instead, these are images of the local folk I met during my daily walkabouts and the fleeting moments of life in a place connected to my history and somehow a part of my blood. I felt a sense of familiarity in this place the land I trekked, the air I breathed, the food I ate, the faces I encountered. As if I had always been in this village. And though I was welcomed by all whom I met, I was still an outsider looking in. The life of my mother’s village imprinted on the faces of these people drew me to creating these images in black and white. There are no distractions—just the essence of joy, hardship, pride, and contemplation reflected in the human experience.
Bio
Since the age of three, Vincent L. Chan has held a camera in his hand. Intrigued by both the art and science behind photography, Vincent learned his trade from the bottom up, developing his craft through years of apprenticeship with leading photographers in Canada and the United States. For most of his photographic journey, he concentrated on commercial work while honing his expertise in black and white portraiture. Vincent draws his inspiration from the works of George Hurrell and the great Canadian portrait photographer Yousef Karsh, as well as from classic painters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer.
Avery Go Artist Statement
Drawing is a way for me to express my emotions, intensifying shadows, light, and sometimes colour. It’s greatly satisfying for me to see shapes form to end up looking like something real, so I can more easily imagine myself entering their fantastical and/or colourful worlds. I always think of things in a mathematical sort of way when drawing, sorting things into fractions and ratios. Therefore, I rely heavily on my sense of spatial awareness when drawing. My drawings are influenced by my emotions and my surroundings. I like to survey my surroundings to figure out what colour combinations work and which colours are on what part of a face or object or otherwise.
Bio
Avery Go is a self-taught aspiring artist, born and raised in Vancouver. She mostly draws people, and in general, tends to draw in a realistic style. An always curious person, she finds the world, with its shapes and colours, fascinating, and replicating and embellishing these in her art is something that brings her joy. Her preferred mediums are graphite or Procreate. Despite this, she would love to be able to experiment and use other mediums more often. Avery started drawing when she was around two years old; a hobby she has carried with her throughout her life. She knew she wanted to become an artist when she was six, and now, ten years later, still hopes to fulfill that dream by pursuing a path in visual arts in university.
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Festival Schedule
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VAHMS Events & Collaborations
April 7
9 20
RE: Through the Times
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National Canadian Film Day Virtual Double Feature: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open & The Breadwinner
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ERDEM TAŞDELEN: A Minaret for the General’s Wife
Date: May 7 Time: 1:30pm Ceremony, 4:00pm Reception
Identity to the Infinite Extreme - Asian Canadian Storytelling in 2022 with Jamie Liew, Cheuk Kwan, and Wayne Ng
Arts of the Tokonoma Lecture Series
Date: April 24, May 15 Time: 1:00pm
Date: May 7 Time: 3:00pm - 4:30pm
explorASIAN Opening Ceremony
Finding Our Voices, Telling Our Stories
Date: April 30 Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Date: May 7 Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
East is East presents “Flamenco Dim Sum”
Asian Heritage - THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
Date: May 7 - 9 Time:10:00am - 7:00pm
May
Date: May 7 - June 26 Time: Tue - Sat, 10:00am - 5:00pm
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Dandelions from the Roots of History: Infusing History into Fiction with Jamie Liew
Intro to Gamelan Workshop
Date: May 8 Time: 10:00am - 11:00pm
Uzume Taiko: An Intimate Portrait
Writing From the Gut: Tapping into one’s core, the depths of epistolary and self-awareness writing with Wayne Ng
Date: May 1 Time: 7:30pm
Date: May 1 - 7 Time: 12:00pm - 11:59pm
Cross Cultural Walking Tours
Date: May 8 Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
“Fresh off the Press!” Book Signing Event
Date: May 1, 8, 15, 22 Time: 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Date: May 8 Time:12:00pm - 4:00pm
The Historian of Time through a Ball Point Pen
Differentiating Fiction for Print, Stage, and the Screen with Grace Chin
Date: May 1 - 30 Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Japanese Design Today 100 | 現代日本のデ ザイン100選
Mozaico Flamenco presents “Flamenco Dim Sum” Date: May 1 Time: 3:00pm
Uzume Taiko Drumming Workshop
Date: May 7 Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
East Lillooet Internment Memorial Garden Reception
Date: April 30 Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
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Heritage BC & BCMA 2022 Joint Conference
Date: May 4, 11, 18 Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm
Date: April 22 - July 31 Time: Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm Weekends, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
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Then and Now: A look at the experiences of Asian-Canadian members from British Columbia who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces
Date: May 3 Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
The Vanishing Landscape
Date: April 20 Time: 48 Hours
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Filipino Fridays Music Lounge Series Date: Mondays in May Time: 11:00am
Date: April 7 - May 5 Time: Mon - Fri, 10:30am - 9:00pm Weekends, 10:00am - 4:30pm
Date: April 9 - June 4 Time: Wed - Sat, 12:00pm - 6:00pm
O Canada! Amazing Vancouver
Date: May 2 - May 31 Time: Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 4:00pm
explorASIAN
Date: May 8 Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
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The Varying Differences of Writing for Print and Stage at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre with Leslie Lum
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Performance as Writing – Finding Your Voice on the Stage for Readings with Raugi Yu
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Date: May 8 Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Virtual Chinatown Walkabout
Dumb Instrument Dance
Passages of Rhythms
Date: May 19, 20 Time: 8:00pm
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Josh Feinberg in Concert with Tabla prodigy Vivek Pandya Stronger Together: Exploring the U.S. and Canada’s Shared Asian Heritage Connotation of Chinese Ancient Poems
Date: May 14 Time: 10:00am - 11:30am
Introduction to Batik Workshop
Date: May 20, 21, 27, 28 Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
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Capture Festival Canada Line Walking Tour
VAHMS Community Awards Celebration
Thangka Art
Date: May 14 Time: 7:00pm
10th VAFF Industry Insight Series Celebrate Representation, Opportunity and Evolution by Vancouver Asian Film Festival Industry Program
Date: May 21 Time: 6:00pm Reception, 8:00pm Show
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Date: May 26 Time: 6:30pm
Migration + Resilience = BC: An Untold History
Date: May 27 Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
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“All or Nothing”: the journey from page to stage
Date: May 28 Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Date: May 14
TJ Fest
On the Move: 2nd National Showcase
Date: May 28 Time: 5:00pm
Spring Show 2022
E8 SEE Us HEAR Us Concert: Songs of Resilience
Eid Mehfil online
Date: May 15 Time: 7:00pm
Asian Literary Circle Book Discussion
Partner Events
Date: May 14, 15 Time: 11:00am - 4:00pm Date: May 14, 15 Time: May 14 (11:00am - 4:00pm), May 15 (10:00am - 3:00pm)
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The Truth of Yoga
VAHMS Events
Global Asia Talks: Food Justice in Focus
Experience Kōdō: Japanese Incense Ceremony
Date: May 21, 22 Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm, 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Date: May 14 Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm Date: May 14 Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Festival Schedule
Date: May 20, 21 Time: 8:00pm
Date: May 13 Time: 11:00am
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World Premiere of Different Than Before MV
Date: May 20 Time: 10:00am
Sounds Global In Concert: new intercultural music for chamber ensembles
Date: May 12, 13 Time: 8:00pm
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The Hong Kong & Taiwanese Diaspora in the Literary Imagination: A Reading + Conversation
Date: May 19 Time: 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Date: May 11 Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Date: May 12 - 14 Time: 8:00pm
From Far & Wide: Pacific Canada StoryFest
Date: May 18, June 1, June 18 Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Date: May 8 Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
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BC Museums Week 2022
Date: May 16 - 22
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
May
Date: May 28 Time: TBA
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Road Work: Street Photography from the 70s and 80s
Date: May 29 Time: 2:00pm
Date: May 15 Time: 2.00pm - 3.30pm
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Festival Schedule June 11
Japan Market Summer Festival
Date: June 11, 12 Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Quarantine Qapsule Exhibition: Chad Wong - Empty Spaces that Fill My Heart Exhibition: Kyla Bourgh Objects given to my mom because she is Asian
Ongoing Seeds to Success: Story of the H.Y. Louie Family
Time: Fri - Sun, 10:00am - 4:00pm
The Living Room
Time: Wed - Sat, 12:00pm - 6:00pm
Revisiting The Asianadian Time: Wed - Sat, 12:00pm - 6:00pm
Krystal Kiran: Branscombe House Artist Residency Programming
Time: Various
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VAHMS Events
April 20 - 30
National Canadian Film Day Virtual Double Feature: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open & The Breadwinner explorASIAN Festival is pleased to present virtual screenings of two amazing Independent Canadian Films. The screening links will be live at 10:00am PST on April 20th and remain live for 48 hours. Date: April 20 Venue: Virtual
Time: 48 Hours Ticket: Free
explorASIAN Opening Ceremony
Register
The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society is pleased to invite you to the 26th explorASIAN Festival Opening Ceremony! Together we will celebrate the start of Asian Heritage Month and explorASIAN Festival 2022 at the Vancouver campus of Simon Fraser University. This free ceremony will include a catered reception, speeches by esteemed guests, and performances to showcase the growing communities of Pan-Asian heritage and their rich, vibrant history in Canada. We are again pleased to be partnering with many distinguished partners, one of them being Simon Fraser University, which is well known for its interest in diversity and intercultural understanding. Space is limited, register early! Performances by: Luka Kawabata Kage & Noriko Kim Kobayashi Gamelan Tekanan Suara Arkai Mozaico Flamenco Date: April 30 Venue: SFU Vancouver Campus, 515 W Hastings St, Time: Doors, 9:45 AM Ceremony, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Room 1400, Joseph & Rosalie Segal Centre Ticket: Free
Filipino Fridays Music Lounge Series In partnership with Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, explorASIAN Festival and CiTR 101.9 FM, every week in May, Filipino Fridays Podcast will feature emerging Filipino artists to perform live music sessions at the CiTR lounge. To close Asian Heritage Month, artists from the series will play at a grand finale show. Discover over a dozen emerging Filipino/a/x artists across multiple genres. Featuring: DACEY, Francis Arevalo, Reign Cruz and more. LISTEN: Tune in to CiTR 101.9 on Mondays from 11:00am - 1:00pm and follow Filipino Fridays Podcast on all podcast streaming platforms. Date: Mondays in May Venue: Virtual
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Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Finale Time TBA Ticket: Free & Ticketed
VAHMS Events
May 3 - 13
The Canadian Armed Forces serves all Canadians and the members in uniform reflect the diversity that exists in Canada. Learn about the experiences of four distinguished military representatives of the army, navy and air force based in British Columbia who have Asian-Canadian heritage. Hear how Canada continues to build a military workforce that leverages the diversity of Canadian society, and will help enhance military operational effectiveness by drawing on all the strengths of Canada’s population. Date: May 3 Venue: Virtual
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00PM Ticket: Free
Register
The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC is pleased to host a virtual Chinatown Walkabout for this year’s explorASIAN Festival. This Zoom tour will be led by John Atkin, Bob Sung and Hayne Wai. John is a civic historian and heritage consultant; Bob hosts cultural and culinary tours of Chinatown; and, Hayne is a longtime Chinatown researcher and advocate. They are all past presidents of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC and collectively have over one hundred years of Chinatown involvement. The event will be framed on the Vancouver Heritage Foundation Chinatown Guide. Advance reading is recommended.
VAHMS Events
Date: May 11 Venue: Virtual
Festival Schedule
Virtual Chinatown Walkabout
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
Then and Now: A look at the experiences of Asian-Canadian members from British Columbia who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces Register
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Ticket: By Donation
Stronger Together: Exploring the U.S. and Canada’s Shared Asian Heritage Register
Date: May 13 Venue: Virtual
Partner Events
Asian communities in North America have played vital roles in shaping Canada and the United States – from building both countries’ transcontinental railways to fighting for civil rights. Today they continue to contribute to advancements in science, literature, politics and beyond, as well as impact North America’s rich multicultural societies. In celebration of May’s Asian Canadian and Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, explorAsian and the U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver are proud to bring together trailblazing Asian Americans and Asian Canadians to discuss their journeys in the fields of space, diplomacy and acting. Time: 11:00 AM Ticket: Free
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VAHMS Events
May 14 - 20
Connotation of Chinese Ancient Poems
Register
The greatest feature of ancient Chinese poetry is its profound meaning. The true meaning of poetry is often different from the literal meaning. It relates with culture and history. This lecture takes three poems as examples to show the difference between the true meaning and the literal meaning of poems. Date: May 14 Venue: Virtual
Thangka Art
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Ticket: Free
Register
As a Director of the Thangka Art Center of Shanghai, Dr. Avril Wang will walk us through the history of Thangka painting and its elements, features and characteristics. Dr. Wang will also share with us the new developments and academic findings in many fields of Thangka and Tibetan culture research and collection. Date: May 14 Venue: Virtual
Time: 7:00 PM Ticket: Free
World Premiere of Different Than Before MV In May 2020, songwriter, performer & actor, Amanda Sum, wrote a song entitled Different Than Before. It was Asian Heritage Month, a time intended for celebrating Chinese-Canadian culture, yet it was overshadowed by a harsh uprising of Asian hate crimes due to racist outlooks and language perpetuated by political leaders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The song stemmed from this yearning and need for systemic change, with an acknowledgment that these kinds of changes do not happen immediately. This music video aims to tell a hopeful story and uses a positive approach to call for change. It reminds us that we must keep our foot on the pedal and be adamant about educating ourselves and holding each other accountable until we reach a day when our Asian elders, family, and friends can do mundane activities without fear of being attacked. Date: May 20 Venue: Virtual
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explorASIAN
Time: 11:00 AM Ticket: Free
VAHMS Events
May 21 - 28 Register
VAHMS invites you to join us at our Community Awards Celebration on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at the PAL Studio Theatre to recognize and celebrate the arts and cultural diversity that Pan-Asian Canadian communities bring to Canadian society. During the event, we will be honouring individuals and organizations that have made a difference in these Pan-Asian Canadian communities. The celebration will include: - Hors d’oeuvres and Wine Bar - Music by Elysse Cloma - Co.ERASGA’s performance of Passages of Rhythms - Art Exhibition displaying Works of Art from Interconnected Artists and Senior Performing Artists - Silent Auction (TBD)
The Truth of Yoga
Register
Yoga has become the fastest growing body-mind practice in the world today. Is it more than just an exercise class? In this talk, you will soar into a 10,000 foot view of yoga’s origins and look at it from a decolonized lens. Learn its core philosophy and metaphysics and how it evolved into the practices we know today.
On the Move: 2nd National Showcase
VAHMS Events
This powerful introduction will not only change the way you see yoga, but also explain the meaning of different yogic paths. In particular, you will learn about the Yoga of Patanjali - proponent of classical yoga and author of the yoga sutras - which presents yoga as a systemic path of conscious evolution. Date: May 26 Time: 6:30 PM Venue: Virtual Ticket: Free Register
Showcasing Artists: Anjalica Solomon and Merissa Victor | Vancouver Soni Dasmohapatra and Shrina Patel | Edmonton Fubuki Daiko | Winnipeg Huu Bac Quach | Montreal Time: 5:00 PM Ticket: Free explorASIAN
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Partner Events
During the 2nd National Asian Heritage Month Symposium, many participants expressed their desire to develop a national network of collaboration and exchange to strengthen unity between Asian artistic organizations and artists across Canada. Festival Accès Asie responded to this call by launching a National Showcase based on a collective program bringing together three Canadian cities to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May 2021. This event brought together artists from Montréal, Vancouver, and Winnipeg working in the dance, music, and multidisciplinary fields. Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba is proud to lead the program this year, working along with the Festival Accès Asie (Montréal), Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (Vancouver), and artists based in Edmonton for the second national program.
Date: May 28 Venue: Virtual
Festival Schedule
Your support this year will go towards two causes: - supporting VAHMS & explorASIAN Festival so it can continue as a platform for promoting inclusion and connectivity across Pan-Asian Canadian communities - supporting Senior Performing Artists living at PAL Vancouver, community-focused housing provided to long-standing members of Metro Vancouver’s performing arts professions. Learn more about PAL Vancouver here. Date: May 21 Time: 6:00 PM Reception Venue: PAL Studio Theatre, 581 Cardero Street #300 7:00 PM Awards Ticket: Ticketed 8:00 PM Show
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
VAHMS Community Awards Celebration
Partner Events
April 7 - 24
RE: Through the Times The Vancouver Korean Artist Collective is the leading organization of Korean-Canadian artists in Metro Vancouver. Member artists work in an eclectic variety of mediums in a search to find innovative ways to combine Korean art forms with their diverse Canadian experiences. After two years of abnormality, members of the collective were ready to recalibrate. The works they created for this exhibition reflect their personal approach to this feeling of resetting and moving through the times. Featured Artists: Ysabella Choung, Eunyul (Lena) Han, Maria Heo, Eunju Hong, Kyung-Ah Hwang, Bona Kim, Hee Jeong Kim, Sang Hee Kim, Yohan Ko, Mi Hyun Lee, SungEun Park Date: April 7 - May 5 Venue: Port Moody Arts Centre Ticket: Free
Time: Monday - Friday, 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM, Weekends, 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
The Vanishing Landscape The Vanishing Landscape features the work of Chinese conceptual photographic artist Weng Fen 翁奮. The exhibition will showcase his latest two series of absurd realism, The Vanishing Landscape and Learning to Live Better in this World. The series The Vanishing Landscape revolves around the tension between urban development and land occupation, rural land industrialization and farming, globalization and local economies, and economic planting and environmental destruction that have emerged during the process of Weng’s personal research and observation. Date: April 9 - June 4 Venue: Canton-sardine Ticket: Free
Time: Wednesday - Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
ERDEM TAŞDELEN: A Minaret for the General’s Wife Exhibition installation by Turkish-Canadian artist Erdem Taşdelen is comprised of archival photographs, documents, replicas of artefacts, audio-visual material, a curious selection of objects and a book of vignettes from undisclosed origins. In ‘A Minaret for the General’s Wife’, the minaret becomes a metaphor for that peculiar and potent feeling of being corporeally out of place, for structures built in locations where they seemingly don’t belong, and for objects brought out of context – in other words; displacement, appropriation, and extractivism. Date: April 22 - July 31 Time: Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Weekends, 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Venue: Richmond Art Gallery Ticket: Free
Arts of the Tokonoma Lecture Series
Session 1
Session 2
This virtual lecture series introduces the arts of the traditional Japanese alcove called the tokonoma, a space where thoughtfully curated displays serve to set a particular tone. This series of three lectures examines the architectural design of the tokonoma itself, the hanging scrolls traditionally displayed in it, and the ways that alcove displays capture the essence of the season. Drawing from the practices of the Japanese tea ceremony, the talks offer a deeper understanding and appreciation of the role of the tokonoma as a space for contemplation in a variety of both public and private settings in Japanese culture. Date: April 24, May 15 Venue: Virtual 16
explorASIAN
Time: 1:00 PM Ticket: Free
Partner Events
April 30 - May 1 604-565-4401
“Flamenco Dim Sum” celebrates the multiculturalism of flamenco dance by bailaora Kasandra “La China” with Jake Lee, guitarist from Victoria, and Cyrena “La Sirena”, multitalented singer/cellist/dancer performing. Flamenco is an art form that comes from Andalucia, the South of Spain, and is well-known for its virtuosic, percussive flamenco footwork & spirited dance. Here in Vancouver, we showcase some Asian-Canadians who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of “duende” in authentic expression. The show includes introduction to flamenco, 45 min show and 15 min Q&A for the performers. Date: April 30 Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Venue: Chai Lounge Ticket: Free
Mozaico Flamenco presents “Flamenco Dim Sum”
604-671-9182
Interested in learning how to play gamelan music? Join us for a hands-on workshop which will introduce you to the various percussion instruments and playing techniques of Balinese gamelan. We will be using the experimental instruments of the ensemble ‘Gamelan Bike Bike’ for the workshop, hosted outside in Hadden Park next to the fieldhouse (1015 Maple Street). Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. Cost: By donation (suggested $5 to $15, Free for students). No previous musical experience necessary. Minimum age 13. Date: May 1 Venue: Hadden Park Fieldhouse
Time: 3:00 PM Ticket: Pay what you can
Register
Uzume Taiko drummers celebrate Asian Heritage Month 2022 with a specially filmed performance! “Uzume Taiko: An Intimate Portrait” features the Uzume Taiko drummers performing their West Coast Canadian choreographed martial arts based taiko drum songs. This is a collection of eleven songs that were recorded at the Uzume Taiko Studio during the pandemic in the Spring of 2021. The 70-minute Event captures the taiko drummers up close and personal in the intimate Taiko Studio setting. This Event is free or pay-what-you-may. Time: May 1, 12:00 PM - May 7, 11:59 PM Ticket: Pay what you can explorASIAN
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Partner Events
Uzume Taiko: An Intimate Portrait
Date: May 1 - 7 Venue: Virtual
VAHMS Events
Register
Festival Schedule
“Flamenco Dim Sum” celebrates the multiculturalism of flamenco dance by bailaora Kasandra “La China” with Jake Lee, guitarist from Victoria, and Cyrena “La Sirena”, multitalented singer/cellist/dancer performing. Flamenco is an art form that comes from Andalucia, the South of Spain, and is well-known for its virtuosic, percussive flamenco footwork & spirited dance. Here in Vancouver, we showcase some Asian-Canadians who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of “duende” in authentic expression. The show includes introduction to flamenco, 45 min show and 15 min Q&A for the performers. Date: May 1 Time: 7:30 PM Venue: Anne MacDonald Studio, Ticket: $20 Presentation House Theatre
Intro to Gamelan Workshop
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
East is East presents “Flamenco Dim Sum”
Partner Events
May 1 - 4
Cross Cultural Walking Tours
Register
Join us in celebration of Jewish and Asian Heritage Months for a handful of Cross Cultural Walking Tours in May through Chinatown, Downtown Eastside, Paueru-Gai, Jewish Strathcona and Hogan’s Alley! Maximum of 25 participants per tour. Registration is required. Ticket includes free admission to the Chinatown Storytelling Centre (expires June 30, 2022). Supported by Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Date: May 1, 8, 15, 22 Venue: Various
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM Ticket: $36.75
The Historian of Time through a Ball Point Pen “The Historian of Time through a Ball Point Pen” is an art exhibition of Raymond Chow works capturing places and people in time throughout Vancouver’s Chinatown and Eastside to Richmond to Hawaii to Toronto and more from the 1960s onward. Date: May 1 - 30 Venue: Capulet Art Gallery & Framing
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00PM Ticket: Free
O Canada! Amazing Vancouver Kan graduated from the Fine Arts Department of The National Taiwan Normal University and received a Master of Arts from The National Taiwan University of the Arts. Kan’s Artwork has been collected by: National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts; Taoyuan City, Yilan County Cultural Bureau, Chinese Culture and Art Foundation; Ji Hui Neng Culture and Education Foundation; Friends Collection. Awards: Taiwan Arts Exhibition Plastic Painting Gold Award; Taiyang Arts Exhibition Plastic Painting Silver Award; Yilan Arts Exhibition Yilan Award; Canada’s First Art Bridge Calligraphy and Painting Competition Calligraphy Gold Award. Date: May 2 - 31 Venue: Taiwanese Cultural Centre
Time: Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ticket: Free
Heritage BC & BCMA 2022 Joint Conference
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When we work together, arts, culture, and heritage organizations have the power to change the world! The BC Museums Association and Heritage BC will explore ideas for being better, together. Our 2022 Joint Conference brings together museums, galleries, heritage sites, local governments, science centres, and Indigenous cultural organizations for three days of conversation and thought-provoking discussion about breaking silos, stepping up as leaders in our communities, and recognizing our roles in decolonization. Date: May 4, 11, 18 Venue: Virtual 18
explorASIAN
Time: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM Ticket: Ticketed
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May 7 Register
Through its martial arts link, this drumming style engages the spirit and motivates participants to coordinate the mind and body through its practice. This 90-minute Taiko Basic Drills Workshop is for beginners interested in a hands-on experience in the art form of Taiko Drumming! Participants engage in warm-up exercises, martial arts stance, learn the basic taiko drum stroke, drum sticking techniques, rhythmic drills, verbal notation, choreography and group song playing. Suitable for ages 14 years and up. Cost is $60 and includes student taiko drum gear. Date: May 7 Time: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Venue: Uzume Taiko Studio Ticket: $60
East Lillooet Internment Memorial Garden Reception
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Interconnected Artist Spotlights
Uzume Taiko Drumming Workshop
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Japanese Canadian Internment, join us at the Renewal Opening of the Memorial Garden at the original East Lillooet Internment site, now a memorial garden. In partnership with the District of Lillooet, the Seniors Garden Committee has uplevelled the garden into a beautiful ‘Lillooet style’ Japanese rock garden. Time: 1:30 PM Ceremony, 4:00 PM Reception Ticket: Ceremony Free, Reception Ticketed
Identity to the Infinite Extreme - Asian Canadian Storytelling in 2022 with Jamie Liew, Cheuk Kwan, and Wayne Ng Register
Finding Our Voices, Telling Our Stories
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Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Ticket: $5 explorASIAN
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The abrupt cancellation of Kim’s Convenience amidst its success in television and Netflix created controversy prompting Simu Liu to disclose, “Many of us in the cast were trained screenwriters with thoughts and ideas that only grew more seasoned with time. But those doors were never opened to us in any meaningful way.” As the Canadian theatre and film industries are ‘predominantly White,’ daunted by systemic racism that prioritizes White voices and White audiences and is often difficult to identify and call out, this panel of filmmakers, playwrights, actors, community builders share how their experiences outside of creative practice have shaped their careers and their craft. How can creatives now entering the film and theatre industries foster community amongst other BIPOC artists? How do they navigate predominantly White institutions as BIPOC individuals? And how can such knowledge inform artistic practices beyond the institution? In addition to this important dialogue about how art can be a powerful antidote to racism, the evening ends with a film screening that showcases the artistic creations of the featured speakers and a presentation of the 2022 ACWW Community Builders Award to an individual who has been a leader and pioneer to the arts and literary community in Canada. Date: May 7 Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre
VAHMS Events
This discussion features authors from non-fiction and fiction worlds that celebrate an array of stories, characters, and humour, that build and inspire creativity in Canadian literature. As writers, what are they up against? What are they telling us? This panel of Asian Canadian storytellers reveals how they are envisioning not just individual lives, but communities and countries, as well as the way history, has been passed down to us. More than ever before, their voices as writers are investigating where they stand. Moderated by author Julia Lin (miah) and introduction by Fiona Tinwei Lam (author of Enter the Chrysanthemum, and City of Vancouver’s Poet Laureate). Date: May 7 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Venue: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Ticket: $5 Classical Chinese Garden
Festival Schedule
Date: May 7 Venue: East Lillooet Internment Memorial Garden, Lillooet, BC
Partner Events
May 7 - 8
Asian Heritage --THE YEAR OF THE TIGER This year Burnaby Artists Guild will be showing the works of their members in an Asian Heritage Show called THE YEAR OF THE TIGER. Come and be surprised with the local talent. Date: May 7 - 9 Venue: City of Lougheed Shopping Mall
Time: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Ticket: Free - donations accepted for Burnaby Hospital Foundation
Japanese Design Today 100 | 現代日本のデザイン100選 Showcasing modern Japanese culture with many designs created post-2010, this exhibit features objects and images in ten themes: classic Japanese design, furniture+houseware, tableware+cookware, apparel+accessories, children, stationery, hobbies, healthcare, disaster relief, and transportation. Featured designers include Sori Yanagi, Riki Watanabe, and Issey Miyake. We gratefully acknowledge the Japan Foundation and the assistance of the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver for this exhibit. Date: May 7 - June 26 Time: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Venue: Nikkei National Museum & Ticket: Free Heritage Centre
Dandelions from the Roots of History: Infusing History into Fiction with Jamie Liew Register Jamie Chai Yun Liew (she/her) is the author of DANDELION. She is the recipient of the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop (ACWW) Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award. Jamie is also a lawyer, law professor, and podcaster specializing in immigration, refugee, and citizenship law. Her podcast, Migration Conversations, features experts and migrants who have experienced immigration systems up close. With Hakka, Hainanese, and Nyonya roots in Southeast Asia, one of Jamie’s pastimes is to cook and eat SE Asian hawker fare including laksa and char kuey teow. She lives in Ottawa with her family. Follow her on Twitter (@thechaiyun) and Instagram (@jcyliew). Date: May 8 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre Boardroom Ticket: $10
Writing From the Gut: Tapping into one’s core, the depths of epistolary and self-awareness writing with Wayne Ng Register So much of today’s social media is highly intimate and self-revelatory, almost confessional. How can we use that to create deeply personal stories? This hands-on panel will explore how our self-awareness and writing from the gut, such as epistolary, can create deeply emotional experiences for both readers and writers. Wayne Ng was born in downtown Toronto to Chinese immigrants who fed him a steady diet of bitter melons and kung fu movies. Ng works as a school social worker in Ottawa but lives to write, travel, eat and play, preferably all at the same time. He is an award-winning author and travel writer who continues to push his boundaries from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Author of Letters from Johnny, The Family Code (2023) and Finding the way: A Novel of Lao Tzu. Date: May 8 Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre Boardroom 20
explorASIAN
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Ticket: $10
Partner Events
May 8 Interconnected Artist Spotlights
“Fresh off the Press!” Book Signing Event FRESH OFF THE PRESS! BOOK SIGNING EVENT
WITH THREE ACCLAIMED CHINESE CANADIAN AUTHORS
Sunday, May 8th, 2022 Foo Hung Curios at The Chinatown Storytelling Centre (168 East Pender St, Vancouver, BC)
This Asian Heritage Month, expand your bookshelf and your mind in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown. Drop by Foo Hung Curios on Sunday, May 8th to welcome and meet three Chinese Canadian writers with books fresh off the press. 11am - 12pm: Wayne Ng - “Letters from Johnny” 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Jamie Chai Yun Liew - “Dandelion”” 2pm - 3pm: Cheuk Kwan - “Have You Eaten Yet?”
11am-12pm: Wayne Ng - “Letters from Johnny” 12:30pm-1:30pm: Jamie Chai Yun Liew - “Dandelion" 2pm-3pm: Cheuk Kwan - “Have You Eaten Yet?”
Date: May 8 Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Venue: Foo Hung Curios at The Chinatown Ticket: Free Storytelling Centre
PRESENTED BY THE CHINATOWN STORYTELLING CENTRE AND THE ASIAN CANADIAN WRITERS' WORKSHOP
Date: May 8 Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre Boardroom
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Ticket: $10
VAHMS Events
Grace Chin is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based creative writer and editor, performer, producer and arts administrator, as well as a content marketing specialist for corporate and not-for-profit clients. Along with her current role as General Manager with Ruby Slippers Theatre, she is co-founder of the Pan Asian Staged Reading Society and its script development platform, Scripting Aloud. A produced playwright, optioned screenwriter and published author, she is a member of the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada and the Union of British Columbia Performers/ACTRA. Grace was Festival Director of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and has served on the board of Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and Vancouver Asian Heritage Month, as well as on other performing arts juries, committees, and panels. As a performer, she has most recently appeared on episodic series and features for television and film including for ABC, CBS, CW, E!, Showcase, Freeform, Hallmark, Lifetime, CBC, Netflix, and AppleTV+, as well as independent production. Grace has a BA in English Literature (Hons) from the University of British Columbia, and accreditation in journalism from Langara College. She is googleable.
Festival Schedule
Differentiating Fiction for Print, Stage, and the Screen with Grace Chin Register
The Varying Differences of Writing for Print and Stage at Register the Chinatown Storytelling Centre with Leslie Lum
Date: May 8 Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre Boardroom
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Ticket: $10
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Leslie Lum is a playwright, professor and writer. She recently partnered with director David Hsieh in presenting Lum’s play Geomancer, depicting a rocket scientist who is deported because of his Chinese origins – a timely theme considering recent attacks against Asians and Asian Americans. Her short fiction and poetry have been published in Canadian Literature, Wascana Review, Asian Week, The Antigonish Review, Into the Fire, and Asian Pacific American Journal and anthologized in The Map is the Heart, Canadian Short Fiction, Pomegrante and the Wascana Review Thirty Year Retrospective. She has published two books in another field and is a senior associate professor at Bellevue College.
Partner Events
May 8 - 14
Performance as Writing - Finding Your Voice on the Stage for Readings with Raugi Yu Register Raugi Yu is originally from Montreal and is a graduate of The Dome Theatre program at Dawson College and The BFA Acting program at UBC. He has acted in various theatres across Canada and the U.S., moving seamlessly between stage and film. You may recognize him from roles in The Shoplifters, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time(Arts Club) and Coriolanus (Bard On The Beach). On screen Mr. Young, jPod, Kung-Fu. Most recently completing his first production as Director for a feature film. Raugi is also an instructor of acting from coaching private clients to creating curricula at various schools. His favourite teaching and learning tool is genuine curiosity from the heart and he is always curious about the, “Who am I?” Date: May 8 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Venue: Chinatown Storytelling Centre Boardroom Ticket: $10
Dumb Instrument Dance
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An exciting world premiere from choreographer Ziyian Kwan, Rebel Grace explores the concept of rupture and repair as intrinsic actions within life’s many cycles. Tracing the lustre and poetry of imperfection, the work is driven by the creative prowess of an outstanding cast of dance artists including Kwan and collaborators Lisa Gelley and Andrea Nann. They explore the rhythm and rhyme of imagery, text and movement – in conversation with the innovative sounds of Taiko artist Kage and multi-instrumentalist Roxanne Nesbitt, who perform live. This thoughtful and timely work springs from Kwan’s dedicated intersectional ethos, intellectual rigour and striking aesthetic sensibility. Date: May 12 - 14 Time: 8:00 PM Venue: Scotiabank Dance Centre Ticket: $25-$35
JOSH FEINBERG PRESENTS
Enjoy a night to remember with accomplished musician, Josh Feinberg, a cutting-edge sitar player. For this musical journey Josh will be accompanied by young tabla prodigy Vivek Pandya.
Josh Feinberg in Concert with Tabla prodigy Vivek Pandya Register
Reception is on Thursday, May 12th and Concert is on Friday, May 13th, 8pm - 10pm, with intermission. Choose your seats early and register for the free reception.
BONUS SESSION: MEET THE ARTISTS
JOSH FEINBERG PHOTO BY LLOYD LEMMERMAN
ON MAY 12 JOIN US FOR AN AUDIENCE WITH JOSH FEINBERG. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A FUN AND INTERACTIVE SESSION. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS FREE BONUS EVENT. Project Consultant, Nina Buddhdev, The BANDISH Network.
with VIVEK
PANDYA
FRIDAY, MAY 13 | 8PM Main Stage @ Surrey Arts Centre 13750 - 88 th Avenue tickets.surrey.ca | 604-501-5566
Josh is celebrated as one of the world’s leading young sitarists and is hailed as one of the most original and dynamic sitar maestros of his generation. ”Josh’s sensitive yet controlled handling of the instrument with touch, strokes, and glides, and subsequent production of tonal and microtonal effects was a testament to his genius.” The Tribune, Chandigarh, India. As a Jewish-American Hindustani artist, his music and presence inspires musicians and listeners alike and serve as a unifying force bringing people together from different cultures and walks of life. During Josh’s international tour, ‘Madhura’ Pt. Jasraj ji, announced him as “one of the best artists today.” Date: May 12, 13 Time: May 12 7:00 PM, May 13 8:00PM Venue: Main Stage, Surrey Arts Centre Ticket: $25
Capture Festival Canada Line Walking Tour
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As part of the 2022 Capture Photography Festival, artists Adriele Au, Kyla Bourgh and Chad Wong will take visitors on a walking tour of public artworks currently installed at Canada Line stations. Date: May 14 Time: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Venue: Meet at Aberdeen Station on Ticket: Free the Canada Line 22
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Partner Events
May 14 Register
A conversation about food justice for explorASIAN Festival 2022, featuring poet, organizer, and educator Mercedes Eng; researcher and organizer Yi Chien Jade Ho; scholar, activist, educator, and citizen eater Tammara Soma; and organizers with Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice and DTES SRO Collaborative. Food is crucial to how we care for each other, come together in community, and express ourselves culturally. At the same time, the systems that condition how food is produced, made, and distributed proliferate injustice at every scale, from environmental degradation to labour exploitation. On May 14th, please join us for a conversation with local activists, artists, and academics who are taking up rich legacies of struggle to imagine more nourishing futures for all. What’s possible, and what will be required to get there? Date: May 14 Venue: Joseph and Rosalie Segal Centre Simon Fraser Univ, Room 1420, Harbour Centre
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Ticket: Free
In celebration of Asian Heritage Month this May, VAFF is kicking off the 10th VAFF Industry Insights Program with a hybrid model of in-person hand-on-workshops & Filmmakers talk and virtual panel series. The series will be geared toward providing insight and insider perspectives for aspiring and current filmmakers of diverse backgrounds, and those in the industry who aim to work with diverse representation both in front of and behind the camera. Date: May 14 Venue: TBD
Time: TBD Ticket: TBD
TJ Fest is a hugely popular free community cultural event that showcases the multiculturalism & diverse backgrounds of Metro Vancouver, experienced through amazing outdoor performances. The mouthwatering Taiwanese Food Fare of TJ Fest is one of the biggest highlights of the festival that keeps all of our guests coming back year after year!
Spring Show 2022 The Vancouver Ikebana Association presents their 2022 Spring Show. Japanese style floral arrangements will be artistically displayed, while demonstrations by master instructors will take place each day throughout the event. Try your own hand at ikebana by participating in a workshop and take home your own beautiful creation!
V IA
Time: May 14, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM May 15, 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM explorASIAN
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Partner Events
Because of the pandemic, TJ Fest wants to focus on supporting our local small businesses and community by having a Community Market at the festival. Guests can shop local and help small business vendors on their way to economic recovery. Furthermore, all proceeds collected by TJ Fest from the vendors will be donated to the BC Liver Foundation and contributed back to the community. Date: May 14, 15 Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Venue: Tian Jin Temple Ticket: Free
VAHMS Events
TJ Fest
Date: May 14, 15 Venue: The Roundhouse Ticket: Free
Festival Schedule
10th VAFF Industry Insight Series - Celebrate Representation, Opportunity and Evolution by Vancouver Asian Film Festival Industry Program
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
Global Asia Talks: Food Justice in Focus
Partner Events
May 15 - 18
Eid Mehfil online
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Join us for the 7th annual Mehfil in May Recital as part of the Asian Heritage Month explorAsian this year. It will be online and in celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr marking the end of Ramadhan, featuring writers and performers of Asian Heritage with your host Imtiaz Popat on these traditional, ancestral, and unceded national homelands of the Coast Sal̓ itulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and ish peoples – specifically the sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish), sel ̓íl w xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) nations. Date: May 15 Time: 7:00 PM Venue: Virtual Ticket: Free
Asian Literary Circle Book Discussion
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The Asian Literature Circle has met for over 20 years and for all self-proclaimed literati. As part of LiterASIAN Festival 2022, we will gather together for this afternoon of book talking. Come join us for an informal discussion on books on or about Asia that we have enjoyed and will share with you. This year we have chosen five books: - Forbidden Purple City by Philip Huynh - How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa - Patron Saint of Nothing by Randy Ribay - Made in Korea by Sarah Suk - Diary of Dukesang Wong by Wanda Joy Hoe We welcome audience participation so if you have read any of these titles, join in the discussion! We will give a brief history of the Circle to cover our many years of readings and can provide ideas on how to start your own circle, or if you like, join ours! Date: May 15 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Venue: Centre A – The Living Room Ticket: $5
BC Museums Week 2022
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BC Museums Week is the annual celebration of museums, art galleries, historic sites, cultural centres, and other memory institutions in BC. The week provides an opportunity for British Columbians to celebrate the vital role museums play in their communities, economy and education. BC Museums Weeks 2022 will highlight how museums are pushing boundaries and defying expectations to create social impact, and challenge the very idea of what a museum is and does. From creating community hubs, to confronting difficult truths, to shifting their focus from collections to people, join us in celebrating maverick museums and outside-the-box cultural leaders. Date: May 16 - 22 Time: Various Venue: Virtual Ticket: Ticketed
From Far & Wide: Pacific Canada StoryFest
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As a lead up to PCHC’s upcoming Pacific Canada StoryFest in June, we are pleased to again offer our workshop series aimed at providing introductory training on digital storytelling & oral history video production. The 3-day workshop will cover content such as storyboarding, introduction to filming on a smartphone, using editing software, and sourcing royalty-free music and family photographs. Participants will also have the opportunity to share peer feedback in breakout groups. This workshop is appropriate for those with little or no prior experience with oral history storytelling and filmmaking. It is also suitable for those interested in engaging younger or older family members in intergenerational storytelling. Date: May 18, June 1, June 18 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Venue: Virtual Ticket: $75 24
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Partner Events
May 19 - 20
Hong Kong literature reflects the area’s unique history during the 20th century as a fusion of British colonial, Cantonese, and sea-trading culture while modern Taiwanese literature reflects a complex history of Japanese occupation, martial rule, and transitioning to democracy. In addition to a tradition of vernacular Chinese writing, there is a small but significant body of Hong Kong and Taiwanese literature in English, including that by notable writers such as Xu Xi, Louise Ho, Timothy Mo, Dorothy Tse, Tammy Ho, Nicholas Wong, Chih-Ying Lay, etc. Moreover, the coming of age of a new generation of Hong Kong-born and Taiwan-born Canadian writers, whose literary works often draw on their transnational experiences, has also added much richness to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Canadian literatures. Join us for a conversation with Julia Lin and Sam Cheuk, moderated by Allan Cho, for a discussion of the authors’ latest works. Date: May 19 Time: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Venue: Virtual Ticket: Free
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In this remounted work, acclaimed dancer and choreographer Alvin Erasga Tolentino takes centre stage; merging three duets created for three diverse artists and showcasing three different genres – Flamenco, Bharatanatyam, and voices for the body – Passages of Rhythms is a hybrid full-length evening of cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration celebrating Asian Heritage Month in May 2022. Passages of Rhythms awakens, provokes and celebrates the contemporary body and interconnections with cultural rhythms and sounds. A pan-Asian gathering of inter-generational dynamic artists, in both the music and dance genres, the cast delivers a surprising, mastered and evocative performance that audiences will soon get to experience live. Date: May 19, 20 Time: 8:00 PM Venue: PAL Studio Theatre Ticket: $20-$30
The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra presents a programme of new intercultural music for chamber ensembles. Witness the world premiere of several brand new works by participants in the VICO’s 2022 Sounds Global Composers’ Workshop, performed by VICO musicians Amir Eslami (ney), Charlie Lui (dizi/xiao), Sarah Kwok (viola), Finn Manniche (cello), Dailin Hsieh (zheng), Zhongxi Wu (sheng/suona), and Milan Milosevic (clarinet/basset clarinet). This is chamber music with a colourful fusion twist. Join us for some music without borders!
Introduction to Batik Workshop
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The Batik Library is an invitation to consciously connect to stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces that are naturally dyed, feature playful details and made to inspire a connection back to nature. Join us in celebration with a meditative, hands-on session to learn about art of batik and the wax dying process including how to use a tjanting and how to draw with malam (batik wax). Date: May 20, 21, 27, 28 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Venue: Indonesian Trade Promotion Center Ticket: $40 explorASIAN
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Partner Events
Date: May 20, 21 Time: 8:00 PM Ticket: Ticketed Venue: May 20: St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver May 21: Centre Stage, Surrey City Hall
VAHMS Events
Sounds Global In Concert: new intercultural music for chamber ensembles Tickets Available at Door
Festival Schedule
Passages of Rhythms
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
The Hong Kong & Taiwanese Diaspora in the Literary Imagination: A Reading + Conversation Register
Partner Events
May 21 - 28
Experience Kōdō: Japanese Incense Ceremony SaBi Tea Arts presents two days of public Kōdō (Japanese incense ceremony) gatherings to celebrate spring and Asian Heritage Month. Guests will sample several kinds of aromatic woods then try to distinguish between them in a traditional Kumikō exercise. Sessions are hosted by a certified instructor of the Senzan Goryū School of Kōdō (Kyoto) and are limited to 8 participants per session. Date: May 21, 22 Time: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Venue: SaBi Tea Arts Ticket: $45
Migration + Resilience = BC: An Untold History
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Join filmmaker Kevin Eastwood and Japanese Canadian storytellers Mas Fukawa and Lorene Oikawa for a Q&A after screening Migration + Resilience, Episode 3 of the documentary series, British Columbia: An Untold History. Episode 3 “reveals the immigrant narratives of resilience that define B.C. Chinese, Japanese, and Punjabi migrants, the Doukhobors and American war resisters catalyzed social movements that still continue today.” Date: May 27 Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Venue: Virtual Ticket: Free
“All or Nothing”: the journey from page to stage
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Theatre is one of the most impactful forms of art. The direct exchange between artist and audience requires risk for the chance that if we do right, we will all connect through a story told by a skillful storyteller. Sometimes these stories and their storytellers dare to perform new diasporic representations. Even if those stories come into contention with their diasporic identities. How do playwrights balance that complexity of identity? What does it mean to go “all or nothing” with your craft? Join us for this virtual event as we hear from three young talented Asian Canadian playwrights: Carolyn Nakagawa, Davey Calderon, and Derek Chan – who are working in the cross-intersections of genres, identities, and communities – about their own creative process of going from page to stage. Date: May 28 Venue: Virtual
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Ticket: Free
E8 SEE Us HEAR Us Concert: Songs of Resilience In the 2020 Canadian benefit concert program Stronger Together, there was not one Asian Canadian musician, singer/songwriter which was not lost on Asian Canadians. Asian Canadian songs need to be heard in this moment of protesting the overt racism, microaggressions and systemic racism that has silenced the Asian Canadian voices in music. Canadian Asian artists need the same opportunities, exposure and elevation as white musicians. Elimin8Hate SEE US HEAR US Concert and Songs of Resilience album will provide a platform for these diverse artists and voices to be heard. Date: May 28 Venue: TBA
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Time: TBA Ticket: TBA
Partner Events
May 29 - June 11
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This slide show talk is based on the self-published photography book Road Work by Greg Soone. A number of locales are featured including New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Vancouver, and Paris. Photographs of the Chinese immigrant community and African Americans in particular reveal some of the alternative interpretations of seemingly innocuous symbols. At its core, these pictures reflect the compassion and social consciousness of an artist transformed by the tumult of the 1970s. Soone is a Chinese American photographer resident in Vancouver whose powerful images can be seen through the lens of race, class and culture. Date: May 29 Venue: The Cinematheque
Time: 2:00 PM Ticket: $11.17-$27.01
Festival Schedule
Japan Market Summer Festival Japanese Craft & Food Summer market event by local handcrafters and food vendors! We will have some food trucks too! Date: June 11, 12 Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Venue: North of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Ticket: Ticketed ̓ šxʷƛənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square
“Seeds to Success: Story of the H.Y. Louie Family,” an exhibition produced by the Chinese Canadian Museum, highlights the family history of Hok Yat Louie and examine stories of entrepreneurship, resilience, and intergenerational lessons experienced by the Louie Family and other Chinese Canadian families.
Date: Ongoing Venue: Chinese Canadian Museum Temporary Exhibition Site in Vancouver Chinatown Time: Friday - Sunday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ticket: Free
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“Seeds to Success” will be complemented by “A Tale of Two Families,” produced by the Royal BC Museum which presents the experiences of the Guichon and Louie families. By offering these two exhibitions together, CCM invites the public to reflect on the interconnectedness of the stories of Chinese Canadians and other settler communities in BC.
VAHMS Events
Seeds to Success: Story of the H.Y. Louie Family
explorASIAN
Interconnected Artist Spotlights
Road Work: Street Photography from the 70s and 80s
Partner Events
Ongoing
The Living Room For Centre A’s first experiential project “The Living Room” in 2022, our gallery space will be transformed into a furnished living room space. Our visitors will have the opportunity to sit down in our makeshift living room to watch a series of curated films and videos. There will be two series of films programmed as part of The Living Room project: The first one, addressing reconnection, lineage, and exile, takes place from February to March 2022, and the second series will run from April to May 2022. The second series is built upon an examination of Canada’s role in the Multicultural discourses in terms of inequality, intermediacy, and extraction. Bringing together an array of approaches, through documentary or futuristic lens, this program points to the making of a nationhood and its discontents from a sociopolitical perspective. Date: Ongoing Time: Wednesday - Saturday, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Venue: Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art Ticket: Pay what you can
Revisiting The Asianadian Revisiting The Asianadian at Centre A is a rare presentation of the entire run of The Asianadian Magazine, a quarterly publication in Toronto from 1979 to 1985. The publication was a key witness to some of the defining moments in Asian Canadian cultural history during the time. The publication emerged from a collaborative network of Asian Canadian cultural producers and instigated a Canadian counterpart to the Asian American movement of the 1960s and 1970s. It foregrounds Asian Canadian perspectives, offering a counterpoint to the predominantly stereotypical representations of them in the mainstream media and confronting the broader racist attitudes in the country that shaped the Asian-diasporic experience in Canada at the time. Though short-lived, during its run, the magazine served as a forum for the unreserved expression of progressive Asian Canadian voices. Date: Ongoing Time: Wednesday - Saturday, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Venue: Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art Ticket: Pay what you can
Krystal Kiran: Branscombe House Artist Residency Programming Born and raised in Canada’s Okanagan Valley, Krystal Kiran is a multifaceted and internationally renowned performing artist, choreographer and arts educator. A first-generation Canadian born to immigrant parents from India, Krystal is the youngest South Asian woman to perform on the Broadway stage. This year, Kiran has been selected by the City of Richmond to be the seventh annual Artist-in-Residence at the Branscombe House. During her residency, she will be offering free community arts and wellness programs, activities and workshops to be held at Branscombe House and other locations in Richmond throughout the year. Her intention with these offerings is to cultivate cross-cultural allyship through arts and healing practices, with particular focus on celebrating the “third culture” experience, thus bridging communities together. Date: Ongoing Time: Various Venue: Virtual and Branscombe House Ticket: Ticketed
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Partner Events
Ongoing
Quarantine Qapsule (QQ) is a digital art archive of the Asian Canadian experience during COVID-19. It comprises of original digital works ranging from vlogs, songs, photographs and more. The project was created in Toronto in 2020 and with the demand to archive Asian Canadian voices in BC, another one was created. In May 2021, QQ launched a call for BC submissions. All of the QQ BC pieces are archived in ECUAD’s digital archive therefore legitimizing all experiences as academic resources and legitimizing the community’s experiences through creative expression during a time of isolation. Date: Ongoing Venue: Virtual
Exhibition: Chad Wong - Empty Spaces that Fill My Heart
Date: Ongoing Venue: Aberdeen Station on the Canada Line
Exhibition: Kyla Bourgh Objects given to my mom because she is Asian
VAHMS Events
Kyla Bourgh’s installation at Lansdowne Station presents objects that have been given to the artist’s mother over the past fifty years. Each object is associated with an “Asian style” and was gifted to her because of her physical and cultural identity. Bourgh’s work highlights that, while the gifts were given to her mother in kindness, they unwittingly reminded her that she is and always will be perceived as a visible minority in her farming community in rural British Columbia. This off-site exhibition is presented along the Canada Line for the 2022 Capture Photography Festival. Date: Ongoing Venue: Lansdowne Station on the Canada Line
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Empty Spaces that Fill My Heart is a photographic diptych connecting Richmond and Vancouver’s Chinatowns. In this work, Chad Wong presents abstracted fragments of the awnings and hallways of the Hong Kong-style cafes and Chinese Canadian malls he grew up visiting. This off-site exhibition is presented along the Canada Line for the 2022 Capture Photography Festival.
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