March 26 – 30 USC Pacific Asia Museum

For a full listing of exhibitions and events, go to pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

March is going out like a lion at USC Pacific Asia Museum! This last week is filled with exhibitions and events to satisfy everyone.

FREE FOURTH FRIDAY AND

A NEW EXHIBITION OPENING AND

AN ARTIST’S TALK!

I Am Writing You: Penny Hes Yassour Friday, March 28

Penny Hes Yassour, I Am Writing You Tomorrow (installation at Asian Art Biennial, Taiwan, 2011, Mixed media of elastic, soft materials. Courtesy of the artist.

This exhibition introduces Israel-based multimedia artist Penny Hes Yassour whose work pays homage to Chinese ink painting and calligraphy through polymorphous networks formed by the artist’s spontaneous hand gestures. Her work, embedded with unreadable words, explores the boundaries between word and image and challenges viewers to consider how meaning is constructed and conveyed in visual art. The vertically hung installation, with continuous shifting shadows, also evokes landscape, exploring the complex cultural issues of geography and our perception of topography.

ARTIST’S TALK
Sat. March 29 at 2 pm 
I Am Writing You Tomorrow artist Penny Hes Yassour will speak about her work and lead a guided walk through the exhibition. A light reception will follow, sponsored by the USC Initiative for Israeli Arts and Humanities. Free for members, included with museum admission for non-members. Space is limited, RSVP to (626) 449-2742 ext. 31.

 

LAST WEEKEND:
Exhibition Closes Sunday, March 30
Focus on the Subject:
The Art of the Harari Collection 

Colonel Ralph Andrew Harari, OBE, collected art from across a range of cultures, time periods and media, reflecting his broad tastes and inveterate curiosity. These collections included metalwork from the Islamic world, European paintings and drawings, and Japanese art among others. The focus of this exhibition is Harari’s collection of Japanese paintings and drawings from the Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods, a large portion of which was purchased in 1984 as a gift to Pacific Asia Museum by a consortium of benefactors.

FREE FAMILY FESTIVAL SUNDAY, MARCH 30

Noon – 4 pm Admission is free!

Explore calligraphy and the art of words at USC Pacific Asia Museum’s Free Family Festival! Enjoy an afternoon of hands-on crafts and artist demonstrations in the beautiful courtyard garden – everything from traditional Chinese calligraphy to contemporary graffiti – plus fun storytelling performances, a scavenger hunt in the galleries and special exhibitions I Am Writing You Tomorrow and The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America. Free fun for all ages!

 

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ONGOING  EVENTS (With the exception of the Museum Tour, all events have additional fees. For details, call Visitor Services at (626) 449-2742 ext. 0. or visit our website) 

Yoga Thursdays • 12:30 – 1:30 pm $10 per class or buy a series and save. Beginners welcome!

Tai Chi. Saturdays • 8 – 9:30 am $10 per class; free to first time students. Beginners welcome!

Chinese Calligraphy Saturdays • 8:45 – 9:45 am Come in for a free observation of the class. $80 per person, $50 if also enrolled in Chinese Brush Painting.

Chinese Brush Painting Saturdays • 10 am – Noon Come in for a free observation of the class. $120 per person.

Museum Tour Saturdays • 1 – 1:30 pm Docent-led tour looks at the highlights of the museum’s collection.

Haiku Third Saturday of the month • 2 pm

Hawaiian Music and More Sundays • 10:30 am – Noon Learn how to play the ukulele or guitar and sing traditional songs. This class is taught in a 12-week series and is open to musicians of all levels. Students must provide their own guitar or ukulele. Students under age 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited. $160 members, $180 non-members.

Feb. 19 – 23 USC Pacific Asia Museum

For a full listing of exhibitions and events, go to www.pacificasiamuseum.org.

Ralli Quilts: Contemporary Textiles from Pakistan Closes March 2 This exhibition features quilts made by women in the areas of Sindh, Pakistan, western India, and surrounding areas. The exhibition expands the concept of ‘contemporary art’ by looking at their form, color and pattern rather than their use.
Related Program February 22 • 2 pm Curatorial Tour Get the inside story when curatorial staff lead a special tour of Ralli Quilts: Contemporary Textiles from Pakistan

The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America presents a collection of visual narratives about the Chinese and Mexican immigrant experiences.
Related Programs
March 8 • 2 pm Join guest curator Chip Tom for a closer look at these poignant and engaging works.

JUST FOR MEMBERS
February 22 through March 2
During these special sale days, USC Pacific Asia museum members receive 20 percent off all regular-priced merchandise in the museum store. Join now and come shopping!

HAWAIIAN MUSIC AND MORE IS BACK!
Sunday • Feb. 23 • 10:30 am – Noon Learn how to play the ukulele or guitar and sing traditional songs with Charles Kiaha and Ilima Lei Russell. This class is taught in a 12-week series and is open to musicians of all levels. Students must provide their own guitar or ukulele. Students under age 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited. Pre-register at the museum front desk or by calling Visitor Services at (626) 449-2742 ext. 10. $160 members, $180 non-members.

ONGOING  EVENTS
THURSDAYS 12:30-1:30 p.m. Yoga • Designed with a lunch-hour audience in mind, instructor Jill Zepezauer’s Hatha Yoga is uniquely accessible. $10 per class or buy a series and save. Beginners always welcome.

SATURDAYS
8-9:30 am Tai Chi • Held in the peaceful surroundings of the museum’s courtyard. $10. Beginners always welcome.
8:45-9:45 am Chinese Calligraphy • New six-week series began Feb. 15. Come in for a free observation of the class. $80 per person, $50 if also enrolled in Chinese Brush Painting. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 19 for details.18 yrs. and older suggested.
10 am-Noon Chinese Brush Painting Class • New six-week series began Feb. 15. Come in for a free observation of the class. $120 per person. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 19 for details. 18 yrs. and older suggested. See New Class Series above.
1 pm Weekly Tour • Our Highlights Tour gives a great overview of USC Pacific Asia Museum. Join our docents for this 30-minute  tour of our galleries. Free with paid admission.
2 pm Haiku • Third Saturday of every month. 18 yrs. and older.

Weekend Feb. 7-9 USC Pacific Asia Museum

OPENING FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7  The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America is a collection of visual narratives about the Chinese and Mexican immigrant experiences. Through the works of five contemporary artists, the exhibition explores the recurring issues of immigration, border relations and labor practices that have persisted throughout U.S. history and remain timely today. Artists featured are Andrea Bowers, Margarita Cabrera, Tony de los Reyes, Zhi Lin and Hung Liu.

Image shown: Andrea Bowers, No Olvidado (Not Forgotten), no. 16, 2010, Graphite on paper, Courtesy of Susanne Vielmetter, Los Angeles Projects, Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

Special Performance by YouTube sensation Luna Lee  Sunday, February 9 • 2 pm Visiting from Korea, gayageum virtuoso Luna Lee will perform at USC Pacific Asia Museum. Lee has captured the public’s imagination with her unique blend of music, using a traditional Korean stringed instrument to give beautiful and surprising renditions of decidedly modern songs. Her version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile” has been viewed more than 2.5 million times on her YouTube site. Performance included with museum admission. Limited seating!

ONGOING EXHIBITONS

Through March 2 Ralli Quilts: Contemporary Textiles from Pakistan features handmade quilts by women in the areas of Sindh, Pakistan, western India, and surrounding areas.

Through March 30 Focus on the Subject: The Art of the Harari Collection presenting the renowned Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) era paintings and drawings collected by Ralph Harari.

ONGOING  EVENTS

THURSDAYS, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Yoga Designed with a lunch-hour audience in mind, instructor Jill Zepezauer’s Hatha Yoga is uniquely accessible. $10 per class or buy a series and save. Beginners always welcome.

SATURDAYS                                                                                                                                                     8-9:30 am Tai Chi Held in the peaceful surroundings of the museum’s courtyard. $10. Beginners always welcome.

8:45-9:45 am Chinese Calligraphy New six-week series begins Feb. 15. Come in for a free observation of the class. $80 per person, $50 if also enrolled in Chinese Brush Painting. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 19 for details.18 yrs. and older suggested.

10 am-Noon Chinese Brush Painting Class New six-week series begins Feb. 15. Come in for a free observation of the class. $120 per person. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 19 for details. 18 yrs. and older suggested.

1 p.m. Weekly Tour: Our Highlights Tour gives a great overview of USC Pacific Asia Museum. Join our docents for this 30-minute  tour of our galleries. Free with paid admission.

Opening Exhibition February 7

Seeing photos of a track and a pyramid of fortune cookies at USC Pacific Asia Museum, you might think that the Gold Line is coming through or that our assistant curator Yeonsoo Chee is building a playground for the Cookie Monster. This is just a glimpse of the exciting contemporary exhibition The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America opening Friday, Feb. 7. See you there!

P.S. A big shout out to Metro for loaning the railroad and installing it for the exhibition!