Vancouver Tagore Society cordially invites you to an unforgettable and rare evening of Bengali music by versatile, powerful and acclaimed vocalist Pinu. In this 2-hour concert, Pinu will sing songs written and composed by five epoch-making poets and composers in the history of Bengali music, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Dwijendralal Roy, Atulprasad Sen and Rajanikanto Sen. Pinu will be accompanied by Subhamoy (tabla), Sabuj (guitar) and Swati (narration).

               181 Roundhouse Mews,

               Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 2W3

Dear Theatre, Dance and Film folks,

This is Iris Lau, Professional Development Coordinator at the Gateway Theatre in Richmond, BC.

We understand that some of you are still pondering what the inaugural Gateway Pacific Theatre Festival and the Gateway Pacific Masterclass series are. You now have untilMidnight June 6th (Sunday) to get your submissions in for the Masterclass Series.

Please spread widely the attached application form and the details of the Call for Submission. The Masterclass series will be instructed in Cantonese by professional artists from Hong Kong. The Gateway Theatre will provide airfare and accommodation, as required, for all selected candidates.

Applicants can also apply online:
http://www.gatewaytheatre.com/gateway-pacific-masterclass-series-call-submissions

We appreciate your help.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you so much.

Q & A about the Masterclass series:
Q: I am a dancer/ movement artist. But I am interested in the Masterclass series. Can I apply for it?
A: Sure! We appreciate you’re challenging yourself and pushing your boundary.  Let us know why you’re interested in the festival and your goal.

Q: If I’m in the Masterclass Series, do I need to pay for the Masterclass Series, as well as the performances’ tickets?
A: No. To support our artists in Canadian Cantonese/ Chinese theatre society, we will provide airfare and accommodation, as required, for all selected candidates from outside of Greatest Vancouver. We also provide you 3 (free too!) tickets for those 3 performances during the Festival.

Q: I can speak Cantonese. But I can’t read Chinese. Is it ok if I join the Masterclass series?
Q: I can barely speak/ understand Cantonese. Can I still apply for the Festival?
A: Yes, please. We appreciate and fully support our artists if they’re going to step out their comfort zone. Let us know more about you and the reason why you want to join the masterclass series in your letter of intention.

Sincerely,

Iris Lau
Professional Development Coordinator- Gateway Theatre
ILau@gatewaytheatre.com<mailto:ILau@gatewaytheatre.com>
6500 Gilbert Road,
Richmond BC,
Canada V7C 3V4

April 26 to June 15, 2014

Guest Curator: Bill Jeffries

Opening Reception:
Saturday, April 26 – 2:00 to 4:00pm

Vancouver artist Evan Lee’s scanned images of ginseng roots and drawings of elderly Chinese women, and the cultural affinities between them, are the subject of this exhibition organized by guest curator Bill Jeffries.

The exhibition consists of three bodies of work;  thirty-six photographs of ginseng roots, the video work  Manual Labour  from 2006, and thirty-six pencil drawings of elderly Chinese women (Old Women, 2008) shopping in Chinatown or gleaning in the lanes of Vancouver.

All three bodies of work are portraits – linked by their relation to Asia, to globalism, migrations and the plight of the aged.  The images speak to us about biological complexity and fragility, while referencing human migration as well as the globalization of foods and medicines. Lee’s drawings of elderly Chinese women in Vancouver’s lanes are paired with stunning high-resolution scans of anthropomorphic Ginseng roots.

The Ginseng Roots Studies were made using an ordinary desktop scanner instead of a camera. Each of the 36 roots in this series were found and purchased at a local supermarket. Evan Lee is known for his experimental photo-based work but also works across a range of media and subjects. Lee’s drawings were drawn from photographs that the artist took of elderly Chinese women walking, working and resting in the streets of east Vancouver. Instead of printing and displaying the original photographs, Lee presents simple pencil drawings as a way of working more closely with the subjects.

The opening reception is on Saturday, April 26 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm with an Artist’s tour beginning at 2:30pm. Evan Lee will give a talk on Saturday, May 31, 2-3pm.   The exhibition continues until June 15, 2014.

Evan Lee Benefit Print Edition

The Richmond Art Gallery is delighted to announce that Canadian artist Evan Lee has produced a limited edition archival pigment print to benefit the Gallery.

For more information and to purchase a print, click here.

Related Programming:

Panel Discussion: A Conversation about Collecting Contemporary Art
Saturday, May 3, 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Hear different perspectives on collecting contemporary art. Featuring: Wil Aballe, Dealer and Owner of Wil Aballe Art Projects (WAAP) ; Kate Bellringer, Director of Contemporary and Canadian Art Auctions at Maynards Fine Arts & Antiques; Donna Partridge, private collector and Manager of Art Rental & Sales at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Moderated by RAG Director, Rachel Rosenfield Lafo

Co-sponsored by the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver
Free admission. Light refreshments provided.

Illustrated Talk: Vancouver’s Historic Chinatown by Hayne Wai
Saturday, May 10, 2:00 – 3:00 pm

Historian Hayne Wai presents a talk on the history of Chinese Canadians in BC, with a focus on the historic and social context for Vancouver’s evolving Chinatown, going back to its origins in the 1880s.

In partnership with the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC.
Free admission. Light refreshments provided.

Artist Talk: Evan Lee
Saturday, May 31, 2:00 – 3:00 pm

Exhibiting artist Evan Lee provides an illustrated talk on his process and artworks. Free admission. Light refreshments provided.

Every spring, VIBC presents the City of Bhangra Festival, a ten-day all-out dance party and music-fest showcasing the music and dance of the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. On indoor and outdoor stages, in parks, in clubs, and even right smack downtown in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Festival features hundreds of local and international artists in a series of dynamic performances designed to thrill audiences of all ages.

The theme of the Festival this year is #BhangraLove, embracing the idea of love crossing all boundaries – social, cultural, sexual, religious, geographic – and uniting (even igniting) the hearts and minds of diverse audiences through the vibrancy of bhangra music, dance, art, poetry, and song. The nature of bhangra – from its roots to its contemporary expression in Vancouver and around the world – has always supported connectivity across and between individuals and communities, space and time, genders and cultures. How better to express your love than by becoming a part of the spirit of celebration, generosity, and community that is the bhangra movement?

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check out our Flickr and Instagram feeds – and join in using #BhangraLove.

Please see schedule of the festival events here.

This is YOUR Festival and the only one of its kind in the world!

Calling all volunteers who are curious about the lesser-known history of BC.  If you can speak either English, Cantonese or Mandarin, and are willing to be trained to qualify as the “Cultural Ambassadors” of the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre (PCHC), please read on.

In support of the Centennial Anniversary of the Ing Suey Sung Tong Association of Vancouver, and their upcoming exhibition of rare artefacts of Overseas Chinese and Historical Figures of the Ing Clan, PCHC is offering a training program for volunteers to become “Cultural Ambassadors”, who will guide visitors at the said exhibition (see description of the Exhibition below) and provide some basic information relating to the history and experience of Chinese pioneers in Vancouver.

Eligibility requirements:

1. Fluency in either English, Cantonese or Mandarin.

2. Interest in learning more about the life and history of the early Chinese pioneers and in sharing that knowledge with others.

3. Attendance at the information session at 11am on June 7 (Saturday) at an appropriate place in Chinatown (to be determined).

4. Completion of a training program before assuming duties as guides at the exhibition which starts on June 14, 2014.

5. Availability to be on the roster of guides for at least 3 shifts during the period June 14 to July 14 when the exhibition is on.

To find out more, come to the mandatory information session on June 7 by

pre-registering on line  at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/pchc-info-session-for-new-volunteers-tickets-11794334171

or by calling Ms Chunli Yang at  604-782-3866 to reserve a spot.

Winnie L. CHEUNG and Chunli YANG

Volunteer & Training Committee,

Pacific Canada Heritage Centre – Museum of Migration (PCHC-MoM) Society

www.pchc-mom.ca

Bon Voyage / Bon Appétit: Menus from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company’s Ships, Trains, Planes, and Hotels is an exhibition that will be held from April 7 to December 24, 2014. Whether you prefer quick eats or fine dining, join us for an exhibition of eye-catching and mouth-watering Canadian Pacific Railway Company menus dating from the 1890s through the 1980s from the renowned Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection in the Rare Books & Special Collections of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Level One, 1961 E Mall, Vancouver B.C. V6T 1Z1.

You are invited to meet Edwin Lee at the book signing of SUM YUNG GUYS!  Edwin Lee was born in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 1936, at a time when Chinese were a minority in our city.  The book shares some intimate memories of growing up in Vancouver during the 40,s and 50’s and the special bond of friendship with a group of buddies that has lasted over seven generations. Shanghai Alley, Keefer Street, the Columbia Corridor, Mandarin Gardens, and many of the families that lived in Chinatown are included in this journey back in time.

The Musette Caffe, 75 East Pender Street, Saturday, May 31,2014, 1PM-4PM

Traditional textiles are often associated as cultural objects since much of the thoughts about the work, materials and techniques have significance in meaning and value. For centuries, the practice of producing traditional cloths in Indonesia has been passed down from generation to generation. Although the method is seen impractical, the symbolic meaning and value embedded in its creation are still relevant to be passed on to today’s generation. For many, it becomes a profound association of the root of their identities.

“Indonesian Traditional Textiles: A Diversity of Expressions” reflects the significance of diversity rooted from the Southeast Asia region. This event is selected as one of the signature events in the 2014 Asian Heritage Month Festival.

The exhibition showcases Canadian collections from local communities. Textiles from island communities in Indonesia such as Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sumbawa, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan will be on display with captions from Indonesia’s prominent curator, Judith Knight-Achjadi.

A resourceful textile anthropologist, Judith Knight-Achjadi is well respected among the Southeast Asian traditional textile communities. She is appointed as Honorary Curator of Jakarta Textile Museum, an author/editor of various Indonesia’s textile literatures, and the main contributor for the paper that leads to UNESCO’s recognition of  batik  as Indonesia’s tangible cultural heritage.

To complement this exhibition, a team from Indonesia will present and demonstrate the creation of batik patterns using fractal formula on jBatik Software, which will be followed with traditional textile making process. The success of this project is derived from a lengthy research in which relationship of batik and fractal formula were explored.  As a result, the team invented a new measurement tools for batiking and has successfully presented their findings at the 10th Generative Art International Conference in Italy.  The paper is selected as part of the Conference Proceeding in 2007.  We are confident that the local communities will benefit greatly from their participation.

Event Details:

Title:
Exhibition: Indonesia’s Traditional Textiles: A Diversity of Expressions
Talk, and Demonstration: Batik Fractal: From Traditional Art to Modern Complexity

Date:
Friday, May 30, 2014

Time:
Exhibition: 10:00 am – 8:00pm
Talk and Demonstration: 2:00 – 5:00pm
Gathering: 6:00 – 8:00pm

Venue:
Central Branch – Vancouver Public Library
Alma Van Dusen + Peter Kaye Rooms
350 West Georgia St.
Vancouver, British Columbia – Canada

Admission: FREE
Textiles Talk : Free; tickets required
Social Gathering: details to be announced

Event contact:  Liza Wajong – lizawajong.omnita@gmail.com; 778-859-3127

RSVP: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/gathering-for-the-indonesian-textiles-exhibition-tickets-11580823555?aff=eac2

Organizational Sponsors

Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) As the organizer of Asian Heritage Month, VAHMS continue to develop a broad and inclusive definition of “Asian” in Canada and create an environment of synergy, collaboration and integration across the Pan-Asian communities with a special program emphasis on integration into the mainstream of Canadian society, our dual Asian and Canadian identity and hybridity – current issues of importance in our multicultural society.

Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Vancouver, BC. To develop better interactions in social culture area is one of the mission of the Indonesian Consulate.  Their support in this event signifies the delivery of our programming and enhance the appreciation of Indonesia’s culture.

Vancouver Public Library – Central Branch. As part of their commitment to support the local communities, Vancouver Public Library has agreed to co-sponsor this signature event to celebrate the 2014 Asian Heritage Month Festival.