Asia North Exhibition and Festival
Saturday, April 10 | Ongoing through May 15
presented by Asian Arts & Culture Center
The Asian Arts & Culture Center (AA&CC) at Towson University, Central Baltimore Partnership, and multiple community organizations* present the third annual Asia North exhibition and festival. The exhibit will be on view online and in socially distanced locations throughout the Station North Arts District, including Motor House, Joe Squared, SNF Parkway Theatre, North Avenue Market, Impact Hub, Charle Theatre, Nancy by SNAC, and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).
The online exhibit goes live April 10 at http://bit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-Exhibit. Additional details about the exhibit and festival are available at http://bit.ly/aacc-events
Inaugurated in spring 2019, Asia North is a celebration of art, culture, and the Asian heritage of Greater Baltimore, especially the Korean history of the Charles North community (a.k.a. Station North). It is co-presented by AA&CC, Central Baltimore Partnership, and multiple community partners.*
The Asia North 2021 exhibition is curated by AA&CC’s Program Manager, Nerissa Paglinauan, and features the work of twenty-five regional Asian and AAPI artists. The artists featured in the exhibit include Reed Bmore, Cheng Cao, Molli Chang, Seongyoon Choi, Anu Das, Marlo De Lara, Gloria Tseng Fischer, Farhad Heidarian, Margaret Huey, Linda Kato, Jinyoung Koh, Sunjin Lee, Jing Ma, Hadrian Mendoza, Miki + Dolor + Van Ngo + Hsiao-Chu Hsia, Sookkyung Park, Linh Pham, Grace Ren, Nahid Tootoonchi, Nikita Viswasam, Anjali Wells, and Andersen Woof. The physical exhibit in Station North will also feature panels highlighting landmarks and milestones in the history of Baltimore’s unofficial Koreatown. This information is also available online in the Asia North section of AA&CC’s website at http://bit.ly/AsiaNorth-CommunityHistory
The Asia North 2021 festival is virtual and includes a kick-off event, food demonstrations, a concert and workshops.
Virtual Kick-off Event
Saturday, April 10 at 4pm.
The Kick-off features a video tour of the exhibit in Station North and performances and presentations by Greater Baltimore/DMV artists:
- The Korean Performing Arts Academy of America (KPAAA) performs samulnori, a vibrant Korean drumming and percussion tradition, featuring original compositions by KPAAA head director Hyung Joo Cho.
- Sae Young Jeong shares pansori, a Korean musical storytelling tradition.
- Artist, Derrick Quevedo, introduces the works he created and posted on Instagram each day of October 2020 in honor of Filipino American History Month.
- Sughra Hussainy shares her traditional and contemporary work developed from her training in Afghani and Islamic miniature painting, calligraphy and illumination.
- Henna artist, Ambika Ramsundar, impresses with her intricate body art designs.
- Jorgelina Lopez discusses how she creates contemporary home décor using Japanese textile techniques.
- Handiasporia blues musician and producer, EN’B, concludes the program with their performance of a fusion of Korean and R&B music.
Register/Join the event here bit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-VirtualKickOff
Charm City Night Market presents
A Night Market Online with Brown Rice
Saturday, April 10 at 6:30pm.
Check for updates at http://bit.ly/aacc-events
AA&CC and the Asian Pasifika Arts Collective (APAC) co-present
Exploring Identity through Culture, A Virtual workshop
Saturday, April 17 at 1pm.
Led by artist, Lek Vercauteren Borja, participants create collages from their personal and cultural experiences. Learn more at bit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-LekBorjaWorkshop
Virtual Concert, Featuring Dong Xi
Wednesday, April 21 at 8pm
Dong Xi presents their new musical project, The Way, at a virtual concert. Chao Tian and Tom Teasley bring Chinese dulcimer and world percussion together in conversations based on the Taoist philosophy of Wu Wei, meaning “action through inaction.” Register/Join the event here bit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-DongXiConcert
Haappy Hour Workshops
Artist, Margaret Huey, leads two virtual happy-hour workshops—
Zinemaking 101: Friday, April 30 at 7pm
Learn about the creativity, community, and action we can enact with zines, a cheap, accessible, and fun way to share information and stories. Register/Join the workshop herebit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-Zinemaking101.
Making Stories with Where We’re From: Friday, May 7 at 7pm.
In Making Stories with Where We’re From, build your visual and written storytelling skills from your own memories, experiences, and knowledge. Register/Join the workshop herebit.ly/AsiaNorth2021-StoriesWorkshop
*Asia North 2021 partners, sponsors, and supporters include Asian Arts & Culture Center, Central Baltimore Partnership, Station North Arts District, Motor House, Joe Squared, SNF Parkway Theatre, North Avenue Market, Impact Hub, Charles Theatre, Nancy by SNAC, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Charm City Night Market, Asian Pasifika Arts Collective, E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council, Yoshinobu & Kathleen Shiota, William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, Citizens of Baltimore County, AA&CC Members, TD Bank, BB&T/Trust, PNC Bank, WYPR, Guppy Management Services, Community Housing Partners, Mike Shecter, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee, Baltimore Changwon Sister City Committee, and Brown Rice.