Houston is Hot for all That's AsianFebruary 25, 2008
Contact Information: Login: Lbraden@ghcvb.org Password: Houston HOUSTON (February 2008) –The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are fast approaching, and Houston is celebrating with a unique lineup of Asian-inspired events and festivities. From festivals and art to culinary excursions and heritage tours, Houston offers the best of Asian culture without the cost of traveling to Asia. Check out these great offerings: ASIAN ART The Asian collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) span more than 12,000 years, from early Neolithic stone carvings to work by the region’s leading contemporary artists. Over the course of 2007 and 2008, the MFAH is installing these collections for the first time in dedicated galleries for the art of Korea, Indonesian, Southeast Asia, Japan, China and India. Arts of Korea Gallery The December 2007 opening of the Arts of Korea gallery at MFAH marked the first step toward the goal of full representation of Asian art at the MFAH. The Arts of Korea gallery is the only museum gallery in the Southwest dedicated to Korean art. Visitors to the gallery have the opportunity to view ancient and contemporary works spanning 5,000 years, including extraordinary objects on loan from the National Museum of Korea as well as artworks from the MFAH collection. Where Clouds Disperse: Ink Paintings by Suh Se-ok MFAH just opened the first major museum exhibition of works by Korean artist Suh Se-ok in the exhibit Where Clouds Disperse: Ink Paintings by Suh Se-ok , Jan. 27 - April 20. The show presents 29 works spanning nearly 50 years by the prominent Korean artist who demonstrates that the ancient medium of ink can be adapted to create innovative abstract works. FOTOFEST2008 From March 7 through April 20, Houston’s biennial citywide photography event focuses on one of the most compelling cultural, political, and economic phenomena of the contemporary world - China and its transformation. FOTOFEST2008 exhibitions and programs will present both historical and contemporary work by Chinese artists addressing religion, ethnicity, gender, urban transformation, identity, globalization, and the inter-relationship of current art to classical Chinese art and history. All the exhibitions are by Chinese artists working in mainland China and much of the work to be presented will be seen outside of China for the first time. www.fotofest.org. In addition to China programs, curated or commissioned by FotoFest, more than 100 events and exhibitions will be featured at participating museums, galleries, artist and commercial space around the city, including… The photography department of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is presenting the photo exhibit Miwa Yanagi: Deutsche Bank Collection of Japanese photographer Miwa Yanagi from Feb. 10 -May 4. Miwa Yanagi is receiving her first solo show in the United States with more than 30 photographs and a new video work from the Deutsche Bank Collection. www.mfah.org Houston Center for Photography joins FotoFest 2008 with exhibits that include Habitat 7 by Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao , spotlighting the rail line from Flushing to midtown Manhattan, and Mined in China by Susan Meiselas, who investigates the Chinese mining industry and its impact in the community, society and the global economy. Also, Landscapes from Mainland China by the Houston Chinese Photographic Society focuses on landscape images, and Sleep and Confidence by Scully & Osterman, showcases nostalgic images of contemporary landscapes and other subject matter. www.hcponline.org ASIAN FESTIVALS AND EVENTS -Dr. Orville Schell, director of Asia Society Center on U.S.-China relations, takes a hard look at China’s environmental challenge and explores the prospects for a Sino-U.S. collaboration on issues of global climate change, atmospheric pollution and contamination of marine habitats at the BP Speakers Series: "The US & China: The Most Important Bilateral Relationship in the World," March 7 at the Houston Club. 713-439-0265 -In the course Study Mission: Philosophy & Religion in Asia, local experts on the religions and philosophies of Asia will examine the enormous diversity in the beliefs, traditions, and observations of Asia’s major religions and philosophies, at Rice University, March 10-April 21. http://gscs.rice.edu/scs/Default.asp -The Consulate General of Indonesia in Houston will speak about Indonesian traditional dance March 13 at the Houston International Protocol Alliance's Learn at Lunch Series. The program takes place at the Houston Visitors Center in City Hall and is free and open to the public. -More than 20,000 people will celebrate Japanese culture and heritage at the Japan Festival April 5-6 in Hermann Park’s beautiful Japanese Garden. Visitors will see the Japanese Garden transform into an authentic Japanese village with colorful flags, windsocks, cherry blossoms and paper lanterns. Entertainment stages continuously showcase music, traditional and folk dance and martial arts. Sample authentic Japanese food from area restaurants and caterers, and participate in or watch the sushi-eating contest! www.jashouston.org -Miller Outdoor Theatre’s 2008 season opener, Jigu! Thunder Drums of China will astound audiences with an ultra-sensory experience April 22. Hailing from the Shanxi province, this world-renown company of 28 drummers, percussionists and musicians produces music indicative of the culture of the Shanxi province. www.milleroutdoortheatre.org -Dance of Asian America takes audiences on a journey uniting new and award-winning authentic Chinese classical and folk dances during their performance Meets West VI, at Miller Outdoor Theatre, April 26. www.milleroutdoortheatre.org -The Texas Dragon Boat Association will host their 8th annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival on Buffalo Bayou in downtown Houston on May 3. More than 30 teams of all ages and skill levels will race the 250-meter stretch of Buffalo Bayou for a chance to win the revered “Dragon Cup.” The Festival also features Asian cuisine, music, arts & crafts, and cultural performances for the whole family. www.texasdragonboat.com -On May 3, Miller Outdoor Theatre presents the APAHA Heritage Festival, the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Association’s celebration of its culture, food, arts and heritage. www.apaha.org -Houston Ballet presents Madame Butterfly at Miller Outdoor Theatre May 9-11. The production chronicles the love story of the beautiful geisha Cio-Cio San and American Lt. Pinkerton. www.milleroutdoortheatre.org HOUSTON’S ASIATOWN – HISTORY, STATS AND TOURS Did you know Houston is ranked among the top 10 cities in the U.S. visited by Asian-American travelers? Houston also ranks 5th in a list of cities with the most Asian-owned firms in the U.S., behind New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Francisco. Participate in an Asian Heritage Tour for a true insider's look into this thriving community. The weekday tours highlight the best of Asian culture including tea tasting and herbology, Chinese calligraphy, Dim Sum, shopping and Buddhist temples.www.ccchouston.org Houston's Asiatown began as a small Chinatown in downtown Houston with the opening of the store Quong Yick in 1926. At that time, less than 200 Chinese lived in Houston. Today, Chinatown has expanded to include other Asian cultures and has moved from Downtown to Southwest Houston, the heart being a six-mile stretch along Bellaire from Fondren to Highway 6. The Chinese name for Bellaire translates to "Hundreds of Profits," a fitting name for an area where a single street intersection houses a sleek bank on each corner, complete with bilingual signs, information and staff. With at least 80 languages represented by more than 250,000 residents, the Bellaire area is the center of financial, trading, heritage, cultural, social, and religious activities. New Chinatown or “Asiatown” boasts nearly two dozen shopping malls, 40 Buddhist and Taoist temples, hundreds of restaurants and an astounding number of major, mainstream banks. Coming Soon: Asia Society Texas Center is currently in the midst of a $40 million building campaign that will create a world-class headquarters, destination and education space to be located in the Houston Museum District. Groundbreaking will take place in 2008, with formal dedication projected in 2010. Designed by internationally known architect Yoshio Taniguchi, this Texas Center has been conceived as a place to showcase "all things Asian" and will include meeting and educational rooms, a multi-use theatre, exhibition gallery, gardens, reception spaces and a tea room. ### Lauren Braden Marketing Coordinator Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau (713) 437-5206 Lbraden@ghcvb.org www.VisitHoustonTexas.com |
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