Category Archives: Visual Art and related events

CHOW: From China to Canada – wins Gold Award from Cuisine Canada / UC Culinary Book Awards

Janice Chow – my wonderful artist/family historian / cook book cousin sends me this great news!

Hello Todd,

I'm happy to announce that CHOW received the gold award in the Cuisine Canada + University of Guelph's Culinary Book Awards,
Canadian Food Culture category…the category that celebrates books that “best illustrate Canada's rich culinary heritage and food culture.”

If you're in Vancouver on Sunday Sept. 24th, you can catch me at the Ricepaper magazine booth (2 – 6 pm) at Word On The Street,
Vancouver's Annual Book and Magazine Fair, on the street, Vancouver Public Library main branch.

If you're in Gibsons on Saturday Sept. 23rd, I'm reading at the first annual New Moon Festival of Asian Art and Culture.

All the best,
Janice

JEFF CHIBA STEARNS WINS BEST ANIMATED SHORT AT NATIONAL ANIMATION AWARDS SHOW

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Here's a news release about my animator friend Jeff Chiba Stearns.
Jeff is cool.  Check him out, and his short animated film 
"What Are You Anyways?"  I have featured the film at the Vancouver Public 
Library for the Joy Kogawa book launch for Emily Kato, and also at the
2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year
Dinner.



Above is a picture of two stills from "What Are You Anyways?"
For more stories about Jeff on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com  click on:
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog?cmd=search&keywords=jeff+chiba+stearns



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2006

KELOWNA ANIMATOR WINS BEST ANIMATED SHORT AT NATIONAL ANIMATION AWARDS SHOW

Animation filmmaker and Kelowna resident, Jeff Chiba Stearns, took home the 
award for Best Animated Short Subject for his film, “What Are You Anyways?” 
at the first annual Canadian Awards for Electronic and Animated Arts 
(CAEAA).  The awards show, described as the Oscars of the Canadian video 
game and animation industry, was hosted by actor William Shatner of Star 
Trek fame on Thursday night, September 14th, at the world class River Rock 
Show Theatre in Richmond, BC.   Awards were presented in 37 categories in 
three sectors of the Electronic and Animated Arts industry: talent 
development (New Media and Animation Art Schools), animation, and video game 
development.  Each winner was presented with an Elan – a statuette similar 
to an Oscar but constructed of a majestic man and a woman resembling Greek 
gods holding up the world.

The evening was complete with red carpet, limousines, and Hollywood 
treatment.  The Gala event, with over 700 guests, was similar to the Golden 
Globe Awards with an Oscar-like glitzy reception and black-tie dinner at one 
of the best new theatres in North America with industry sponsors 
participating in the development of the show and celebrity guest presenters. 

It is expected that the Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts 
will become the standard by which Canada and the rest of the World recognizes 
the amazing talent and product that this country is delivering to 
an enormous and ever-growing market.

Chiba Stearns attended the event with faculty from the Centre for Arts and 
Technology Kelowna where he instructs classical hand drawn animation 
courses.  His classically animated short film, “What Are You Anyways?” is an 
autobiographical recollection of Chiba Stearns’ life experiences growing up 
in Kelowna being a Hapa – a world-wide term used to describe someone of 
mixed Asian decent.  In Chiba Stearns’ case, he is half-Japanese and 
half-Caucasian. The film, released in 2005, has experienced incredible 
international praise winning over 7 awards and screening at over 35 
international film festivals to date.  Chiba Stearns has since become an 
international spokesman for Hapa advocacy by writing articles and lecturing 
at conferences, universities, and workshops about mixed-race identity and 
issues.

“I am extremely honored and excited to receive an Elan for Best Animated 
Short Subject at the 2006 CAEAA Awards.  It means a great deal to be 
recognized by my peers in the Canadian animation industry for the work I am 
doing in independent classical animation.  So many people from around the 
world respond to how much they relate to my film and in turn share their own 
stories with me.  I can only hope for continued success with all my future 
projects and that my work will continue to touch the lives of people around 
the world.”  - Jeff Chiba Stearns

Currently, Chiba Stearns is in pre-development of two short animated films 
and a documentary on Hapa children.  Look for new work by Chiba Stearns to 
be released in 2007.  Check out www.myspace.com/jeffchibastearns for current 
updates.  DVD copies of “What Are You Anyways?” can be purchased in Kelowna 
at Komatsu Japanese Market and in Burnaby at the Nikkei Centre Museum gift 
shop.  Educational sales and private sales are available through the NFB at 
www.nfb.ca

CONTACT:

Jeff Chiba Stearns
website: www.meditatingbunny.com

Gung Haggis Fat Choy invades Gilbert & Sullivan's “The Mikado” in Vernon production

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Gung Haggis Fat Choy invades Gilbert & Sullivan's “The Mikado” in Vernon production

It's not everyday, that a world class baritone opera singer and
director offers “product placement” for a production of Gilbert &
Sullivan's opera “The Mikado.” But that is exactly what happened
in Vernon, BC, on July 22, 2006.

Damon Nestor Ploumis, baritone of great renown, was guest director of “The Mikado” for the Okanagan Vocal Arts Fesival, for which he also played the role of Pooh Bah. Additionally he sang the role of Bartolo in Nozze di Figaro.

Our dragon boat team, Gung Haggis Fat Choy, was attending the Greater Vernon Dragon Boat Races,
and we went to visit the family home of our drummer, “The
Martin's.” Bill Martin is also a member of the board for OVAF,
and annually billets students and staff at his lakeside home.

What happens when dragon boats and opera collide?

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner has seen its' share of opera singers, as soprano Heather Pawsey
performed at the 2004 and 2005 dinners, and soprano Veera Devi Khare
also performed at the 2005 dinner. But while opera singers have
performed on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy stage, never before has Gung
Haggis Fat Choy been represented on an opera stage. That is…
until Damon Nestor Ploumis came along and offered product placement.

It is a tradition in Gilbert & Sullivan performances to work in
local references into each production. Hence the McAdo sign –
complete with “golden arches” in the Vernon production. Damon
loved the concept of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, and had been hearing about
it during his stay at the Martin's residence.

Damon Nestor Ploumis sings the role of Pooh Bah wearing Gung Haggis Fat Choy team shirt and kilt.
– photo by TD from http://www.tdineurope.smugmug.com/gallery/1712950/1/84436176

Look closely at the above photo to see Baritone singer Damon Nestor
Ploumis performing as “Pooh Bah” in the Okanagan Vocal Arts Festival
production of “The Mikado,” wearing the uniform of the Gung Haggis Fat
Choy dragon boat team. You can clearly see the gold coins on the
top, and the Fraser Hunting Tartan kilt. Unfortunately, Damon had
to do “quick costume changes” and was unable to go fully traditionally
Scots, by wearing his shorts underneath. Hopefully this
experience has inspired Damon to purchase his own kilt, as he really
enjoyed wearing the tartan. We did give him the Gung Haggis team
shirt as a thank you for the product placement, and to encourage him to
take “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” to the world, and to host his own dinners
in Finland and/or Germany, wherever he may find himself come January
25th, Robbie Burns Day.
Here's a picture of me and Deb in our team uniform with matching kilts.

Below is a picture of Bill Martin, playing a very minor role in the
Mikado. I've only been dating his daughter for three years, and
the asianification process is now almost complete!

Bill Martin in a cameo “walk on” part for The Mikado in Vernon, BC.
– photo by TD http://tdineurope.smugmug.com/gallery/1712950/3

Visit to Tacoma's Museum of Glass – Artist in Residence with Angelo Filomeno

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Visit to Tacoma's Museum of Glass
– Artist in Residence with Angelo Filomeno

The exterior cone
of the Museum of Glass on the left, on the right – the interior
containing the ovens used for heating the glass, as well as works on
display + a giant video screen highlighting the artistic team in
process – photo Todd Wong

I went to visit the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday. It is amazing. The building was designed by Vancouver architect Arthur Erickson,
who has also designed the Simon Fraser University, Museum of
Anthropology in Vancouver and many others. Check out information
on the building of the Museum of Glass on Erickson's own website.

http://www.arthurerickson.com/B_mog.html

We saw artist in residence, Angelo Filomeno, overseeing the production
of a life-size human skeleton created from black glass. Filomena
is a New York based artist and was in residence from July 12 – 16,
2006. It was very interesting to watch the development of the
upper spine from our arrival at 11:30am to our departure at 4pm.

Tacoma Glass Museum: a Black Skeleton sculpture glass work in the “Hot Shop” – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Tue 18 Jul 2006 12:40 PM PDT

Tacoma Glass Museum: a Black Skeleton sculpture glass work in the “Hot Shop” – photo Todd

Tacoma Glass Museum: a Black Skull sculpture glass work in the “Hot Shop” – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Tue 18 Jul 2006 12:41 PM PDT

Tacoma Glass Museum: a Black Skull sculpture glass work in the “Hot Shop” – photo Todd

There were also three other shows on display in the Museum of Glass.

Absence Adorned

Karen LaMonte is a leading figure among young American artists using glass in large-scale sculptural work. Absence Adorned includes six stunning life-sized glass dresses.

This is a gorgeous exhibit that showcased the transparency and
multidimensional qualities of glass. If you look at marble
sculptures, you can only see the surface details. But with glass,
you can see not only the exterior design, but also the interior.
These “glass dresses” were created on plaster body molds made from real
human bodies, which are shown revealed through the glass.

Fresh!
is the first exhibition in the Museum’s Context Series which places
works in glass in context with other media. The exhibition examines how
early 21st century artists are exploring traditional natural allegories
and reinterpreting them to create new personal and collective metaphors.

This was amazing to see, as many of the works also drew on the history
of Art in Nature. I particularly liked to one piece in particular,
which depicted a Natural History dioramas inside a ruined Museum –
definitely speaking about the temporal relationship of humans and the
world.

Kickin’ It with Joyce J. Scott

Dale Chihuly will be artist in residence from August 9-13.
This will be something special, as Chihuly is a “native son” of Tacoma,
now recognized world wide for his innovative work with glass.

Dale Chihuly, Seattle, WA

August 9 – 13, 2006
Get more info on Chihuly in Tacoma »

Tippy Agogo coming to Vanocouver's “Rime” on the Drive – July 21

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Tippy Agogo coming to Vanocouver's “Rime” on the Drive

– July 21

Tacheles Cafe – Berlin, Nov/93

I have known Tippy Agogo since the mid-1980's when we “rocked” the Capilano Courier, the student newspaper at Capilano College.

Tippy is an amazing performer, frequently appearing a folk festivals, children’s festivals, punk festivals.
He is known for his musical explorations utilizing commonly found items
such as tin cans and anything he can get his hands on.

From his web site www.tippyagogo.com

TIPPY AGOGO, the “One Man Orchestra” and
Mouth Musician, is known throughout the free world for making
beautiful, scary, heavy, and insightful music on reclaimed tin cans,
broken guitars, and racks full of technological gadgetry. He performs
for children, punk rockers, folkies, metal heads, high brows, low
brows, and all those in-between!

TIPPY has performed on albums with artists as diverse as Sarah McLachlan, SNFU, German Techno/Industrial Bands, Sun God, Aurora Sutra,
and a host of other famous people. He tours constantly. He wins awards
for his soundtracks for film and theatre projects. He makes his mother
proud.

Tippy sent me the following communication:

Hiya
haggis rice man! How are ya? Comin soon in from Edm, and
fests! See ya hopfully! TIP

PRESS RELEASE

FRIDAY JULY 21/06

at RIME 9pm

Once again, the three brothers in musical explorations

are brought TOGETHER from Saskatoon, Edmonton & Vancouver,

for a fine evening at RIME, on the Drive. All welcome!!

TIPPY AGOGO(Edm), GILLES ZOLTY(S'toon), & WAYNE ADAMS(Van)

RIME 1130 Commercial Drive ($5-$10, yer choice)

604/614.8955

ps Album release slated for the Fall, assembled by

Darryl Neudorf(Neko Case, the Sadies)…

Sincerely, D.A. Mark aka Tippy Agogo

please see: www.tippyagogo.com

Museum of Glass in Tacoma: Very Dale Chihuly – Very Arthur Erickson

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Museum of Glass in Tacoma:
Very Dale Chihuly – Very Arthur Erickson

Members of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team visited the Museum
of Glass in Tacoma WA on July 16th, 2006: Todd, Deb, Jonas, Wendy,
Stephen, Julie and Dan – photo courtesy of Todd Wong (taken by another
museum visitor)

The Museum of Glass in Tacoma is incredible. We enjoyed our
visit. My girlfriend Deb kept saying, “My mother would love
this.” We were all amazed. You have to go!

To see more pictures of the building and art work click on:
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog?cmd=search&keywords=chihuly

Tacoma Museum of Glass – designed by Vancouver architect Arthur Ericson / glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 01:14 AM PDT

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:38 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly Scupture at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Dale Chihuly Scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:40 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly Scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Dale Chihuly Scupture at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:42 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly Scupture at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Dale Chihuly Scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:44 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly Scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Dale Chihuly “Sea Forms” scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:53 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly “Sea Forms” scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Dale Chihuly “Sea Forms” scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

by
Todd
on Mon 17 Jul 2006 12:57 AM PDT

Dale Chihuly “Sea Forms” scuptures at Tacoma Museum of Glass – photo Todd Wong

Tang Dynasty Concubine story premiering in Vancouver

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Tang Dynasty Concubine story premiering in Vancouver

Each
time I attend the Action Musicals at the Centre in Vancouver for
Performing Arts, I find I learn more about Chinese history, culture and
art. Unfortunately I will be missing the opening night
presentation tonight, Friday July 14 – but I hope to review the show
when I return from dragon boat racing in Seattle this weekend.

The Tang Dynasty is one of the
most powerful and artistic epochs in Chinese history. I was
thrilled to visit the museums in Bejing and Xi'an during my visit in
1993, as well as seeing the Ming dynasty tombs and the Terracotta
Warriors. Growing up in Canada, we really develop with a
Euro-centric view of history.

This show is in Mandarin Chinese, with surtitles in English.

– Todd

The following is from the website for http://www.centreinvancouver.com/upcoming.php

Sight, Sound & Action Presents

The 2nd Annual Chinese Performing Arts Festival

Tang Concubines

Deciding the fate of a dynasty

July 14 – 23

This new Action-Musical portrays the lives and loves of two of the most famous women in all of Chinese history, Wu Zetian and Yang Guifei. Their notorious and celebrated lives played a major role in deciding the fate of the Tang dynasty [618-906 AD].

Tang Concubines combines a unique story with palatial sets and costumes
and stunning dance and action. The show contrasts the treacherous power
of one concubine who became China's only Empress with the love and
sacrifice of another whose legendary beauty was immortalized by
countless poets.

Both had amazing love affairs with father and son Emperors and
both used their sexuality and beauty to their fullest advantage. Most
importantly, each attained great power and changed the course of
Chinese history.

Terracotta Warriors

Ruled by terror. Loyalty by force. Love by decree.

July 28 – 30

This haunting story of China's First Emperor is seen through the
eyes of his beloved concubine and scheming eunuch. The most incredible
Chinese historical facts are revealed on stage against a backdrop of
epic sets and lavish costumes. The audience will marvel at the dance,
music and action used to tell a story of power and lust, of betrayal
and forbidden passion.

Battles and conquest, forbidden love, burning of books, live
burial of scholars and even the building of the Great Wall end with a
final climax of the Dance of the Terracotta Warriors. It's a theatrical
event to be remembered!

Of Heaven and Earth

The Wrath of a God, the Love of a Woman

August 4 – 6

Of Heaven and Earth tells a story of gods and mortals. Passion
ignites a war between heaven and earth and forbidden love becomes
immortal. This acclaimed production was unveiled at Beijing's renowned
Poly Theater in August 2001 and premiered in North America on May 29th,
2002 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts.

A true fusion of East and West, Of Heaven and Earth combines the
grand scale of a Broadway production with the ancient traditions of
Chinese dance, music and martial arts. Under the art direction and
costume design of Tim Yip [winner of the 2001 Academy Award for the Art
Direction for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon], Of Heaven and Earth
introduces Western audiences to a stunning new genre of live-stage
entertainment. It is a spectacular combination of Chinese classical and
folk dance, different styles of martial arts, and a new kind of Chinese
acrobatics.

Extravagant costumes and futuristic stage design, uncharacteristic
of Chinese musical theatre, combine to create an original theatrical
experience for the audience. Of Heaven and Earth was the first
Action-Musical that paved the way for Sight, Sound & Action to help
invent the future of Chinese musical theatre for the international
arena. This re-arrangement of a thousand years of tradition Chinese
performing arts for use in musical live-theatre to showcase the beauty
of the human form was indeed unprecedented.

Storyscapes Chinatown: “Spiritual Kinship” – Todd Wong

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Storyscapes Chinatown: “Spiritual Kinship” – Todd Wong

Here is my contribution to Storyscapes Chinatown, bringing together
stories of interactions between First Nations and Chinese peoples in
Vancouver. I was very pleased to bring a Creation Story to tie in
the spiritual kinship between these two cultural groups. I have
always personally felt a spiritual bond to First Nations peoples…
especially since I have travelled to Nu-Chal-nuth territory in Kyuquot
Sound, Nootka territory in Clayquot Sound, Haida territory in Haida
Gwaii, Squamish and Musqueam territory throughout the Lower mainland
from Tsawassen to Lillo'wat and Okanagan Territory too.

This particular story about the Mongolian birth mark on First Nations people was told to me by an elderly First Nations man that I met at the mouth of the Capilano River in North Vancouver. My father and I went for a walk, and some First Nations people were fishing on the East side of the river. All the land here is land belonging to the Burrard First Nations. We had a good talk about fishing, then about being non-white, and giving appreciation to each other's culture. Then we talked about how both Chinese and First Nations babies both have the Mongolian birthmark when they are born. He shared this story with me.

There are many theories about how Asian peoples may have migrated
across the Bering Strait to North America across an “ice bridge.” One
of my favorite Creation stories about the First Nations people, is by
Bill Reid. It is how Raven found a clam. He opened it,
setting the first peoples free. There are many Creation stories,
and we need to respect all of them.

But we also know that there are aboriginal people in Siberia and also
in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska – who are family and travel across
the Bering Sea to visit each other. It is the same as aboriginal
people on Southern Vancouver Island who travel to North West Washington
across the Juan de Fuca Strait. They have been related and family
– since before Canada or the United States existed. What are
geographic borders but creations of human ideas?

Storyscapes Chinatown: “Know Where You Come From” – Rhonda Larrabee

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Storyscapes Chinatown: “Know Where You Come From” – Rhonda Larrabee

This is my cousin Rhonda Larrabee. Actually she is my mother’s cousin. I knew Grand Uncle Art since I was a child, but I never met Rhonda until we started preparing a family reunion in 1999 for the Rev. Chan Yu Tan descendants. Previously I had heard of Rhonda, and that she had created a family tree, as I had similarly done. It was inevitable that we should meet, and
instantly like each other tremendously.

Rhonda is incredible. She has singlehandedly resurrected the Qayqayt First Nations Band. When she first applied for her Indian status, she was denied and was told that the Qayqayt “didn’t exist anymore.” Disappointed, she was shocked because clearly she existed, and her brothers existed, and her mother’s siblings still existed. A few years later… she applied again and was granted status. She was told “I guess you want some land now too.”

Rhonda was the subject of the award winning National Film Board documentary “Tribe of One,” directed by Eunhee Cha. It is the story of Rhonda and how she discovered her First Nations heritage at the adult age of 24, and how she claimed it, and became elected band chief.
There are some pictures of family attending the “Three Chinese Pioneer Families” photo exhibit at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives in 2002.

I am proud of Rhonda… and she is proud of me. We enthusiastically support each other in our endeavors, and especially with the Rev. Chan Legacy Project, and family reunions.

Mina Shum: A Writer’s Journey

Dale Chihuly, Seattle, WA