Our Sincere Thanks
The Asian Arts and Culture Center expresses its gratitude to Brooke Tenley for her contributions to this exhibition.
Asia in Maryland 2021
Elevating diverse stories, expressions and experiences.
With Asia in Maryland 2021, the Asian Arts and Culture Center (AA&CC) continued its 50-year anniversary celebration, “ElevAsian: Honoring AAPI Experiences,” by doing just that — elevating the diverse stories, expressions and experiences of Asian and AAPI artists in Maryland. The twenty-six AIM 2021 featured artists have cultural roots in Afghanistan, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Uzbekistan. This wide-ranging show begins with a few works that represent the traditional techniques and motifs, with some modern takes, from artists’ homelands and progresses through works addressing themes of representation, responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, identity, immigration, memory, cultural reclamation/reappropriation, climate change, gender equality and existence/cycle of life. Above all, these works express feelings and ideas that words alone cannot. AA&CC is honored and humbled to be able to provide an accepting and safe space for these artists to fully express themselves and promote dialogue amongst our communities, especially through these tumultuous times.
AA&CC dedicates this exhibit in memory of AIM artist Resurreccion “Sony” Robles Florendo, who passed away in August 2021. As a matriarch of Baltimore’s and Maryland’s Filipino-American community, her promotion of Filipino arts, culture and cuisine, and her many selfless contributions to the community, are legendary. She was inspired to pick up a paint brush at the age of 77 after loaning a work by Filipino artist Lamberto Hechanova for AA&CC’s Art Filipino: Works by Master Artists exhibition in 2013. Over seven years, she produced an estimated 400+ works, despite numerous health challenges, and enjoyed art as a part of healing. You will see that her vibrant spirit continues to live on through her paintings.
Nerissa Paglinauan
AA&CC Program Manager & AIM 2021 Curator
Featured Artists
Tima Aflitunov • Momma Rain • Hsin-Hsi Chen • Annika Cheng • Yunkyoung Cho • Anu Das • Sony Robles Florendo • Nico Gozal • Bingjib Huang • Farida Hughes • Sughra Hussainy • Jinyoung Koh • Karen Li • Jia Le Ling • Yifan Luo • Neha Misra • Sookkyung Park • Manzar Rassouli • Socorra Mateo Reggie • Ellie Rha • Rey Velasquez Sagcal • Nahid Tootoonchi • Nimi Trehan • Carole Yee • Monica Youn • Kiddo Pan
AA&CC is grateful for the generous support of Maryland State Arts Council, AA&CC Members, Citizens of Baltimore County, Yoshinobu and Kathleen Shiota, Central Baltimore Partnership, TU College of Fine Arts and Communication, Harold J. Kaplan Foundation, TU-COFAC Diversity and Inclusion Committee, TU Marketing and Communications, Robert Mintz and Beth Arman, Anthony and Bonnie Montcalmo, Alexander Nagel, Connie Rosemont and Jon Greenberg, and Baltimore Changwon Sister City Committee.
