Programs & Exhibitions
Fall 2024
Asia in Maryland Series
Exhibition
Asia in Maryland 2024
September 11 – December 7
(closed October 25 and November 27 – 30)
Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Closing Reception: Saturday, December 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
Explore diverse works of art by Maryland-based Asian and AAPI visual artists which
showcase the stories of, raise awareness about, and facilitate dialogue about the
ideas and issues that are most important to the 500,000+ Asian and AAPI residents
who play integral roles in the fabric of Maryland life. Curated by Nerissa Paglinauan.
An Asia in Maryland 2024 satellite exhibit will be on display in the Fine Arts Mezzanine of the Enoch Pratt Free Library - Central Branch, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201.
Asia in Maryland 2024
Featured Artists
Jasmeen Al Rayyes * Kurt Astudillo * Nancy Berson * Lisa Golightly Braden * Rieko Chacey * Riya Devi-Ashby * Anna Divinagracia * Gloria Tseng Fischer * Sarah An Girard * Farida Hughes * Trang Huynh * Myung Sook Kim * Wanjin Kim * Jinyoung Koh * Anila Kumari * Pamela Li * Linling Liu * Isabel Manalo * Adrianna Morgan * Sookkyung Park * Francisco Pham * Asma Shikoh * Amelie Wang * Lei Yan * Kelley Yang * Phyllis Zhu
OPENING Reception + Meet the Artists
Asia in Maryland 2024
Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery & Atrium, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the opening of Asia in Maryland 2024 with an opening reception. Meet and chat with the artists whose work is on view in the exhibition.
Peace Gathering + Dedication
Gardens for Peace (G4P)
Friday, September 20, 9 – 10 a.m.
AA&CC Asian Garden
Osler Drive Entrance to TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Kick-off the new school year by cultivating a culture of friendship and community. Join a ceremonial raking of the Japanese word for peace (heiwa) in AA&CC’s Asian Garden. Collectively envision and promote peace with others through a guided group meditation. Recognize the International Day of Peace with 27 other Asian Gardens nationwide through G4P which brings people together to advocate for unity.
AA&CC is a proud co-sponsor…
Lecture
Making Sense of America Lecture Series with Dr. Theo Gonzalves
Monday, September 23, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Towson University College of Liberal Arts Bldg., Room 4310
Join Dr. Theodore Gonzalves as he discusses his new book, Smithsonian Asian Pacific
American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects. Dr. Gonzalves is curator at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History. A Fulbright Scholar and past president
of the Association for Asian American Studies with more than thirty years of teaching
experience in the United States, Spain, and the Philippines, he has released several
publications. Co-sponsored by the TU Program in American Studies, TU Department of
Art + Design, Art History and Art Education, TU Asian Arts & Culture Center, TU Center
for Student Diversity, TU Graduate Program in Global Humanities, and TU Department
of History.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
PARADE + FESTIVAL
Asian Community Processions at the 25th Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival
Saturday, October 26, 4 p.m.
(Rain date: Sunday, October 27)
Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD
Join AA&CC in hosting Year of the Dragon sculptures, a Cambodian cultural procession, an Indian dance procession, and a Korean p’ungmul drumming procession as part of the 25th Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival co-produced by the Creative Alliance and Friends of Patterson Park. Experience the magic of fantastical spirits and creatures as well as spectacular presentations by diverse Baltimore-area communities of all ages.
Interactive Community Installation + Performance
Our APIMEDA Thanksgivings
Food, Stories, and Culture
Thursday, November 21, 6 – 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts Atrium, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the diversity of APIMEDA (Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American) culinary traditions in this storytelling gathering highlighting APIMEDA foods shared on Thanksgiving. Presenters include TU-APIMEDA students, faculty, and staff and other guests. Audience members are also invited to share their stories and enjoy Asian food together. Co-presented by TU Asian Arts & Culture Center, TU Department of Theater Arts, and TU Center for Student Diversity. Supported in part by TU-COFAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.
CLOSING Reception + Meet the Artists
Asia in Maryland 2024
Saturday, December 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery & Center for the Arts Atrium, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the remarkable work of this diverse group of artists on the final day of the Asia in Maryland 2024 exhibition.
Japan Film Club Series
AA&CC is a proud partner…
FILM
Gate of Hell (地獄門, Jigokumon)
Saturday, September 21, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
FREE Registration Required
Enjoy this rare screening of a 1953 period film about a samurai’s tragic obsession with a married woman. Gate of Hell was Daiei Film's first color film and the first Japanese color film to be released outside Japan. Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. Winner of the Best Costume Design and the Best Foreign Language Film Awards at the 27th Academy Awards and the Grand Prize at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival. 89 minutes. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
Discover + Dine Film Screening
Tampopo (タンポポ, Dandelion)
Saturday, October 12, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
FREE Registration Required
Uplift your spirits with this 1986 comedy film about transforming a mediocre ramen shop into the epitome of perfection. Hailed by Eater magazine as “a love letter to ramen” and “one of the best food movies of all time.” (color) Directed by Juzo Itami. 114 minutes. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office. The first thirty registered attendees will be served a bowl of ramen.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
FILM
The Burmese Harp (ビルマの竪琴, Biruma no Tategoto)
Saturday, November 2nd, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
FREE Registration Required
In this 1956 drama, a young Japanese officer learns and plays the Burmese harp to lift the spirits of his battalion. Silently and independently, he confronts and protests war in his own way at the close of the Pacific War in Burma. Directed by Kon Ichikawa. 143 minutes. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
Past Events
Remember, Reflect, Hope & Heal
Spring 2024
Exhibition
Dream Refuge for children imprisoned
February 7 – May 18 (closed March 17 – 24)
Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery, Center for the Arts, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Contemplate and be inspired to improve the plight of imprisoned children across history and the world. While children safely slumber in this quiet, sacred, healing space by artist Na Omi Judy Shintani, gain insight into the experiences of Japanese American children who were incarcerated in American concentration camps during World War II (Shintani’s own father being one of them), Native American boarding school children who were denied their culture and taken from their communities, and the Central American children who are imprisoned, separated from their families, and living in squalid, unsafe conditions at the southern U.S. border.
Visitors are invited to bring offerings and leave messages on an altar in the exhibit to honor the imprisoned children. The items will be used in future ceremonies and will not be returned. Some examples of past offerings include origami, small toys, and paper flowers.
Mini-Exhibition
Children’s Book Art by Japanese American Illustrators
February 7 – May 18 (closed March 17 – 24)
Asian Arts Gallery Corridor Vitrines, Center for the Arts, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Delight in the imaginative worlds of award-winning children’s book illustrators Melissa Iwai and Katie Yamasaki while learning about courage, love, and adaptation by an incarcerated Japanese American family; intercultural sharing among immigrant families; and multicultural Zen-inspired stories. Become energized to support the welfare of children, intercultural understanding, healing, and peace.
AA&CC is proud to co-present…
Exhibition & Festival
Asia North 2024
Exhibit Opening Reception and Celebration: Friday, May 3
Exhibition and Festival: May 3 – June 1
The 6th annual Asia North community exhibition and festival celebrates Baltimore’s Charles North (a.k.a. Station North) neighborhood’s constantly evolving identities as a Koreatown, arts district, and creative center. Co-presented with the Central Baltimore Partnership.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
Film
Early Summer (麦秋, Bakushū)
Saturday, May 18, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
FREE Registration Required
Enjoy this rare screening of a 1951 classic drama from Reed Hessler’s private collection which explores post-World War II social transformation — especially intergenerational conflict, a family’s involvement in a young woman’s (Noriko) decision about marriage, and her will for independence. Directed by Yasujiro Ozu. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
Film
The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (残菊物語, Zangiku monogatari)
Saturday, July 20, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
FREE Registration Required
Enjoy this rare screening of a 1939 classic drama from Reed Hessler’s private collection. Based on a short story by Shofu Muramatsu, it follows the struggles and transformation of Kiku, the adopted son of a kabuki master. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
Opening Reception & Artist Talk
Na Omi Judy Shintani:
Dream Refuge for children imprisoned
Join artist Na Omi Judy Shintani to learn about the stories that inspired her installation, Dream Refuge for children imprisoned, the roles that research and protest play in her work, and her hopes for embracing all children as our own, as ourselves, as our future.
AA&CC is proud to co-present…
Panel Discussion
Journeys in Children’s Book Illustration
Tuesday, March 5, 5:30 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, Center for the Arts, CA 2032
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators Melissa Iwai and Katie Yamasaki share their art, books, personal stories, and techniques for reaching young audiences through visual storytelling. Their publishers include Norton Young Readers, HarperCollins, Broadway Books and more. Co-presented with TU Career Center and TU Animation Club.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
Film
Where Chimneys are Seen (煙突の見える場所, Entotsu no mieru basho)
Saturday, March 16, 1 p.m.
Towson University Art Lecture Hall, Center for the Arts, CA 2032
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
FREE Registration Required
Enjoy this rare screening of a 1953 classic comic drama from Reed Hessler’s private collection. It is based on the novel Mujaki no Hitobito by Rinzo Shiina and is representative of the shoshimin-eiga film drama focusing on the lives of ordinary middle-class people. Delight in the drama swirling around a mysterious baby who is left at the home of Hiroko and Ryukichi Ogata. Directed by Heinosuke Gosho. Hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC. Co-presented with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
Continuing Programs
Asian Garden
The Asian Arts & Culture Center’s (AA&CC) Asian Garden at the entrance to Towson University’s (TU) Center for the Arts building was redesigned and renovated in 2023 in recognition of our fiftieth anniversary. For decades, the garden has honored the memory of Dr. Alexander Sidorowicz (AA&CC friend and Dean of TU’s College of Fine Arts from 1991 to 1996). The renewed garden is created in the karesansui style by John Powell, a Japanese garden designer from Zoen LLC, who installed the garden with community volunteers. The garden is a striking composition of Baltimore gneiss and Cockeysville marble boulders rising above a light gray bed of raked gravel. Key elements of this sustainable garden are the reuse of boulders obtained from TU campus excavations, bamboo from a previous AA&CC exhibition, and a reconfigured walkway. The garden is now a permanent, living exhibit of AA&CC. Campus and local communities interact with the garden in academic and public programs throughout the year. The garden was reinstalled through efforts by Yoshinobu and Kathleen Shiota, members of AA&CC, who are active rakers in the garden on early weekend mornings along with other volunteers.
TU Pin Peat Ensemble (Cambodian Classical Music)
The AA&CC and TU Department of Music teamed up to offer the TU Pin Peat (Khmer classical music) Ensemble led by master Cambodian musician, Chum Ngek. Through this course, which was established in spring 2017, TU students expand their artistic and cultural horizons while contributing to the preservation and longevity of a tradition that was nearly decimated during the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia.
Special thanks to the Maryland State Arts Council, Citizens of Baltimore County, and AA&CC members for making this initiative possible.
Asia in Maryland (AIM)
Asia in Maryland (AIM) engages community and showcases the stories of Maryland-based APIMEDA (Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi American) artists and creatives. The series, which was launched in 2015, increases awareness and understanding of Maryland’s diversity through exhibitions, workshops, family programs, performances, courses, and more. Through the unique power of the arts to connect people on personal and emotional levels, participants gain intimate understandings of the integral roles that over 500,000 Asian and AAPI residents play in the fabric of Maryland life.