WINTER 2009
Asian American Literature at Hunter College. On January 12, the Palestinian American actor, Mousa Kraish, visits the class to talk about Hollywood and diversity to my very large and wonderful class. His most recent work was The Day the Earth Stood Still:
- A record breaking 60 student class!
- Mousa Kraish chats with the class about his experiences.
- Mousa got some very difficult questions!
- Mousa was Happy Arab in class today! (reference to his blog: www.happyangryarab.com)
On January 14, we took a long ride down to the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL). The following were generous enough to spend some time explaining the art exhibit to everyone (In order of speaking): Heng-Gil Han, the curator of the show; Chanika Svetvilas, artist; Shelly Bahl, artist; and Vandana Jain, artist.
- Curator, Heng-Gil Han welcomes us
- Chanika Svetvilas
- Chanika explains the exhibit and the collaborative experience with Shelly Bahl and Vandana Jain
- A doormat designed by Chanika that is also political commentary about immigration.
- The window in the suitcase has a tiny Statue of Liberty.
- Origami made out of dollar bills with Citibank logo.
- The other side of the suitcase exhibit.
- Joy takes notes.
- Shelly’s pictograms from 1970s India and a trail to the mirror of bindi’s by Vandana
- Hana, Julie, and Heng-Gil
- Shelly Bahl gives a talk about her work. Next to her Vandana Jain.
- Vandana talks about her work while Cathy takes notes.
- Jane is first to start the Q&A session.
- Ahem… Alex gives me a hint on the artists’ blackboard (he swears he didn’t write it).
- An artist who also works a 9-5 job is busy! Where does one squeeze in art?
- Bi speaks with Shelly after the talk.
- Inna explores the other artwork at the exhibit.
- Kate, Assia, and Bibi take a closer look at the suitcase Chanika created.
Here is some of the details of the exhibit:
JCAL presents Metro Poles, Art in Action, a curatorial collaboration with the Bronx River Art Center, the Asian American Arts Center, and the Maiden Lane Exhibition Space. Metro Poles, Art in Action debuts on Friday, October 17th with the opening of John Powers: Captain America at the Maiden Lane Exhibition Space located at 125 Maiden Lane, in lower Manhattan. John Powers’ Captain America was commissioned by Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, and Maiden Lane Exhibition Space is sponsored by Time Equities Inc.
From October 17, 2008 – January 17, 2009 the four galleries will serve as hubs for creative experimentation. A core group of artists will be given the opportunity to create work in each gallery that reveals their vision of nexus, collaboration, and social relationships. The gallery will be their stage for the duration of a week. Each artist in the core group will then invite an additional artist to continue their work, expanding upon the original artist’s momentum through addition, subtraction, inversion or re-position.
This second group of artists arrives at the galleries the following week to begin the process of creation and revision. That group passes the baton to the next and so on until the second to last week of each of the gallery exhibitions. What would normally be a closing is now an opening as the artwork has been transformed over time. This will continue for the duration of the exhibition with approximately 60 artists participating in the project. Throughout this time, each gallery will function as a collective studio—a site of constant creation and revision. By switching the premise of opening and closing receptions, the final work will be on view during the last week of each exhibition.
The idea for Metro Poles was originally conceived by Heng-Gil Han, JCAL’s curator. It was later developed in collaboration with Jose Ruiz, Bronx River Art Center curator and realized in collaboration with Robert Lee and Elisabeth Akkerman curators of Asian American Arts Centre and The Francis J. Greenburger Collection/Time Equities Inc, New York respectively.
My deepest thanks to Heng-Gil Han, Chanika Svetvilas, Shelly Bahl and Vandana Jain for making the time for my students! I was lucky to have a class filled with wonderful students, who braved the frigid cold to make it to the exhibit! Approximately 50 students showed up for the event (official count to be released after I collect their papers on the exhibit).
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