South Asian Art
No Passport, No Problem: Your Ticket to D.C.’s Global Side
There are over 175 embassies and cultural centers within our fair city’s borders. Every year, Around the World Embassy Tour and E.U. Open House draw long lines, but you don’t have to wait until May to get immersed in global cultures. Embassies across the District court curious visitors throughout the year with language lessons, exhibits, concerts and cooking classes. An added perk of exploring embassies? Most events and exhibitions are free.
Navigating the world of embassy and cultural events can be tricky, however. So we asked Nate Burola, creator of the Embassy Life in DC weekly newsletter, for tips on getting out and exploring the city’s global side.
“There’s a misconception that all embassy events are private and that only VIPs and diplomats are allowed to attend. In fact, it is quite the opposite,” Burola says.
While there are exclusive events that embassies throw for high-profile guests, the cultural affairs sections of all the embassies and cultural centers in the city want the public to attend their events as much as possible.
Read more: https://districtfray.com/articles/dc-global-side-events/
John Gilmore Ford, an interior designer and South Asian art collector, died of heart failure on Dec. 21 at his North Baltimore home. He was 95.
“John had a brilliant eye. He found magnificent pieces in the 1960s,” said Gary Vikan, former Walters Art Museum director. “He also had the courage as a collector to go into unfamiliar areas, specifically, the arts of the Himalayas. “
Mr. Ford donated his works to the Walters in 2001, and it is the most important art gift given to the museum after its original collection amassed by William and Henry Walters, Mr. Vikan said.
It may be widely used now but the term “Asian American” is only a few decades old, being coined in 1968 by UC Berkeley activists Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka, as they sought an umbrella identity for their student organization, eventually hitting on the Asian American Political Alliance. The term caught on in part because it replaced the term “oriental”, widely considered to be racist and associated with aggressive campaigns of colonialism, and partly because it allowed the wider community of immigrants from Asia to band together to wield greater political influence.
The term remains popular but it has faced its share of criticism, among other things for obscuring the realities of those from less economically powerful and geographically centered Asian nations. An intriguing new art exhibition currently on show at New York University’s 80WSE Gallery seeks to interrogate and deconstruct the term while bringing forth an extremely wide variety of art created from within the community.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/nov/07/legacies-new-exhibition-asian-american-art
Northwest London’s neighbourhood and entertainment district kicked off the celebrations at London Designer Outlet on Friday 1st November, with enlivening Bhangra beats and free body decorations by local henna artists. A high-energy performance by BollyRed Dance Company and musicians playing the double-headed dhol drum then set the tone for the weekend’s dynamic lineup of performances, interactive workshops, and cultural showcases.
On Saturday 2nd November, the ‘Diwali Utsav: A Celebration of South Asian Arts’ festival took place at the Sound Shell stage on Olympic Way, with artists from across South Asian communities worldwide taking to the stage.
Read More:https://www.londondaily.news/three-day-diwali-spectacular-hailed-as-huge-success-in-wembley-park/
