After attending two Japanese tea ceremonies at the Asian Art Museum last year, I was left in complete and utter awe. I was overcome with a feeling of incredible grounding and overall peace of mind. I became immersed in this wonderful, meticulous, and traditional process of presenting through the art of tea. Yes, the art of tea. I have always been in love with tea, especially Asian teas, the beauty of the tea bowls and the general aesthetic of teas in general. However, after seeing these ceremonies I truly began to see tea, and especially tea ceremonies, as an amazing, complex, and almost hypnotic process. I started to feel as if I was back in ancient Japan, a long white beard tickling my chest while I discuss the potency of the latest matcha pick… - Kyla, Art Speak intern

After attending two Japanese tea ceremonies at the Asian Art Museum last year, I was left in complete and utter awe. I was overcome with a feeling of incredible grounding and overall peace of mind. I became immersed in this wonderful, meticulous, and traditional process of presenting through the art of tea. Yes, the art of tea. I have always been in love with tea, especially Asian teas, the beauty of the tea bowls and the general aesthetic of teas in general. However, after seeing these ceremonies I truly began to see tea, and especially tea ceremonies, as an amazing, complex, and almost hypnotic process. I started to feel as if I was back in ancient Japan, a long white beard tickling my chest while I discuss the potency of the latest matcha pick…

- Kyla, Art Speak intern

  1. Date Posted Icon 7th March 2013
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 11
    3. Tags Icon #asian art museum#art speak#teen interns#kyla#matcha#japanese tea#tea ceremony#whisking tea
At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework. The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat. Photos by Quincy Stamper. At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework. The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat. Photos by Quincy Stamper. At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework. The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat. Photos by Quincy Stamper. At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework. The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat. Photos by Quincy Stamper. At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework. The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat. Photos by Quincy Stamper.

At our August 23 after-hours MATCHA event, Dohee Lee illuminated Korean shamanism (interacting with spirits) through her own particular multi-disciplinary framework.

The first photo was a true wow moment. During a mini-performance, Lee sat down next to this fellow, a gent with a visitor guide in his lap, and what ensued was some great visitor participation. He went along with whatever she threw his way, and did not flinch when she got extremely close to his face, noses touching. The tension and suspense was great. When she opened her hat contraption, he took off his hat.

Photos by Quincy Stamper.

  1. Date Posted Icon 6th September 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 5
    3. Tags Icon #sf#art#asian art museum#performance art#headlands center for the arts artist in residence#dohee lee#spirits#phantoms of asia#haunting#korean shamanism#interacting with the dead#spirit medium#spirit world#galleries#matcha#thursday nights#visitor participation
Tonight’s MATCHA event is all about shamanism: a form of interacting with the spirit world. Our haunting exhibition Phantoms of Asia explores this a bit, so it only makes sense that we would have an after-hours event that delves deeper into the topic. Dohee Lee will be performing a richly layered piece that weaves together installation, animation, music with traditional Korean art and shamanism. There’ll also be mask making for everyone, and an opportunity to learn more about shamanism. Photo by Pak Han.

Tonight’s MATCHA event is all about shamanism: a form of interacting with the spirit world. Our haunting exhibition Phantoms of Asia explores this a bit, so it only makes sense that we would have an after-hours event that delves deeper into the topic.

Dohee Lee will be performing a richly layered piece that weaves together installation, animation, music with traditional Korean art and shamanism. There’ll also be mask making for everyone, and an opportunity to learn more about shamanism.

Photo by Pak Han.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
  2. Aperture: f/2.8
  3. Exposure: 1/50th
  4. Focal Length: 27mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 23rd August 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 3
    3. Tags Icon #sf#asian art museum#phantoms of asia#matcha#thursday nights#dohee lee#shamanism#korean shamanism#performance art#mask making#communicating with the dead#afterlife#spirit world#paranormal#paranatural#mediums#summon spirits
More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it. Ensō by Michael Namkung An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion. More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it. Ensō by Michael Namkung An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion. More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it. Ensō by Michael Namkung An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion. More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it. Ensō by Michael Namkung An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion. More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it. Ensō by Michael Namkung An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion.

More photos from last week’s MATCHA evening arts party. Michael Namkung is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the sensory experiences of drawing under physical strain. He even became a certified trainer as part of his explorations. We like how the perfect circle remained after the performance, and merged into being a part of the atmosphere. Was neat watching people walk through it.

Ensō by Michael Namkung
An interdisciplinary artist drawing from the language of sports training and athletic performance, Michael Namkung will perform a physical drawing of an Ensō. For this Matcha, the work aws performed twice in two different locations and under different conditions, once outside in the front of the museum and once inside the museum until the performer succumbed to physical exhaustion.

  1. Date Posted Icon 3rd August 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 6
    3. Tags Icon #sf#matcha#phantoms of asia#thursday nights#local artists#art carnival#michael namkung#endurance art#interdisciplinary artist#sports training#athletic performance#physical strain#art#contemporary#performance#asian art museum
So this happened at the museum last Thursday night. Love the incredible intensity that the two dancers share. You really feel it. Found and Lost by Jose Navarrete, Debby Kajiyama, and Adria OtteLost and Found is a dance performance created and performed by Navarrete and Kajiyama and is composed within the confines of a sculptural costume by Liz Harvey. Live musical accompaniment performed by Adria Otte. So this happened at the museum last Thursday night. Love the incredible intensity that the two dancers share. You really feel it. Found and Lost by Jose Navarrete, Debby Kajiyama, and Adria OtteLost and Found is a dance performance created and performed by Navarrete and Kajiyama and is composed within the confines of a sculptural costume by Liz Harvey. Live musical accompaniment performed by Adria Otte. So this happened at the museum last Thursday night. Love the incredible intensity that the two dancers share. You really feel it. Found and Lost by Jose Navarrete, Debby Kajiyama, and Adria OtteLost and Found is a dance performance created and performed by Navarrete and Kajiyama and is composed within the confines of a sculptural costume by Liz Harvey. Live musical accompaniment performed by Adria Otte. So this happened at the museum last Thursday night. Love the incredible intensity that the two dancers share. You really feel it. Found and Lost by Jose Navarrete, Debby Kajiyama, and Adria OtteLost and Found is a dance performance created and performed by Navarrete and Kajiyama and is composed within the confines of a sculptural costume by Liz Harvey. Live musical accompaniment performed by Adria Otte.

So this happened at the museum last Thursday night. Love the incredible intensity that the two dancers share. You really feel it.

Found and Lost by Jose Navarrete, Debby Kajiyama, and Adria Otte
Lost and Found is a dance performance created and performed by Navarrete and Kajiyama and is composed within the confines of a sculptural costume by Liz Harvey. Live musical accompaniment performed by Adria Otte.

  1. Date Posted Icon 2nd August 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 99
    3. Tags Icon #Debby Kajiyama#José Navarrete#asian art museum#contemporary dance#interdisciplinary performance#matcha#modern dance#movement#performance#phantoms of asia#red sweater#sf#spacebi#thursday nights#art
Local artists Charlene Tan and SpaceBi made these 4-ft tall maneki neko cats out of the Asian Art Museum’s old letterhead (which were rendered obsolete by our new brand identity). Very clever recycling of something that otherwise would’ve gone straight to the recycling bin. After the paper cats were created, they were “unofficially” staged on our entrance during one of our free days. What a massive hit, especially for many of the families who wait in line to get into the museum. Here, the cats are holding brewskies because tonight at MATCHA (our art carnival-esque event with SpaceBi). the first 200 people who enter our doors get a drink ticket for a free Sapporo beer. Click here to find out more about the cats and how they were made.

Local artists Charlene Tan and SpaceBi made these 4-ft tall maneki neko cats out of the Asian Art Museum’s old letterhead (which were rendered obsolete by our new brand identity). Very clever recycling of something that otherwise would’ve gone straight to the recycling bin.

After the paper cats were created, they were “unofficially” staged on our entrance during one of our free days. What a massive hit, especially for many of the families who wait in line to get into the museum.

Here, the cats are holding brewskies because tonight at MATCHA (our art carnival-esque event with SpaceBi). the first 200 people who enter our doors get a drink ticket for a free Sapporo beer.

Click here to find out more about the cats and how they were made.

  1. Date Posted Icon 26th July 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 6
    3. Tags Icon #sf#asian art museum#spacebi#charlene tan#free day#target sunday#intervention#giant cats#paper art#recycling old letterhead#maneki neko#sapporo beer#matcha#phantoms of asia#san francisco artists
Beautiful soy sauce dog paintings. Brainy mischievous artists. Low rider pigs feet. Custom made cigarette packs. Printed tortillas. Karaoke. Portraits on the spot. And breaking news: an upside down A sculpture by Imin Yeh because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.SpaceBi has cooked up quite a feast for tomorrow night’s MATCHA event. Have you RSVP’d yet? http://on.fb.me/MqRVvo (shoyu dogs by Tina Takemoto; low rider pigs feet by Pablo Cristi; cigarette packs by Kevin Chen) Beautiful soy sauce dog paintings. Brainy mischievous artists. Low rider pigs feet. Custom made cigarette packs. Printed tortillas. Karaoke. Portraits on the spot. And breaking news: an upside down A sculpture by Imin Yeh because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.SpaceBi has cooked up quite a feast for tomorrow night’s MATCHA event. Have you RSVP’d yet? http://on.fb.me/MqRVvo (shoyu dogs by Tina Takemoto; low rider pigs feet by Pablo Cristi; cigarette packs by Kevin Chen) Beautiful soy sauce dog paintings. Brainy mischievous artists. Low rider pigs feet. Custom made cigarette packs. Printed tortillas. Karaoke. Portraits on the spot. And breaking news: an upside down A sculpture by Imin Yeh because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.SpaceBi has cooked up quite a feast for tomorrow night’s MATCHA event. Have you RSVP’d yet? http://on.fb.me/MqRVvo (shoyu dogs by Tina Takemoto; low rider pigs feet by Pablo Cristi; cigarette packs by Kevin Chen) Beautiful soy sauce dog paintings. Brainy mischievous artists. Low rider pigs feet. Custom made cigarette packs. Printed tortillas. Karaoke. Portraits on the spot. And breaking news: an upside down A sculpture by Imin Yeh because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.SpaceBi has cooked up quite a feast for tomorrow night’s MATCHA event. Have you RSVP’d yet? http://on.fb.me/MqRVvo (shoyu dogs by Tina Takemoto; low rider pigs feet by Pablo Cristi; cigarette packs by Kevin Chen)

Beautiful soy sauce dog paintings. Brainy mischievous artists. Low rider pigs feet. Custom made cigarette packs. Printed tortillas. Karaoke. Portraits on the spot. And breaking news: an upside down A sculpture by Imin Yeh because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

SpaceBi has cooked up quite a feast for tomorrow night’s MATCHA event. Have you RSVP’d yet? http://on.fb.me/MqRVvo

(shoyu dogs by Tina Takemoto; low rider pigs feet by Pablo Cristi; cigarette packs by Kevin Chen)

(Source: spacebi.org)

  1. Date Posted Icon 25th July 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 10
    3. Tags Icon #asian art museum#renegade art#local artists#sf#matcha#thursday nights#art carnival#imin yeh#spacebi#solo shows in the museum store#tina takemoto#kevin chen#pablo cristi#soy sauce paintings#shoyu#soy sauce dogs#pigs feet#cigarette packs#contemporary art
Next Thursday. SpaceBi is a project by local artist superstar Imin Yeh. She’s bringing together a bunch of local artists to take over the museum for one night only. Their art is as inspired by the museum as it is critical of the museum. Expect clever sharp commentary. This is their party. Check it out on Facebook.

Next Thursday.

SpaceBi is a project by local artist superstar Imin Yeh. She’s bringing together a bunch of local artists to take over the museum for one night only. Their art is as inspired by the museum as it is critical of the museum. Expect clever sharp commentary. This is their party.

Check it out on Facebook.

  1. Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T2i
  2. Aperture: f/4
  3. Exposure: 1/80th
  4. Focal Length: 24mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 18th July 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 3
    3. Tags Icon #spacebi#asian art museum#san francisco art#local artists#art carnival#pop up karaoke#asian fruit costumes#interventions#art commentary#imin yeh#vin sol#matcha#thursday nights#phantoms of asia
Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here. Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum. For more photos, click here.

Oh, you know. Just another Thursday night at the Asian Art Museum.

For more photos, click here.

  1. Date Posted Icon 3rd July 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 3
    3. Tags Icon #asian art museum#sf#art#phantoms of asia#matcha#thursday night#after-hours#trannyshack#drag queens#divas#justin chin#2012
Our summer line-up of MATCHA events (our after-hours program for folks who want to spice up their museum experiences) is lookin’ real good. We’re excited about tomorrow night’s MATCHA, with Trannyshack, Litquake poetry crawl, Gypsy Gentleman tattoo documentary pioneers, DJ-in-residence Vin Sol, and of course, our beautiful contemporary art exhibition Phantoms of Asia. Cash bars, too. And yes, it’s true, it only costs $10 for all that and more. If we’re lucky enough to have you tomorrow night, please show us on Facebook.

Our summer line-up of MATCHA events (our after-hours program for folks who want to spice up their museum experiences) is lookin’ real good.

We’re excited about tomorrow night’s MATCHA, with Trannyshack, Litquake poetry crawl, Gypsy Gentleman tattoo documentary pioneers, DJ-in-residence Vin Sol, and of course, our beautiful contemporary art exhibition Phantoms of Asia. Cash bars, too.

And yes, it’s true, it only costs $10 for all that and more. If we’re lucky enough to have you tomorrow night, please show us on Facebook.

  1. Date Posted Icon 27th June 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 6
    3. Tags Icon #after-hours#museums after dark#matcha#asian art museum#thursday night events#sf#museum#galleries#phantoms of asia#vin sol#dj#trannyshack#drag queens#litquake#poetry#justin chin#gypsy gentleman#tattoo docuemtnary