PAST EVENTS
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MATCHA 2012
March 29: LOL!
Last chance to see Maharaja
Laugh out loud with comedian Dan Nainan. You may have seen him in an Apple commercial, in the film The Last Airbender, in TedIndia, or possibly at a Democratic National Convention. The list goes on as his popularity continues to escalate. Of Indian and Japanese descent, Intel engineer-cum-comedian Nainan brings his wit and humor to MATCHA in full force.
Cruise through Maharaja (closes SOON) and the collection galleries on docent tours. Participate in our "caption this comic" contest (one-panel comics by Five True Fans), relax with a cocktail, and hang with friends, all to the musical backdrop provided by heavy hitter DJ King Most.
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February 16: Sensuality
Let's get it on. Turn on all your senses with an array of titillating "hot spots" throughout the museum. Soak up the intimate tea lounge hosted by Tea Alchemy (of Burning Man notoriety), smell the signature fragrances created by aromatic artist Yosh Han as inspired by Maharaja, and join critically acclaimed comic book artist MariNaomi as she reads from her graphic memoir Kiss and Tell: A Romantic Resume Ages 0-22. Explore themes of obsession, sex, and lust in the galleries, make your own "smell saver," adorn your skin with henna art, relax with an Ayurvedic head massage, and let DJ Mauricio Aviles provide for your aural needs. How can you resist?
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MATCHA 2011
October 27: New Indian Cuisine
Kick-off the Maharaja exhibition with taste! Top Chef Master Floyd Cardoz will discuss and demonstrate contemporary flavors in Indian Cuisine, and DJ Janaka Selekta will spin sweet sounds blending traditional South Asian music with electronic beats.
Enjoy free sample bites from Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods, check out Maharaja and find out the curator's favorite objects, go on a docent tour, make your own chai mix, sip from the cash bar, and more. All for just $10. 5-9 pm.
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August 18: Tantri
Celebrated master of Balinese shadow puppetry, I Wayan Wija performs Tantri, a collection of animal tales. Wayan Wija has created a new form of shadow puppetry, Wayang Tantri, by creating a set of characters based on the animals and human characters of the ancient Panchatantra tales.
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June 30: Balinese Jazz Guitar
Regarded as the fastest guitarist in Indonesia, I Wayan Balawan will appear in a special concert. In 1993 he won a scholarship to study jazz at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney and in 1997 returned to Bali and formed a band called Batuan Ethnic Fusion, which combines the traditional Balinese gamelan music with jazz. Balawan has released three albums and tours all over the world.
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May 12: Makrokosma Bali
Join MATCHA for excerpts from Makrokosma Bali, a new work from composer Wayne Vitale in collaboration with Sekaa Gong Taruna Mekar—a renowned gamelan ensemble from Bali under the direction of I Made Arnawa—and US-based visual and set designers. The work combines new music for gamelan orchestra with projected video and still imagery, digital-audio soundscapes, and an integrated lighting and set design. Makrokosma Bali contrasts the cultural values and cosmology of Bali with those of Western origin, exploring a range of scales from macro (galaxies) to micro (a human cell). A panoply of video imagery—people, landscapes, cities, rice harvesting, offerings, temples, the forging of red-hot bronze gongs—will be projected onto multiple screens and surfaces, brought to life through the virtuosic playing of Sekaa Gong Taruna Mekar. The full production will premiere the following evening at the museum.
Click here for the schedule.
This project received the generous support of: The Creative Work Fund, a program of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund (supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and The James Irvine Foundation); The Center for Cultural Innovation, The East Bay Fund for Artists, a program of the East Bay Community Foundation; and individual donors.
April 21: Contemporary Chinese Art
With Pure Views—a special exhibition by some of China's most world-renowned contemporary artists (on view April 19-21)—as the focal point for the evening, four of the featured artists (Hong Lei, Wang Guangyi, Yue Minjun, Zhou Chunya), along with critic Liu Chun and curator Lu Peng—will gather in a lively panel discussion about art in China today. Afterwards, view these never-before-seen paintings on their final day of display. You can also see Bali, stroll the galleries, go on a docent tour, make your own art, enjoy a special $10 tasting menu in Cafe Asia, and mingle over cocktails and DJ-spun music. So bring your friends and spend the night with us.
Please note, the Asian Art Museum is the ONLY venue for Pure Views. Co-organized and sponsored by iCulture and Institutions of Chinarts.
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February 24: Sacred Offerings
Temple dances involve refined, stylized motions of daily life as a gift to visiting deities during festivals. Enchanting music, splendid costumes, and exquisite movements are pleasurable to both divine guests and village audiences. Celebrate the opening of Bali with an auspicious performance of dance and music by ensemble Gadung Kasturi.
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MATCHA 2010
October 28: Ghosts & Golden Clouds
In Noh theatre (classical Japanese music drama), Japanese ghosts are usually upset females. Portrayed without feet because they have lost their connection to the earth, they are so filled with love, jealousy or rage that they won't go peacefully into the night. Japanese believe ghosts are people who have died with an unpaid on — “debt” or “obligation.” If not repaid, the debt is passed down for generations, growing with each one like a snowball into an avalanche. Whole families, villages, countries can live under the dark cloud of an on. By then, nobody knows how to fix it.
BUT – storytellers can help people remember what happened in the past. Love stories soften our hearts. Tales of wonder awaken awe in the world around us. Ghost stories remind us that after we are dead, what remains are the consequences of our actions.
Master storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki, Emmy Award-winning contemporary jazz composer Mark Izu, and an ensemble of percussionists and Japanese instrumentalists will perform absorbing rich and haunting tales of Japanese ghosts.
Please click here for a schedule and more details
August 19 : Drunken Dish
One of the most famous culinary regions in China is Shanghai. Its rich Yangtze Delta is a lush garden for vegetables and fruit, and its cuisine is assertive and distinctive, much like the city. Shanghai’s gastronomic repertoire includes “drunken dishes,” where food is marinated in wine. The museum has paired with the Asian Culinary Forum for a feature talk and cooking demonstration on Shanghai cuisine with Chef Nei Chia Ji of the celebrated local restaurant, Jai Yun and Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook! They will prepare three dishes: vegetarian goose, sweet lotus root, and the famous “drunken chicken” with Shaoxing wine. Enjoy sample bites, relax and mingle with friends to music spun by DJ Friendly Traveler, toast with a drink from the cash bar, make your own art, and see Shanghai.
Please click here for event details and schedule
June 3 : The Shanghai Dress
The qipao is a stylish, sophisticated form-fitting dress that emerged in 1920s Shanghai. Meet Jane Zhu: she’s studied qipao patternmaking and construction from master tailors. Celebrated in Shanghai and New York for her contemporary, made-to-order luxury qipao, Zhu’s been featured in Vogue, Elle China, Harper's Bazaar China, Newsweek, and more. She will share her qipao designs and give a talk on the history and craftsmanship of these iconic, versatile dresses.
Make your own traditional Chinese button, design your own ready-to-wear pinback button, chat with a docent in the Shanghai galleries, hang out with friends over cocktails and music by DJ Quantum, and revel in the pleasure of fashion, design, and Asian art.
Click here for details and the full schedule!
Please click here to see photos from the event
April 1 : Shanghai Jazz
Dubbed “the boy Billie Holiday,” Coco Zhao will perform an intimate set of original works and Shanghai jazz favorites in conjunction with special exhibition Shanghai. Jazz thrived in Shanghai’s colorful cabarets and dance halls during the ‘20s and ’30s. Suppressed during the Cultural Revolution, it’s enjoyed a renaissance thanks to a new generation of young jazz musicians. Zhao cross-pollinates Mandarin vocals with the distinct sounds of contemporary American jazz; a unique heritage (both parents were in traditional Chinese opera) is infused his with youthful interpretations. Zhao’s distinctive style transcends cultures, as evidenced by his sensational reception at the 2007 Montreal Jazz Festival and his performance at the Kennedy Center.
There will also be art activities (make your own print), cash bar specials, and docent conversations in special exhibition Shanghai. Don't miss a talk on the birth of jazz in Asia by Cory Combs, Director of Education at SF Jazz.
Click below to hear a Coco Zhao song.
Please click here for details.
Click here to see photos from the event.
February 18: Eye of the Tiger
2010 is the Year of the Tiger! MATCHA kicks off the Lunar New Year and special exhibition Shanghai with dynamic tiger-style kung fu (martial art) demonstrated by Shaolin Temple USA monks. Each mode of Shaolin kung fu is associated with an animal, and in Chinese culture, the tiger is king and symbolizes bravery. Its kung fu style involves footwork, acrobatic kicks, and unique fist positions, relying solely on internal power, simplicity, and explosive force.
The evening also includes art activities (make your own good luck poster), Shanghai dumplings available for purchase in the museum cafe, cash bars, music by DJ Friendly Traveler, docent conversations, gallery tours of Shanghai, and mingling and merriment with friends!
Please click here for details.
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MATCHA 2009
June 18: Kampai! Sake + Tea
Quench your summer thirst with all things sake and tea. Savor a sake tasting and multi-media presentation by Kirsten Shilakes, art history lecturer with an expertise in the visual history of the culinary arts. Sip, learn, and chat with Miwa Wang, sake sommelier and manager of True Sake, about the nuanced tastes and bouquets of sake. Stroll the galleries, see Lords of the Samurai, discover a Japanese tea ceremony showcasing matcha, a powdered green tea and namesake of our program. Observe its meticulous preparation and whisk your own. Dip into a talk on tea ceremony and warrior culture, join a docent conversation, or relax with a sake-tini, friends, and DJ-spun music.
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Check out photos from the June 18 MATCHA
August 27: Way of the Sword
Hailing from the sword techniques of Japanese samurai, Iaido (ee-ay-doe) is a martial art from battle and warfare preserved for 450 years. The iaidoka (practitioner) wields a sword not to control the opponent but himself. His mind is peaceful, harmonious, and active, ready to react. MATCHA is honored to present a rare appearance of Esaka Sensei, one of Japan's finest iaidoka with a prestigious background of impressive achievements. He will give a talk on this martial art. Drop in on a movement workshop, watch a riveting demo, or cool down with an art activity, docent chat on Lords of the Samurai, or by the DJ booth.
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Check out photos from the August 27 MATCHA
October 29: Thai River Festival
Thailand’s Loi Krathong festival is held on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month (usually in November) and involves floating offerings along waterways. A banana-leaf cup drifting down the stream carries away ill-fortune and honors the River Goddess. The ritual is believed to have strong ties to Buddhism. You can’t go to Thailand, but you can still celebrate this peaceful tradition at MATCHA with live music and dance by Thai Cultural Center. Sample Burmese Tea Leaf Salad, marvel at the puppet mastery of the Mandalay Marionette Theatre, create your own river offering, and partake in docent conversations in the luminous exhibition, Emerald Cities.
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Check out photos from the October 29 MATCHA
