Wednesday, 1 December 2011 @6:00pm
Thailand, 2009 (117 mins)
Thai with English subtitles

Director: Yongyoot Thongkongtoon
Cast: Arak Amornsupasiri, Krit Setthathamrong, Sansanee Wattananukul, and Yarinda Boonag
Cinematography: Somboon Phopitakkul

Keng (Arak Amornsuphasiri) is a veterinarian sentenced to do social work for a drunk driving arrest. He is assigned to teach senior citizens how to use computers. In class, love blossoms discreetly between durian farmer Jamras (Krit Setthathamrong) and widow Somphis (Sansanee Wattanukul). Their infectious bliss reawakens Keng’s longtime crush on his best friend’s ex-wife Fai (Yarinda Boonag). The two love stories develop autonomously, but the two generations’ perspectives are deftly interwoven to bear upon each others’ lives in a sweet story that ends in a most profound way. The film topped the domestic box office in 2009 and was chosen as Thailand’s Oscar foreign film entry in 2010. -Maggie Lee

Center of Korean Studies Auditorium
Thursday, December 1st, 2011
6:00 pm – 8:30 p.m.

Free admission
Donations will be accepted for flood relief in Thailand before and after the film.
Contact: The Thai Student Association (UH)

Trailer: Best of Times (Thailand)

Call for Papers – ASIA/PACIFIC JUNCTURES: CHALLENGING NOTIONS OF REGIONALISM AND INTERDISCIPLINARITY
Location: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Festival dates: 11-13 April 2012
Deadline: 20 December 2011

Please complete the attached form and submit it by December 20th 2011, following the guidelines and instructions on the form. When submitting, please rename the file from “2012 SPAS Abstract Submission Form.doc” to “Applicant’s Last Name_Applicant’s First Name.doc” and email it ( togradconf@hawaii.edu) by the submission deadline.

Abstract submission deadline: January 15th, 2012

April 11–13, 2012
Center for Korean Studies
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Honolulu, Hawai‘i

Limited partial travel grants to the conference site may be available.

If you have any questions, please contact the conference planning committee at ( togradconf@hawaii.edu). For more information, please refer to our Facebook page: “2012 SPAS Graduate Conference.”

Thank you and we look forward to reading your submissions!

September 9, 2010-January 9, 2011
Henry R. Luce Gallery

For its major fall exhibition, the Honolulu Academy of Arts highlights its important but little seen collection of Southeast Asian Art. On view will be approximately 150 works of art from Thailand and Cambodia, many of which have never been displayed at the museum.

Visitors will travel through time and regions via three sections: The Neolithic and Bronze ages in Thailand and Cambodia; the Khmer kingdom, which dominated the central Southeast Asian peninsula from the 9th through the 15th centuries; and the Sukhothai kingdom, generally considered the first major Thai kingdom and the progenitor of the modern Thai state, which flourished from the 13th through the 15th centuries. The exhibition will cover the artistic and cultural developments of three important Southeast Asian cultures (Ban Chiang, Khmer, and Sukhothai) over more than 4,000 years, going from vibrantly decorated Neolithic earthenware ceramics to a dazzling gold Buddhist sculpture.

This exhibition is a chance for the public to discover a major resource in Hawaii for the study of Southeast Asia, and it promotes a greater awareness and appreciation of Southeast Asian cultural and artistic traditions in the Hawaii community.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

Lecture series:
Public lectures by University of Hawaii professors Miriam Stark and Paul Lavy will greatly illuminate the works on view in the exhbition. Lectures will be held on Thursdays throughout October at 4 p.m. in the Doris Duke Theatre. Admission is free.

Oct. 7:From Stone to Bronze and Village to City: Southeast Asia’s Buried Past
Southeast Asia’s earliest archaeological remains date back more than 1.8 million years. Through the millennia, Southeast Asians crafted their lives and shaped their landscapes in ways that ultimately produced kingdoms and empires. This lecture surveys Southeast Asia’s history from an archaeological point of view, and highlights key developments from the Neolithic through the Classical period.Miriam T Stark, PhD; Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Hawai’i at Manoa

Oct. 14:Vishnu’s Heavenly Realm: Angkor Wat and Ancient Khmer Architecture
Angkor Wat (12th century), one of the worlds largest and most complex religious monuments, was built as a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and later transformed into a Buddhist sanctuary. This lecture will examine Angkor Wat’s history, architecture, and symbolism and explore its central role in Khmer (Cambodian) culture. Paul Lavy, PhD; Assistant Professor of South and Southeast Asian Art History, Department of Art and Art History, University of Hawai’i at Manoa

Oct. 21:Cultivating the Image of Compassion: Power, Propaganda, and the Statuary of Ancient Angkor
Hindu and Buddhist sculpture was central to both religion and politics in ancient Angkor. This lecture will investigate the intersection of politics, religion, and art at the peak of Angkors power during the reign of its most colorful king, Jayavarman VII, a ruler who cleverly utilized unusual Buddhist art to express both his personal piety and political ambitions. Paul Lavy

Oct. 28:Walking with the Buddha: The Art of Sukhothai
The kingdom of Sukhothai (13th-15th centuries) was the first major Thai kingdom and it is often regarded as the Golden Age of Thai civilization. This lecture will provide an introduction to the art of Sukhothai and explore the symbolism and style of Sukhothai Buddha images, renowned worldwide for their elegance and distinctive stylistic qualities.

Islam Day is being celebrated again this year at McCoy Pavillion in Ala Moana Beach Park. This is an occasion for the Muslim community to showcase Islam and for an opportunity for Non-Muslims and Muslims alike to learn more about Islam. The goal of Islam day is to increase our understanding of Islam and the diverse religions that prevail on our planet.

Last year the celebration supported Hawaii Food Bank. This year, a $10 ticket will buy shoes for children in Hawaii. All proceeds go towards the shoes for kids campaign.

Tickets will NOT be available at the Pavilion and have to be purchased in advance. Please visit this facebook invite for information on purchasing tickets!

July 8-October 10, 2010 at the John Dominis and Patches Damon Holt Gallery
Catharine E.B. Cox Award Exhibition

Sanit Khewhok is the 11th recipient of the prestigious Catharine E. B. Cox Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts. Born in Trang, Thailand, Khewhok received his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts: Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking from Silpakorn University in Bangkok. He was then awarded a Masters in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome with a specialization in painting and restoration techniques. For 30 years, he has worked as a curator, collections manager, and a conservator at museums in Thailand and Honolulu.

A practicing artist for more than 34 years, Khewhok is known for his small-scale works that invite us to engage with them on a personal level.

“I have felt comfortable with smaller sizes because when you look at the small-scale works there is an intimacy—the work is more personal,” says Khewhok. “A large-scale work for me seems heroic and monumental. I am not interested in that.” His statement speaks to the humble, soft-spoken Khewhok as a person and an artist.

Academically trained, Khewhok references art-historical traditions—especially from the Italian Renaissance—in his subject matter, style and handling of media. Artists such as Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), Francisco Goya (1746-1828), and Edvard Munch (1863-1944) are major influences, and some of his pieces directly reference well-known masterworks. For example, two paintings in his Envelopes series borrow from Man Ray’s Le Violon d’Ingres (1924) and Edouard Manet’s Olympia (1863), juxtaposing a Marilyn Monroe postage stamp with Manet’s Olympia to draw a visual analogy between the two iconic women. He also draws upon contemporary history and prominent cultural figures, such as the the Vietnam War or President George W. Bush.

Khewhok’s personal experiences and inner circle also inform his art. For example, Untitled 2-4 are composed of fish bones collected on a walk along the beach, and Untitled 1 incorporates two fish that he ate for dinner one evening. Humor and personal stories underlie Khewhok’s art, whether as inside jokes or something more overt. Sharp-witted and always playful, his works will catch you off guard, mysteriously drawing you in.

A turning point in Khewhok’s artistic career came when he was ordained as a monk in 1985 and spent 100 days at a Thai monastery. As a traditional rite of passage into adulthood, all Thai men were expected to become ordained at the age of 21; however, Khewhok was a little older when he entered the monastery. There, he learned and practiced meditation. One afternoon, while walking in the woods to clear his mind, he absentmindedly picked up a stick and created a sculpture. Prior to this moment, Khewhok had felt confined and restricted by the academic training he had received in Thailand and Italy. Through the simple act of creating a sculpture out of a stick, he realized he had taken his next step as an artist.

As It Happened embodies Khewhok’s past and present and invites viewers to witness his evolution as an artist. His work eloquently synthesizes the various cultures and traditions he has straddled so far in life.—Rui Sasaki, Assistant Curator Special Projects, Department of European and American Art

more info | read the Honolulu Advertiser interview with Sanit Khewhok

27 June – 3 October 2010 at the East-West Center Gallery, Honolulu, HI

In honor of the East-West Center’s 50th anniversary, the Gallery will feature a selection of some 35 works rarely seen by the general public, including sculpture, prints, paintings, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, wood carvings, and photographs.

Since its founding in 1960, the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai’i, has been the recipient of hundreds of gifts of art, architecture, and artifacts reflecting the richness and diversity of the Asia Pacific region, including the United States. In keeping with the Center’s mandate to promote better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the region, the objects in the Permanent Collection serve as educational tools—as well as inspirational works of great beauty.

Included in this special exhibition are works by David Becker, Dalounny Carroll, Paul Chesley, Alonzo Davis, Rupert Garcia, Aisha Ghasnavi, Milton Glaser, R. C. Gorman, I Nyoman Gunarsa, Hokusai, Jose Joya, Erica Karawina, Da Tan Ke, I Nyoman Lesug, Meleanna Meyer, Mayumi Oda, Mary Pritchard, Sano Tankyu, Pak No Soo, Michael Tom, Hatano Tae, Mohammad Yasin, Noguchi Yukoku, and Cong Zhiyuan. Also included is a video projection art work, by Ben Wood and Michael Schuster, based on the flagship Charlot and Affandi murals in Imin Center-Jefferson Hall.

All in the EWC Gallery, admission free, except as noted.

Sunday, June 27, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Opening festivities including reception and presentation of 8-minute video art piece, Wisdoms of the East and West, accompanied by live music by Made Widana and Anna Reynolds at 2:00 and at 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated talk by Jeannette ‘Benji’ Bennington on the development of the EWC’s Permanent Collection of art works.

Sunday, August 29, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
“Influences from Hawai‘i,” illustrated talk by Mayumi Oda, former EWC Artist-in-Residence, and Hawai‘i Island resident.

Sunday, September 12, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated talk by Meleanna Aluli Meyer, former EWC Arts Program Intern. Meyer, a well known Hawaiian artist, curator, and arts educator speaks about past and current work.

Bali High
Friday, 25 June at 6:00 pm at the Honolulu Academy of Arts
Chaired by Lacy Matsumoto and TOWN’s Ed Kenney & Keoni Willing

ARTafterDARK is the Honolulu Academy of Arts’ monthly art party organized by a dynamic group of young volunteers dedicated to exploring the arts.

Summer starts sultry and tropical right here.

New this month: The main food bar moves from Luce Pavilion to Banyan Courtyard. A smaller food station will be in the Luce Pavilion along with the main bar.

Central Courtyard: Listen to the down-tempo house music of DJ Silvana, 6-9pm.

Luce Pavilion: Listen to the mesmerizing sounds of the UH gamelan ensemble and enjoy the main bar as well as some food selections (for purchase).

Banyan Courtyard: See all the food options TOWN has to offer this month at the full food bar.

Kinau Courtyard: In Bali, one of the highlights of the year is the an annual Kite Festival in July. We bring the tradition (a little early) to Honolulu. Make your own kite amid the sweet smell of temple incense!

Spotlight gallery: The Christensen Fund Gallery of Indonesian Art (Gallery 25). Located behind Kinau Courtyard.

more info | UHM CSEAS at Bali High – NEW

Presented by Governor Linda Lingle and the Hawaii-Indonesia Chamber of Commerce
Opening Remarks by Governor Linda Lingle
8 – 10am at Thursday, 1 July 2010 at the Hawaii State Capitol Rm, Honolulu, HI, USA

No one knows Indonesia better than James Castle. He is the founder of CastleAsia. a business consultancy specializing in market entry strategies, economic and political analysis and public policy advocacy, in association with PT Jasa Cita. In over thirty years of work in Southeast Asia, Mr. Castle has advised in the establishment of numerous foreign direct investment projects. He has acted as a consultant to many of the world’s largest corporations as well as many of Indonesia’s largest business groups. Mr. Castle has also been consultant to numerous projects for governments and international agencies including the World Bank, IFC, ADB, USAID and the Indonesian government.

Pleaes RSVP to amin.leiman@gmail.com. For further clarification, call Amin Leiman, President of the Hawaii-Indonesia Chabmer of Commerce at +1 808 225 4554.

8 June – 16 October at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Museum

A traveling exhibit on the world’s refugees has made its way to Honolulu. “Torn From Home: My Life as a Refuge” takes young visitors and adults on an inspiring, hands-on journey into the lives of millions of children who were forced to flee their homes in conflict regions throughout the world.

The exhibit is on a national five-year tour and will celebrate its grand opening at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center on June 20, recognized as World Refugee Day, with vibrant cultural performances, ethnic foods and more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The exhibit will remain in Hawaii through October 16, 2010.

“Torn From Home: My Life as a Refugee” gives children and adults an opportunity to gain a firsthand look into the often challenging realities faced by refugee children and their families, and yet experience the personal triumphs of rebuilding their lives in a new land. It showcases seven exhibit areas: Home, Losing Home, Registration, Refugee Camp, Medical Clinic and Going Home.

The self-guided tour walks museum visitors through exhibit areas where they will learn about the shelter, food, medical care, schooling, and play activities of children in refugee camps. The exhibition features interactive multimedia, as well as photographs, artwork and testimonials of refugee children from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and Afghanistan.

“By hosting this exhibit, we hope that children and adults in Hawaii become more aware of what is happening in other countries throughout the world,” says Loretta Yajima, president of the Board of Directors at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center. “We hope that awareness will help them to develop a sense of empathy and compassion, while also exploring themes such as “What makes a home?” and “What is peace?”

The Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center has partnered with local community organizations, as well as individuals from regions including Laos, Vietnam and Burma, to recognize Hawaii’s own refugee populations. Monthly cultural events will showcase each culture through food, performances, and more.

The Center has also crafted extension exhibits specifically designed to address Hawaii’s diverse immigrant communities. Children will gain traits such as understanding the beauty of our differences by participating in various projects, such as creating a peace quilt. The Center itself has galleries of hands-on, interactive exhibits that help children learn about themselves and the world beyond our Island shores through exploration and guided self-discovery.

“Torn From Home: My Life as a Refugee” was developed in partnership with Lied Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, and international aid organizations including UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. Philanthropist and part-time Hawaii resident, Pam Omidyar helped conceive the exhibit and personally provided core funding. Transportation funding to Hawaii was provided by Unbound Philanthropy.

Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center | Torn From Home: My Life as a Refugee Exhibit