Arts and culture in the Brattleboro area through Summer 2008:

EXHIBITIONS:

PEACE MASKS 2008 by Myong Hee Kim a project with students of World Learning School of International Training Graduate Institute's Conflict Transformation program. Go to ARTISTS and click on any of the images of Peace Masks. There is a series of seven webpages about this unusual exhibition including an article about the project with impressions of the participants.

Continuing at the C.X. Silver Gallery: INFINITY WITHIN: CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART of XI CAI: Six-foot-high canvases translate principles of Chinese painting into new calligraphic abstractions. A series of short videos will be shown of Cai in the process of creating the works. Open daily 9 am to 9 pm by arrangement, (802) 257-7898 ext. 2 or (802) 579-9088. See youtube videos of other live action painting creations of Xi Cai at http://www.cxsilvergallery.com/html/cxvideos.htm. Cai describes the process of producing these new works: “Chinese traditional breathing exercise (qigong) and t’ai chi exercise has helped me channel energy when I paint. Qigong is an aspect of traditional Chinese medicine that focuses on the energy and flow within and around the body. T’ai chi movement relates to the endless movement of the Great (T’ai) Infinity (Chi).”

Continuing: KIR-I PAINTINGS FROM HIROSHIMA’S AFTERMATH. An exhibition at the C.X.Silver Gallery in West Brattleboro of exquisite paintings using tiny pieces of colored cloth as the medium, done by the young women of Hiroshima’s Commercial High School, survivors of the 1945 bombing who were rescued and nursed by a teacher and taught this traditional painting technique to restore a sense of normalcy to their lives. The teacher instructed the students to paint some thing or place or person of beauty as a way of attempting to transcend inner and outer chaos. With so many people asking about this exhibition from last August 2007, March is a return exhibition six months later. The word, kiri, in Japanese, means to cut, in this case, cloth, cut up and separated by color for use as a palette and applied with rice glue. More information is at www.asianculturalcentervt.org/html/events.htm.

Continuing: C.X.Silver Gallery presents TIBETAN THANGKA PAINTING of CHUNTUI LAMA. Thangkas are paintings on cloth scrolls mounted on brocade banners, also available unmounted. Open daily 9 am to 9 pm by appointment and walk-in, (802) 257-7898 ext. 2 or (802) 579-9088; contact Adam Silver. Chuntui’s works can be viewed online at www.cxsilvergallery.com > artists. Exhibition continues as is through February 26 and continues with a smaller selection from March through June.

CLASSES:

CHINESE LANGUAGE, ART & CULTURE CLASSES for all ages in West Brattleboro through May: Ages 4-7 meet Wednesdays 3-4 pm. Ages 8-12 meet Thursdays beginning in late March, 4:30-5:30 pm. Teens and Adults: Beginner level meets on Wednesdays 5-6 pm; Intermediate on Mondays 7-8:30 pm; . Call if interested in starting a Chinese class for preschoolers (ages 2-4) with their caregivers. For further information,(802) 257-7898, ext. 1 or (802) 579-9088 or visit the programs pages of www.asianculturalcentervt.org or email to: acc.vt@verizon.net.

T’AI CHI CLASSES FOR HEALTH for teens and adults in West Brattleboro, year round, Tuesday afternoons 4:00-5:00pm and Saturday mornings 9:15-10:15am. Enrollment accepted throughout the year for short- or long-term, all levels from beginners up. Classes in T’ai Chi can be combined with Chinese calligraphy and classes in T’ai Chi sword can be arranged with the instructor. Directions to T’ai Chi classes: For further information, visit http://www.asianculturalcentervt.org/html/pgtai.htm, acc.vt@verizon.net or (802) 257-7898 ext. 1 or (802) 579-9088.

CHINESE AND ART SUMMER CAMP: Three one-week half-day sessions in West Brattleboro, Vermont, on Chinese language, art and culture for elementary school age (afternoons 1-4 pm) and preschoolers (mornings 9-11 am). July 28 to August 15. For information, contact Asian Cultural Center of Vermont at (802) 257-7898, ext. 1 or visit the programs page of www.asianculturalcentervt.org and click on 'a summer day camp alternative.'

EVENTS:

Find out many events of the arts and culture by clicking the SOUTHERN VERMONT button. For Asian-culture-related events, go to the Asian Cultural Center of Vermont website clicking the button above and then go to the EVENTS page.

THE VERMONT SAMURAI / KAIJU FILM FESTIVAL, coming the weekend after Labor Day, Sept. 5-6-7. Looking for sponsors and donors to underwrite the costs of the festival to bring down the cost for moviegoers. For further information contact Adam Silver, acc.vt@verizon.net, (802) 257-7898 ext. 1 or (802) 579-9088.

THE VERMONT MONGOLIAN FILM FESTIVAL, coming Saturday and Sunday November 1 and 2, 2008! Contact Adam Silver for more information, (802) 257-7898 ext. 1 or (802) 579-9088 or acc.vt@verizon.net.