Artist Talk: Ahra Cho and Royal Sumikat

Schedule

Wednesday, January 20, 2021
7 p.m. Moderated Discussion
7:40 p.m. Audience Q&A — Questions welcome via YouTube or Facebook Live

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Two of the featured artists in the current Artists on Site project — Ahra Cho and Royal Sumikat — will discuss their work in Houston and join in conversation with moderators Matt Manalo and Bridget Bray.

During the project, the two artists have been using the Asia Society galleries as public-facing studio spaces, and each artist will share their findings from the experience.

About the Artists

Born in 1990, and after study in Houston, the Netherlands, and New York, Ahra Cho received her BFA at the School of Visual Arts, New York, and has established her studio practice in Houston. She has exhibited her work in both New York and Houston.

childofspring.com

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Born in the Philippines and currently residing in Houston, Texas, multi-city muralist and painter, Royal Sumikat is a dynamic human and a futuristic artist. She works with spray paint, gouache, acrylic paints, markers, and most recently – the app Procreate. The images in her works come off as if they’re contradicting each other but are intentionally done to highlight the contrast in colors, ideas, and textures. Sumikat's work is informed by her experiences as an immigrant, community organizer, and priestess – taking inspiration from the spaces afforded by these different identities. Storytelling and mythology are prevalent in her work as she aims to strengthen the connection she has with her ancestors.

alternateroyality.com

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About the Moderator

Matt Manalo is an artist and community organizer. He was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and has called Houston, Texas, home since 2004. He received his BFA in Painting at the University of Houston. He runs a community-based alternative art space called the Alief Art House and founded Filipinx Artists of Houston.

Matt Manalo creates work which involves elements of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Being a first generation immigrant, Manalo discusses his experiences navigating around the physical and social structures of society while exploring social issues like erasure, colorism, and colonial mentality in his work.

This project is organized by Asia Society Texas Center. Exhibitions and their related programs at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Nancy C. Allen and Leslie and Brad Bucher. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, The Brown Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, and the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. Generous funding also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Wortham Foundation, Inc., Agnes Hsu-Tang, Ph.D. and Oscar L. Tang, and Olive Jenney. United Airlines is our official airline partner. Funding is also provided through contributions from the Exhibitions Patron Circle, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional visual art to Asia Society Texas Center.

Presenting Sponsors

Nancy C. Allen
Leslie and Brad Bucher
Chinhui Juhn and Edward Allen

Official Airline Sponsor

Program Sponsors

About Asia Society at Home

We are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.

About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.