Media Alert: January 2020 Events at Asia Society Texas Center
Lunar New Year Family Day 2019 at Asia Society Texas Center.
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HOUSTON, December 13, 2019 — Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) invites Houstonians to celebrate Lunar New Year with festivities over two weekends! The fun starts on Saturday, January 25, with a free Family Day at the Center, where families will enjoy arts and crafts activities highlighting Lunar New Year traditions across Asia, vendors, and food. Lion dancers and two dance performances by Huaxing Arts Group complete an energetic celebration of the Year of the Rat.
In addition, shoppers can look forward to Asia Society’s Lunar New Year at The Galleria on Sunday, January 26, and the following weekend, Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2. ASTC will present a selection of crafts and games, plus traditional and contemporary performances by different local groups, all free of charge.
Early 2020 also offers adult learners the opportunity to take beginner language classes for Korean, Japanese, and Chinese at ASTC.
Korean Language Class: Level I
In this introduction to Korean through simple conversations and culture, build a foundation in the Korean language by learning everyday oral communication and developing an appreciation and understanding of Korean customs, culture, philosophy, and history.
When: Classes available weekly on Mondays, January 6 – May 11; Tuesdays, January 7 – May 12; and Wednesdays, January 8 – May 13; 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Registration: $165 Asia Society Members, $190 Nonmembers
Azra Raza on the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last
We have lost the war on cancer, according to professor of medicine and director of Columbia University's Myeldysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Center Dr. Azra Raza. Dr. Raza explores cancer from every angle — medical, scientific, cultural, and personal — as she argues that we are overdue for a change in the paradigm for treating cancer.
When: Thursday, January 16, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: $15 Asia Society Members, $25 Nonmembers
Third Annual Turkish Music Festival
Explore the unexpected in this evening of music highlighting the thousand-year connection between Turkish music and that of the surrounding cultures of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Featuring Berklee College of Music professor and master of bowed instruments Beth Bahia Cohen, the Carpe Diem String Quartet, and Hoppa Project musicians.
When: Friday, January 17, 7 p.m. Artist Talk, 7:30 p.m. Performance
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: $20 Asia Society Members, $30 Nonmembers
And Life Goes On Film Screening
ASTC presents, in partnership, with the Houston Iranian Film Festival, a screening of the second film in renowned director Abbas Kiarostami's The Koker Trilogy. Blending fiction and reality into a playful, poignant roadtrip movie, Kiarostami surveys both the devastation and teeming life in the aftermath of Iran's 1990 earthquake.
When: Sunday, January 19, 2 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: $5 Asia Society Members, $10 Nonmembers
After the Election: What Does the Future Hold for Hong Kong?
The November Hong Kong election results defied expectations in Beijing and increased pressure on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to produce a political solution to address protesters' demands. How do the results affect China's potential response? What role does — or should — the U.S. play? Experts discuss what the future may hold for Hong Kong.
When: Thursday, January 23, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: $15 Asia Society Members, $25 Nonmembers
Family Day: Lunar New Year
2020 is the Year of the Rat! The rat is a clever and quick animal representing success. Join us in welcoming the Year of the Rat with performances, art and craft activities, and food inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia!
When: Saturday, January 25, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: Free and open to the public; RSVP requested for planning purposes. Ticketed performances: $5 Asia Society Members, $10 Nonmembers
Asia Society's Lunar New Year at The Galleria
Join us in celebrating the Year of the Rat with special Lunar New Year festivities at The Galleria! We'll bring free arts and crafts, games, and exciting performances for the whole family to enjoy, free of charge!
When: Sunday, January 26, 12–5 p.m.; Saturday, February 1, 12–5 p.m.; and Sunday, February 2, 12–5 p.m.
Where: The Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Road, 77056
Admission: Free and open to the public
Security Risks and Challenges on the Korean Peninsula: Discussion with Victor Cha and Jean Lee
Rising geopolitical tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region are among the top concerns of security analysts across the globe. How can the U.S. and international community incentivize North Korea to return to the table for nuclear talks? What roles do other regional countries such as China play? Experts Victor Cha and Jean Lee discuss the security challenges and associated risks on the Korean peninsula.
Learn more »
When: Thursday, January 30, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: $15 Asia Society Texas Center Members, $25 Nonmembers
Ongoing Exhibitions
Tsuruya Kōkei: Kabuki Prints Revised & Revisited [CLOSES SOON]
The exhibition presents all of Tsuruya Kōkei’s kabuki actor prints from 1983 to 1993. Because the artist limited his editions, such a complete collection is unprecedented and represents a first in Texas. To explore the broader contours of kabuki actor prints, Kōkei’s work is contextualized by actor prints by Sharaku, as well as two dozen additional works by contemporary Japanese and western artists.
Learn more »
When: On view through January 19, 2020
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: Free for Asia Society Members, $5 Students and Seniors, $8 Nonmembers
Form is Emptiness, Empitness is Form: Works by Miya Ando
Drawing on the important Buddhist text known as the Heart Sutra, artist Miya Ando makes her Asia Society debut responding to the Center’s unique building with references to elemental materials such as metal, light, water, and wood. This site-specific response to Yoshio Taniguchi’s architecture reframes the visitor's perception of the space, and invites contemplation of the nature of reality.
Learn more »
When: On view November 16, 2019, through March 29, 2020
Where: Asia Society Texas Center
Admission: Free and open to the public
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 14 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.