The Charles B. Wang Center’s new cultural programs highlight the importance of bamboo in Japanese arts, crafts and horticulture as well as philosophy.
“Please be sure to visit the Wang Center and take in the beauty of bamboo baskets and their positive presence in contemporary society. We hope that this season’s exhibition, workshops, lectures, performances, and festival will serve as seeds of insight that may sprout in your imagination,” said Wang Center Director Jinyoung A. Jin.
For tickets or to RSVP, visit the Wang Center events page.
February 3
Festival: Celebrating the Lunar New Year with Tangyuan, 11 am to 12 pm, Theatre Lobby
Free (limited to 15 participants)
Attendees will learn how to make tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls with black sesame filling), a signature dessert served at the Lunar New Year.
Lecture and Tasting: Celebrating the Lunar New Year with Black Sesame Butter, 3 pm to 5 pm, Theatre
Free admission
The co-founders of Rooted Fare will talk about their Chinese heritage, culinary culture and how a new generation of Chinese Americans maintains and enlivens their culture in America.
March 3
Performance: Let the Crows Come, 7 pm to 8 pm, Theatre
Admission: $20 general; $15 students, seniors, children ages 6-12
This 60-minute performance for three dancers explores how memory and homeland channel guidance and dislocation.
March 9 through May 31
Exhibition: The Splendor of Bamboo — Japanese Contemporary Baskets, Skylight Gallery
Free admission
Celebrate the extraordinary beauty and intricate craftsmanship of 27 baskets on display that reflect the longstanding traditions and transformation of Japanese basketry with advanced plaiting skills and experimentation with new shapes.
March 20
Lecture: The Curious Case of the Camel in Modern Japan, 2:30 pm to 4 pm, Theatre
Free admission
Artist Ayelet Zohar will discuss the camel in Japanese art and visual culture, from early depictions from the Nara period to the Edo era, until the first living pair arrived in Japan in 1821.
March 24
Lecture: Listening to Bamboo, 4 pm to 5 pm, Theatre
Free admission
Japanese bamboo expert Robert Coffland traces the development of Japanese bamboo art from a folk craft to a sculptural art form.
Exhibition: Spring 2023 Exhibitions Opening Reception, 5 pm to 7 pm, Skylight Gallery
March 31
Workshop: Weaving Woven Coasters, 3 pm to 5 pm, East Hall
Admission: $20 general; $15 students, seniors (fee includes all materials, limited to 30 people, advanced registration required)
Artist Heechan Kim will offer a hands-on weaving workshop for beginners; no experience is necessary.
Film: Miss Hokusai, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Theatre
Admission: $5
This 90-minute animated film directed by Keiichi Hara is based on the Japanese manga series of the same name by Hinako Sugiura.
April 14
Workshop: The Art of Bonsai, 1 pm to 3 pm, East Hall
Admission: $20 general; $15 students, seniors (fee includes all materials, limited to 30 people, advanced registration required)
Robert Mahler will lead a hand-on workshop where participants will be able to shape their own bonsai tree and learn about how to prune, shape, maintain and re-pot bonsai trees.
Film: Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Theatre
Admission: $5
This 96-minute animated film directed by Ayumu Watanabe explores the tender relationship between a single mother and her daughter in a peaceful harbor town.
April 21
Film: The Deer King, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Theatre
Admission: $5
This 113-minute animated film directed by Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji features two survivors of a mysterious and fatal disease as they uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging their kingdom.
April 28
Film: Weathering with You, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Theatre
Admission: $5
This 111-minute animated film directed by Makoto Shinkai centers around high school student Hodaka, who runs away to Tokyo, and Hina, a girl who possesses the ability to stop the rain and clear the sky.
April 29
Workshop: Playing with Cable Ties, 1 pm to 3:30 pm, East Hall
Admission: $20 general; $15 students, seniors (fee includes all materials, limited to 30 people, advanced registration required)
Artist Sui Park will introduce her signature sculpture made of cable ties and demonstrate various ways of making art out of such everyday materials.
May 4
Performance: ADG7 — Korean Shamanic Folk-Pop, 7 pm to 8 pm, Theatre
Admission: $20 general; $15 students, seniors, children ages 6-12
Ak Dan Gwang Chil (ADG7) presents a rich repertoire rooted in sacred, shamanic ritual music and beloved folk songs of Hwanghae Province, South Korea, with a dash of modern K-pop stylings.
May 7
Festival: Sakura Matsuri — Cherry Blossom Festival, 12 pm to 5 pm, Charles B. Wang Center
Admission: $30 general; $20 students, seniors; $10 children ages 6-12 (admission includes all film viewings, workshops and theater presentations) Tickets: thewangcenter.org
Welcome spring to Long Island with the blooming of sakura (cherry blossoms), the sounds of taiko drums and a wondrous array of Japanese cultural exhibits at the Wang Center. Activities include Koto plays, Japanese traditional dances, martial arts demonstrations, calligraphy workshops, ikebana flower arrangement, tea workshops, manga drawing, origami paper folding, kimono dress-ups and cosplay.
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