By EVELYN M. RUSLI
Bringing Tibet to San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum at Civic Center kicked off its AsiaAlive program, an interactive series of exhibits unlike any other in the nation.
To celebrate this month’s theme, “Auspicious Beginnings: The Arts of the Himalayas,” the grand opening ceremony Tuesday included a Tibetan traditional blessing and musical and dance performances by Chaksam-Pa and the Tibetan Dance and Music Group.
The exhibit, which will run through July, features four main elements: live artist demonstrations; hands-on activities; films and videos; and books and catalogues. Artist Ang Tsherin will show visitors the craft of Tibetan Tangka (devotional) painting.
The demonstration is intended to help guests understand the authenticity of this traditional art form and to reach them on a spiritual level, Tsherin said.
“This form of painting acknowledges our innermost quality, the enlightened quality,” Tsherin said. “It is this peaceful, compassionate nature that we hope to evoke through painting, within ourselves.”
Through enhanced cultural understanding, the exhibit as a whole is meant to supplement the museum’s permanent art collection, said Emily Sano, Asian Art Museum director.
“Sometimes the artwork needs a context,” Sano said. “People need to realize that the artworks are not dead pieces encased in glass, but represent thoughts, people, religion and history.”
The AsiaAlive program looks to draw visitors into the experience by taking them from the role of observer to artist. Each month, guests will be able to tackle new ancient art forms and take home their creations. On Tuesday, people of all ages participated in printing prayer flags. Upcoming projects for July include making sand mandalas and tankga painting.
By immersing visitors in active presentations and projects, the museum hopes that people will walk away realizing the depth of Asia’s cultural diversity, Sano said.
“The tendency of America is to see Asia as a monolithic thing,” Sano said.
The exhibits will illicit a human response and show people that Asian cultures are highly distinct, she said.
AsiaAlive’s highly interactive nature makes it innovative and wholly unique to the museum. No other museum in the nation has a similar program, Sano said.
While people will have to pay the museum’s standard admission price to get in the building and experience the AsiaAlive program, admission will be free on every first Tuesday of the month. The program is available Tuesday through Sunday 12-4 p.m. with extra hours on Thursday from 6-8 p.m.
Next month’s theme will be “Gorgeous Textiles of Japan”, an exhibit that will focus on various textile arts such as kumihimo braiding cords, Japanese bookbinding and silk velvet design.
E-mail: erusli@examiner.com
