AAWAA and APICC presents Jade Wave Rising: Portraits of Power

What is power? Who wields it? How can it be owned, contested, and exercised? For Asian women whose embodiment of power has culturally been limited to either Dragon Lady, Lotus Blossom or Tiger Mom, these questions are ever more prevalent. The true definition of power remains elusive and open to inquiry.

Curated by Yeu Q Nguyen, Jade Wave Rising: Portraits of Power celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander woman agency and resilience in a multitude of manifestations. Jade is a rare mineral imbued with different metaphysical and cultural meanings, used since prehistoric times to adorn objects associated with power such as ceremonial daggers, jewelry, and crowns. Using jade as an allusion to more diverse definitions of power, the exhibition pays homage to overlooked figures in our history and establishes new legacies of leadership for a more equitable future for AAPI women everywhere.

Presented by Asian American Women Artists Association (AAWAA) and the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) as part of their 26th annual United States of Asian America Festival: REIMAGINING HORIZONS

PUBLIC PROGRAMS
All programs (except VIP Preview) are free and open to the public.
RSVP is not required unless noted, but they help keep track of how many to expect at events.

VIP Curator Preview
Thursday, April 27, 5:00 PM
SOMArts

A sneak peak of the show an hour before it opens with a guided tour by curator and artist, Yeu Q Nguyen, along with a preview of her workshop. Invited guests will be among the first to interact with the exhibition’s main installation.

Invite only for Exhibiting Artists, Supporters, Funders and Press.

Opening Reception & USAAF Kick-off
Thursday, April 27, 6:00 PM
SOMArts, AAWAA YouTube

Meet all the artists involved in the exhibition and this year’s United States of Asian America Festival! Plus, interact with the installation by curator and artist, Yeu Q Nguyen, and witness a dance performance by IS/LAND Asian American Performance Collaborative.

Curator-Led Community Workshops
Sunday, April 30, 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM
SOMArts

Join curator and artist, Yeu Q Nguyen, in this community art-making and empowerment workshop to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. Inspired by the Chinese lucky bracelet, participants will learn how to make square-knot adjustable bracelets personalized with their own words of power using jade stone beads and red cord.

Spots are limited, registration required:

Closing Reception & Screening
Sunday, May 21, 1:00 PM
SOMArts

Join us for literary readings by Shizue Seigel and Rebecca Nie and a screening of Manilatown Manang, a documentary about the life and times of Jeanette Gandiongo Lazam, an original Tenant Defender of the International Hotel during the 1970s and the last evicted tenant to step out of the hotel on August 4, 1977.

Artwork by Mariel Paat