Book Launch of Righting Canada’s wrongs+ Discussions
Festival Accès Asie will host a discussion on the 20 years of its existence and the history of Asian Heritage Month in Canada and Quebec at the maison de la culture Plateau‐Mont‐Royal on Sunday May 3, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. This event is open to the public.
Description
20 Years of Festival Accès Asie will be facilitated by Khosro Berahmandi, with Janet Lumb, Milton Tanaka, Kakim Goh and Cheryl Sim as guest artists, and the creators of the Kaleidoscope exhibition, artists Kiran Ambwani and Florence So. All of these artists have played key roles in Festival Accès Asie since its inception in 1995 and will present their diverse experiences, the evolution of their views on Asian heritage and the stakes surrounding the presentation of Asian artists at the Festival.
In addition, the Festival is also pleased to be part of a chapter in the history of the Chinese community in Canada by launching the most recent book from author Arlene Chan, Righting Canada’s Wrongs: the Chinese Head Tax and Anti‐Chinese Immigration Policies in the
Twentieth Century. In her book, Chan relates the testimony of eight Chinese Canadians whose families were shaken by the Chinese head Tax, a discriminatory tax imposed on Chinese immigrants to Canada in 1885 in an attempt to stop the flow of Chinese immigration. It was only in 2006, and when only a few of these Chinese immigrants remained alive, that the Canadian Government formally apologized.
This afternoon promises an enriching exchange full of emotion, humor, reflection and fun!
Medias
Kiran Ambwani
Kiran Ambwani is an Indian photographer living in Montreal who is passionate about people’s lifestyles and the arts. Kiran Ambwani is a graduate from McGill University and Dawson College Institute of Photography. While her creative vision extends to the worlds of publishing and advertising, Kiran Ambwani has exhibited her artistic work across Canada and abroad. Her multi‐faceted portfolio includes portraiture, editorail, lifestyle, travel and documentary photography.
Khosro Berahmandi
General and Artistic Director of Festival Accès Asie, Khosro Berahmandi is an accomplished and prolific painter from Iran. He has had more than 40 solo and group exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Europe.
Arlene Chan
Third‐generation Chinese Canadian of seven books, Arlene Chan is currently president of Jean Lumb Foundation, board member of Little Pear Garden Collective, and member of the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers Advisory Council. She also organizes and guides tours in Toronto’s Chinatown.
Kakim Goh
Singaporean visual artist Kakim Goh is mainly interested in drawing, ink works and aquarelle. He also creates video installations and performances. Since 1993, he has taken part in numerous exhibitions in Mexico and in Canada, principally at Montreal’s Maison de la Culture Plateau‐Mont‐Royal and OBORO New Media Lab.
Janet Lumb
Co‐Founder of Festival Accès Asie, Janet Lumb is a saxophonist and composer. In the past 20 years, Lumb has spent most of her time composing cinema soundtrack. Very much involved in her community, Lumb is passionate about culture and social activism.
Cheryl Sim
Media arts creator, researcher and curator, Chinese artist Cheryl Sim has a notable interest in the postcolonial condition, traditional clothing and spirituality. In addition to singing, Sim is currently an associate curator at DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Arts.
Florence So aka VJ Pink Rubber Lady
Chinese artist, Florence So is a VJ,
filmmaker and computer engineer working in Montreal. Since 2005, she has created live video mixes for a wide range of popular and alternative events under the name of “VJ Pink Rubber Lady.” She
brings together visual arts and narrative elements to explore human
behavior and psychology. Florence So is involved in diverse and multidisciplinary projects. Her films are widely shown in festivals, on television and online.
Milton Tanaka
Member of the Japanese community in Brazil, Milton Tanaka is a multidisciplinary artist primarily performing in Butoh, a form of Japanese contemporary dance, and also in theater. He is a member of several boards in Montreal’s cultural arts milieu and member of the Diversity Committee at Culture Montréal. Tanaka is currently a consultant in the LEAN‐KAIZEN continuous improvement method.
With
Kiran Ambwani ‐ Artist photographer
Khosro Berahmandi ‐ Artist painter
Arlene Chan ‐ Writer
Kakim Goh ‐ Artist painter
Janet Lumb ‐ Musician
Cheryl Sim ‐ Multidisciplinary artist
Florence So aka VJ Pink Rubber Lady ‐ Video maker
Milton Tanaka ‐ Multidisciplinary artist