November 7th, 2015, 5 – 8 p.m. at ICCNC at 1433 Madison Street, Oakland CA 94612
Free Opening Reception Ceremony of "Calligraphies in Conversation" 2015
with remarks, refreshments, and panel discussion and calligraphy demonstration by award winning international calligraphers including:
Ronald Y. Nakasone: Master in East Asian literati tradition and a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU)
Ronald Y. Nakasone is heir to the age-old East Asian literati tradition that encourages self cultivation, self transformation, and self realization through scholarship, community involvement, and art. He has exhibited in Kyoto, Tokyo, Paris, Seoul, Xian, Chiang Mai, and cities throughout the U.S.A. His works are in the permanent collections of the Mobile Museum of Art, National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), Chiang Mai University; and in private collections in Japan, Okinawa, Thailand, Spain, and the U.S.
He is a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and a faculty at the Stanford University Geriatric Education Center, Professor Nakasone has published more than 100 academic books and articles on Buddhist doctrine, ethics, and aesthetics, Aging and Okinawan Studies. He received the Sarlo Excellence in Teaching Award from the GTU in 2011.
Arash Shirinbab: Award winning artist and Arabic-Persian calligrapher
Arash Shirinbab is an award winning artist and calligrapher and has managed to be a successful blend of artist, Arabic-Persian calligrapher, and designer, as well as art administrator, art curator, and entrepreneur for the past ten years. He has participated in over 70 exhibitions (over 10 solos) nationally and internationally in the U.S., Spain, Poland, Canada, Russia, France, Italy, and Iran; such as the Triton Museum of Art in California, the Kunsthaus-Berlin-Marbella Center in Spain, and the Saadabad Palace in Tehran. He has led over 4 dozen public art programs and has conducted over 2 dozen calligraphy workshops and demonstrations including workshops at Fremont Main Library in California, University of Toronto in Canada, and masterclass at the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow.
Shirinbab’s calligraphy and Poem-Painting artworks have garnered tremendous attention at galleries and museums and are acquired by museums such as the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow and private collections around the world. They have gained international attention among curators, critics, and collectors and have been published in several art journals such as Level 25 Artjournal and press articles such as Tehran Times. His arts have won several national and international awards, being chosen among hundreds of arts worldwide which proofs the originality of my works and creativity of his style. Among his awards are the 1st Place and Best of the Show Award for the 50 Shades of Gray competition by Focus Point & Shape Gallery, Special Recognition Award for My Art international competition from Art Quench Magazine 2013, and a $40,000 grant award as the leading artist and calligrapher from Creative Works Fund.
Amol Saraf: Award winning artist and tribal Indian calligrapher from India
Born in October 28th, 1966, I did my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai, India in 1987. I love to work in all mediums and with all types of materials. I have conducted more than 15 exhibitions on national and international level. I have number of international achievements to my credit such as, I was one of the five artists for ""outstanding award winners"" at Toride International Wall Mural competition 2014, Japan. I believe in creating artwork that is soothing, refreshing and positive. Meditation, spirituality and nature are my strongest inspirations.
Leon Sun: Printmaker, photographer, painter, graphic designer, three-dimensional artist, writer, poet
Leon was born in Shanghai, China in 1948. His family moved to then British Hong Kong in 1957. He came to the U. S. in 1966 as a student but has since become a U. S. Citizen. Leon has a BFA in Photography and Painting from the Academy of Art University, a BA in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University and an MA in East Asian Studies from the University of Washington. He has been an artist/activist in the Asian American and progressive artists communities since his student days. In the early 2000s, Leon began to turn his focus onto spirituality and his personal vision. He has participated in exhibits in the U. S., El Salvador, Mexico, (East) Berlin and Palestine (not confirmed). He currently makes his home in San Francisco.
On Nov. 7th program, Leon will do a live installation and will not participate in the panel discussion.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- The exhibition and all the related public programs are free, in English, and open to the public. Donations are highly appreciated.
- ICCNC is historical building and is not wheelchair accessible.
- Special group tours out of the regular viewing hours can be scheduled with the curator by emailing to ziya.art.studio@gmail.com at least 1 week ahead.
- Arts are for sale. All purchase inquiries will be handled by emailing to the curator at ziya.art.studio@gmail.com including the name of artist and the piece in the body of the email.
- The exhibition book is planned to be produced with limited volume for $60. Pre-orders will only pay $30. To pre-order the book, send us an email to ziya.art.studio@gmail.com by November 15, 2015.
- For More information about the program and biography of the calligraphy masters participating in this program please visit www.ziyaart.com or email us at ziya.art.studio@gmail.com or call the curator at 510-283-4518.
- Any changes to the programs will be announced via our website at www.ziyaart.com and Facebook page at Ziya Multicultural Art Center.
PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
Ziya Art Center in partnership with Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC), Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC), SAMENA Circle, Persian Arts Revival (PAR), Met Arts, and California School of Traditional Arts, are leading the 2015 program. This program is made possible by a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, in partnership with Walter and Elise Haas Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.
