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Art · museum · osaka expo · taro okamoto · tokyo museum ·

Tower of the Sun – The Iconic Head to be Displayed

Taro Okamoto’s Tower of the Sun may look like any statue, and a piece of it being displayed sounds like no big deal, but this piece made for the 1970 World Expo held in Osaka is a symbol of progress for Japan. It was a time that included a step into the digital age. Robots became important and this became the beacon for it all. It’ll show at the Edo-Tokyo Museum Feb 21st – May 20th. The scale is huge!
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Architecture · Art · breaking ground · chinese american museum · eugene choy · gilbert leong · Gin Wong · googie · Helen Fong · Julius Shulman · MW · News · steven wong ·

Interview with Breaking Ground: Chinese American Architects in Los Angeles (1945-1980) co-curator Steven Wong

You might recall my gushing review after attending preview night at the Chinese American Museum for its current show, Breaking Ground: Chinese American Architects in Los Angeles (1945-1980). I returned to the Downtown L.A. destination when it wasn’t so crowded to talk to co-curator Steven Wong (above) about the show.

MW: Architecture can’t be easy to show in a museum because so much of it is felt when you walk in a building or stand in its shadow.

SW: It’s hard to show architecture in a museum, and to understand architecture as an art form is even harder. But it’s something we interact with on a daily basis. Everyone has a relationship with architecture whether it’s conscious or not. When I was doing research for the show, I realized that Chinese American architects were responsible for many iconic buildings that really molded my experience as an Angeleno growing up.

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"jeremy lin" · Art · asian america · david choe · News ·

David Choe vs Jeremy Lin – Biggest Asian American News Makers

In the last few days, two names have emerged as the biggest news makers of Asian America – perhaps of the year, and it’s only early February. Our friend, David Choe (below right) made huge news because of a Facebook mural, the right choice, and reportedly $200 million dollars. No, he didn’t build Facebook, but he decorated it and chose stocks over a decent sum of money for his labor in 2005. Years later, he has more than a winning lotto ticket or even Kobe Bryant. He’s been on Howard Stern, Nightline tomorrow, and there’s plenty of media he’s turning down. He’s been in the forefront of the news.     Then there’s Jeremy Lin, two games 58 points, a lot of assists and he’s playing in New York City. From the dumps to one of the biggest stages in sports. Who knows what kind of contract he has and what will happen in the next game or when the other guards heal up, but he’s doing the Jackie Robinson type of thing in the NBA for Asian America, although it’s only 2 games.     Surely, the Jeremy Lin story might be more important although it’s a mere two games and not an annual All Star candidate, but he’s pushing Asian America in the most traditional ways. From high school stand out to Harvard to the NBA, getting cut a few times then sent to the D League, and now “starring.” Yet, the Choe story is something that’s akin to a new Asian America and new world. Social media riches isn’t the same as the age old NBA, yet for an outspoken Asian American, it’s a great medium and in the case of David Choe, he chose free speeching Howard Stern as his first interview over all of traditional media and was interviewed by Barbara Walters doing graffiti. Since the title of the post has a vs… who’s news is more important? It’s hard to tell just yet. David Choe has potential energy to do a lot more and go to the billionaire mark and be the biggest artist period. Jeremy Lin can be a great basketball player. An All Star if he keep playing like he is, at the moment, Jeremy Lin has the edge but it can die out. Choe on the other hand is like Richard Pryor in Brewster’s Millions. Who knows what he’ll do.
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