Programs & Exhibitions
Spring 2025
Connection + Communication + Unity Series
Exhibition
HAUNTED KOREAS
Dreaming Unification Protest Peace
Mina Cheon with Kim Il Soon
February 12 – May 17 (closed March 17 – 22)
Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Opening Reception: Saturday, February 22, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
View the most extensive collection of global activist artist Mina Cheon’s series of “Dreaming Unification” paintings, a new perspective on the flags of a unified Korea. Each of these paintings, born from the artist’s stream of unconsciousness, is a powerful peace protest, shedding light on the intricacies of communication, love, and a shared vision of a harmonious future for North and South Korea. The call for unification within the Koreas is a concerted effort to desire peace on earth, because to dream for global peace is about healing and reconciliation of tempered worlds divided.
In her dream state, Cheon, along with her North Korean counterpart and art persona, Kim Il Soon, transcends physical borders and cultural boundaries. They enter a realm of imagination where dreaming is a powerful catalyst for envisioning a peaceful world. Her aspiration for peace in the Korean peninsula amidst escalated global warfare is to examine the complexities of ideological, political, economic, and religious divisions witnessed in everyday lives and to offer this call for global harmony that inspires us all as a form of cultural protest.
Artists Mina Cheon and/with Kim Il Soon are the creators of the provocative political pop art known as POLIPOP. This art form is not just visually accessible, but also inclusive by its invitation of the subject matter leaning towards peace for all. With its eye-catching, colorful “pop art” work, the art is layered by cultural comparative studies and inquiries into current global geopolitics. Wars are lucrative, and peace is an expensive endeavor. Using the rhetoric of pop art, the political statement is about unity and peace on earth, inviting everyone to be part of the conversation.
This exhibition is in part an extended version of Mina Cheon’s “Haunted Koreas,” which was her 2022 solo show at the American University Museum in Washington DC, with select pieces coming from the Inaugural 2020-2021 Asia Society Triennale, Cheon’s 2021 solo exhibition at the Korea Society, and her 2020-2021 solo exhibition at the Ethan Cohen Gallery, all in New York.
film screening, discussion + Reception
CROSSINGS
Wednesday, April 9, 5:30 p.m.
Art Lecture Hall (CA 2032), TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
CROSSINGS, a film by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem, captures the groundbreaking mission of Women Cross DMZ (WCDMZ), a group of international women peacemakers who sets out on a historic journey across the Demilitarized Zone from North to South Korea, calling for an end to the 74-year war that has divided the Korean Peninsula. Witness how thirty women activists dare to tread forbidden territory to draw global attention to the unresolved war and demand a seat at the table in bringing about peace.
CROSSINGS PANEL DISCUSSION
Meet and Chat with Aiyoung Choi
After the Crossings film screening, chat about the film and the ongoing quest to end the Korean War as the first step toward reaching peace on the Korean Peninsula, with Aiyoung Choi, Chair of the Board of Women Cross DMZ, as well as TU Assistant Professors of Political Science, Jeong Joo Ahn and Juman Kim. Continue the conversation informally during a reception at Mina Cheon’s Dreaming Unification Protest Peace exhibition in the Asian Arts Gallery. Co-sponsored by the TU Program in Women’s & Gender Studies.
AA&CC is proud to co-present…
Exhibition & Festival
Asia North 2025
Exhibit Opening Reception and Celebration: Friday, May 2
Exhibition and Festival: May 2 – May 31
The 7th annual Asia North community exhibition and festival celebrates Baltimore’s Charles North (a.k.a. Station North) neighborhood’s constantly evolving identities as a Koreatown, arts district, and creative center. Co-presented with the Central Baltimore Partnership. Details TBD.
Japan Film Club Series
The Japan Film Club Series is hosted by Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC, and co-presented by the Asian Arts & Culture Center with the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) and TU College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Office.
All film screenings are held in Towson University Art Lecture Hall, Center for the Arts Room 2032. FREE Registration is required.
Saturday, February 15, 1 p.m. – Our Neighbor Miss Yae (隣の八重ちゃん, Tonari no Yae-chan)
This 1934 classic comedy-drama—which film historian, Alexander Jacoby, called a "subtle, charming, funny and bittersweet story of family life” –depicts the intertwining lives of suburban neighbors. Warm your heart with the flirtations of young love, while empathizing with the tensions and uncertainty of a complicated marriage. (black and white) Directed by Yasujiro Shimazu. 76 minutes.
Register
Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. – The Hidden Fortress (隠し砦の三悪人, Kakushi Toride no San Akunin)
Join us in marveling at this beautiful, imaginative, funny, tender, and sophisticated Kurosawa jewel. Critic, Armond White, called this 1958 period adventure film an “epic of self-discovery and heroic action.” (black and white) Directed by Akira Kurosawa. 126 minutes.
Register
Saturday, June 21, 1 p.m. – The End of Summer (小早川家の秋, Kohayagawa-ke no aki)
Laugh and cry with us while viewing this 1961 meditation on the passage of time through the lens of intergenerational family dynamics. A senior sake brewer and his adult daughters negotiate their desires and obligations in response to concerns over finances, health, and love. (color) Directed by Yasujiro Ozu. 103 minutes.
Register
Saturday, July 19, 1 p.m. – Flowing (流れる, Nagareru)
This 1956 classic drama depicts women in postwar Japan through the lens of a geisha house that is struggling financially. Based on a novel by Aya Koda, the film illuminates how a “family” of women navigates tensions between tradition and modernity. (black and white) Directed by Mikio Naruse. 117 minutes.
Register
Past Events
OPENING Reception + Artist talk
Mina Cheon "HAUNTED KOREAS"
Saturday, February 22, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery & Atrium, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Join Mina Cheon to explore the HAUNTED KOREAS: Dreaming Unification Protest Peace exhibition together and gain insights into how she creates art to advocate for positive change. Mina Cheon (PhD, MFA) is a global Korean new media artist, scholar, and educator who divides her time between Baltimore, New York, and Seoul, Korea. Born in Seoul to parents who were originally from the North, Cheon has never known a unified Korea. She has worked on North Korean awareness and global peace projects since 2004 and her specific focus on East Asia reflects the transgenerational trauma of Korea’s history, particularly division, war, and Japanese colonization. Co-sponsored by the Korean American Foundation – Greater Washington and the Baltimore Changwon Sister City Committee.
Performance
Intersegmental 38 with the Baltimore Composers Forum
Saturday, February 22, 6:30 p.m.
Recital Hall, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
How do we cross over the border with music? How do we prompt unity? How do we compose global peace? This concert of works by diverse members of the Baltimore Composers Forum draws inspiration from Mina Cheon’s series of “Unification Dream” paintings. Pieces explore the idea of crossing over the 38th parallel which runs through and connects both Maryland and Korea (DMZ). Featured composers include Jin-Hwa Choi, Se-Yeon Oh, Anna Rubin, Ha-Eun Lee, Young-Wook Lee, Keith Kramer, Garth Baxter, Janice Macaulay, Gavin Brown, Ljiljana Becker, Ian Rashkin, and Ariyo Shahry. Featured performers include Ji Eun Kim (soprano), Soyeun Jung (gayageum), Youngik Jang (guitar), and Bonghee Lee (piano).
AA&CC is proud to co-present…
DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
Nurse Unseen
Tuesday, January 21
Reception: 5:30 p.m., Film + Q&A: 6 – 8 p.m.
Enoch Pratt Free Library - Central Branch, Wheeler Auditorium
400 Cathedral St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Registration Encouraged
Join Towson University’s Asian Arts & Culture Center, in partnership with the Enoch Pratt Free Library, for a screening of the documentary, Nurse Unseen, which examines the largely untold story of the Filipino nurses at the backbone of the American healthcare system. Nurse Unseen explores the little-known history and humanity of the unsung Filipino nurses risking their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic while facing a resurgence of anti-Asian hate in the streets. Nurse Unseen seeks to explain why so many Filipino nurses left the Philippines to work in the U.S. healthcare system and why they have been so disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Enjoy a light reception catered by Frisco Filipino Baltimore prior to the film, and speak with Nurse Unseen Director and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Michele Josue, through a live virtual Q&A after the film.
Fall 2024
Asia in Maryland Series
Exhibition
Asia in Maryland 2024
September 11 – December 7
(closed October 25 and November 27 – 30)
Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Closing Reception: Saturday, December 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
Explore diverse works of art by Maryland-based Asian and AAPI visual artists which
showcase the stories of, raise awareness about, and facilitate dialogue about the
ideas and issues that are most important to the 500,000+ Asian and AAPI residents
who play integral roles in the fabric of Maryland life. Curated by Nerissa Paglinauan.
An Asia in Maryland 2024 satellite exhibit will be on display in the Fine Arts Mezzanine of the Enoch Pratt Free Library - Central Branch, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201.
Asia in Maryland 2024
Featured Artists
Jasmeen Al Rayyes * Kurt Astudillo * Nancy Berson * Lisa Golightly Braden * Rieko Chacey * Riya Devi-Ashby * Anna Divinagracia * Gloria Tseng Fischer * Sarah An Girard * Farida Hughes * Trang Huynh * Myung Sook Kim * Wanjin Kim * Jinyoung Koh * Anila Kumari * Pamela Li * Linling Liu * Isabel Manalo * Adrianna Morgan * Sookkyung Park * Francisco Pham * Asma Shikoh * Amelie Wang * Lei Yan * Kelley Yang * Phyllis Zhu
OPENING Reception + Meet the Artists
Asia in Maryland 2024
Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery & Atrium, TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the opening of Asia in Maryland 2024 with an opening reception. Meet and chat with the artists whose work is on view in the exhibition.
Peace Gathering + Dedication
Gardens for Peace (G4P)
Friday, September 20, 9 – 10 a.m.
AA&CC Asian Garden
Osler Drive Entrance to TU Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Kick-off the new school year by cultivating a culture of friendship and community. Join a ceremonial raking of the Japanese word for peace (heiwa) in AA&CC’s Asian Garden. Collectively envision and promote peace with others through a guided group meditation. Recognize the International Day of Peace with 27 other Asian Gardens nationwide through G4P which brings people together to advocate for unity.
AA&CC is a proud co-sponsor…
Lecture
Making Sense of America Lecture Series with Dr. Theo Gonzalves
Monday, September 23, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Towson University College of Liberal Arts Bldg., Room 4310
Join Dr. Theodore Gonzalves as he discusses his new book, Smithsonian Asian Pacific
American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects. Dr. Gonzalves is curator at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History. A Fulbright Scholar and past president
of the Association for Asian American Studies with more than thirty years of teaching
experience in the United States, Spain, and the Philippines, he has released several
publications. Co-sponsored by the TU Program in American Studies, TU Department of
Art + Design, Art History and Art Education, TU Asian Arts & Culture Center, TU Center
for Student Diversity, TU Graduate Program in Global Humanities, and TU Department
of History.
AA&CC is a proud partner…
PARADE + FESTIVAL
Asian Community Processions at the 25th Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival
Saturday, October 26, 4 p.m.
(Rain date: Sunday, October 27)
Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD
Join AA&CC in hosting Year of the Dragon sculptures, a Cambodian cultural procession, an Indian dance procession, and a Korean p’ungmul drumming procession as part of the 25th Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival co-produced by the Creative Alliance and Friends of Patterson Park. Experience the magic of fantastical spirits and creatures as well as spectacular presentations by diverse Baltimore-area communities of all ages.
Interactive Community Installation + Performance
Our APIMEDA Thanksgivings
Food, Stories, and Culture
Thursday, November 21, 6 – 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts Atrium, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the diversity of APIMEDA (Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American) culinary traditions in this storytelling gathering highlighting APIMEDA foods shared on Thanksgiving. Presenters include TU-APIMEDA students, faculty, and staff and other guests. Audience members are also invited to share their stories and enjoy Asian food together. Co-presented by TU Asian Arts & Culture Center, TU Department of Theater Arts, and TU Center for Student Diversity. Supported in part by TU-COFAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.
CLOSING Reception + Meet the Artists
Asia in Maryland 2024
Saturday, December 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
Asian Arts Gallery & Center for the Arts Atrium, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Celebrate the remarkable work of this diverse group of artists on the final day of the Asia in Maryland 2024 exhibition.
Continuing Programs
Asian Garden
The Asian Arts & Culture Center’s (AA&CC) Asian Garden at the entrance to Towson University’s (TU) Center for the Arts building was redesigned and renovated in 2023 in recognition of our fiftieth anniversary. For decades, the garden has honored the memory of Dr. Alexander Sidorowicz (AA&CC friend and Dean of TU’s College of Fine Arts from 1991 to 1996). The renewed garden is created in the karesansui style by John Powell, a Japanese garden designer from Zoen LLC, who installed the garden with community volunteers. The garden is a striking composition of Baltimore gneiss and Cockeysville marble boulders rising above a light gray bed of raked gravel. Key elements of this sustainable garden are the reuse of boulders obtained from TU campus excavations, bamboo from a previous AA&CC exhibition, and a reconfigured walkway. The garden is now a permanent, living exhibit of AA&CC. Campus and local communities interact with the garden in academic and public programs throughout the year. The garden was reinstalled through efforts by Yoshinobu and Kathleen Shiota, members of AA&CC, who are active rakers in the garden on early weekend mornings along with other volunteers.
TU Pin Peat Ensemble (Cambodian Classical Music)
The AA&CC and TU Department of Music teamed up to offer the TU Pin Peat (Khmer classical music) Ensemble led by master Cambodian musician, Chum Ngek. Through this course, which was established in spring 2017, TU students expand their artistic and cultural horizons while contributing to the preservation and longevity of a tradition that was nearly decimated during the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia.
Special thanks to the Maryland State Arts Council, Citizens of Baltimore County, and AA&CC members for making this initiative possible.
Asia in Maryland (AIM)
Asia in Maryland (AIM) engages community and showcases the stories of Maryland-based APIMEDA (Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi American) artists and creatives. The series, which was launched in 2015, increases awareness and understanding of Maryland’s diversity through exhibitions, workshops, family programs, performances, courses, and more. Through the unique power of the arts to connect people on personal and emotional levels, participants gain intimate understandings of the integral roles that over 500,000 Asian and AAPI residents play in the fabric of Maryland life.