While you might not be familiar with the word pipa, you have no doubt heard music produced by this 2,000-year-old, stringed, Chinese instrument. It is, to me, the sound of China.

Pipa virtuoso Wu Man has been travelling around Alaska sharing her love of the instrument not only for how it embodies the history and culture of China, her country of origin, but how it can be used in contemporary music forms. Wu Man is recognized as an outstanding exponent of the traditional pipa repertoire as well as a leading interpreter of contemporary pipa music by today’s most prominent composers, and collaborator with nationally reknowned artists such as Yo Yo Ma and the Kronos Quartet.

Wu Man is currently wrapping up her Alaska AIR (Artist in Residency) program after having performed a collaborative work with Alaska musicians titled “The Oort Coud” in Juneau, Sitka and Anchorage. (See previous posts about the Alaska AIR program here and here.) (more…)

United States Artists (USA) has released details of upcoming artist residencies supported through the Alaska AIR (Artist in Residency) program. With a $1 million investment from Rasmuson Foundation, artists who have already received a fellowship from USA can apply to participate in the program, which partners them with an Alaska arts organization for 30 days of learning, creating, collaborating and sharing.

Alaska AIR launched in 2007 and has, to date, brought to Alaska dancers Eiko and Koma (who worked at the Alaska Dance Theatre), visual artist Michael Joo (Anchorage Museum), media artist Dmae Roberts (Koahnic Broadcast Corporation), photographer Catherine Opie (Perseverance Theatre), craftsperson Tanya Aguiñiga (Native Arts Center/ University of Alaska Fairbanks), theater artist Anthony Garcia (The Island Institute), photographer Zoe Strauss (Anchorage Museum and The International Gallery), visual artist Daniel Martinez (Valdez Museum) and textile artist Liz Collins (Out North and The International Gallery), who we featured in an earlier blog post.

In this video, Eiko and Koma perform at Rasmuson Foundation.

Artists scheduled for Alaska residencies through Alaska AIR in coming months are: (more…)

by Victoria Lord, Rasmuson Foundation Program Associate

On June 5, Rasmuson Foundation Program Officer Helen Howarth and I went on our customary First Friday stroll. These monthly art events are primarily an opportunity to socialize in an environment that provides, amongst the gathering of many people, glimpses of new work with intermittent occasions to chat with artists. One usually needs to return for another visit to actually spend time considering the art.

Helen and I stopped by Out North to meet Liz Collins, a textile and clothing designer and recipient of a 2006 United States Artist (USA) Fellowship.  Collins is the latest participant in the Alaska Artist-in-Residence program (Alaska AIR),a unique collaboration between USA and Rasmuson Foundation that brings artists to our state. Upon entering the Out North gallery space, I had already zoomed in on two fabulous gowns on display when we were each handed a strobe flashlight. The addition of light transformed the work into colorful effervescent party dresses that I Imagine would be fairly amazing to wear.

(more…)