These Walls Can Speak : Untold Stories From Three Historic Buildings

Main Exhibition Gallery

May 5, 2006 - December 10, 2006

This significant exhibition-- featuring the historic Kong Yick Buildings, Higo and The Eastern Hotel-- is a unique melding of history, personal testimonies and artifacts, linking the past, present and future of an evolving neighborhood filled with rich stories. Visitors will not only become familiar with the three featured buildings, but also the communities that they served--namely the Filipino Americans, Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans-and the interactions these immigrant communities had with one another. A series of photographs by Dean Wong will also be on display as part of the exhibition.

Sikh Community: Over 100 Years in the Pacific Northwest

Main Exhibition Gallery

October 21, 2005 - April 16, 2006

View online Exhibition

Seek? Sike? Sick? Even in a city as cosmopolitan as Seattle, it's hard to find anyone who can pronounce the word correctly, let alone find someone who is knowledgeable about the world's fifth largest organized religion, Sikhism, or its followers, Sikhs (pronounced "siks," and usually mispronounced as "seks").

Today, 26 million people worldwide identify themselves as Sikhs. A half million Sikhs live in the United States, and about an equal number in Canada. Approximately 20,000 Sikhs live in greater Seattle. Yet if you mention that Sikhs wear turbans and have beards, you're more than likely to hear someone casually mention, "Oh you mean like Arabs?" and even an occasional, "Like Osama bin Laden and those terrorists from the Taliban?"

But Sikhs aren't Arabs, nor are they terrorists, nor are they part of the Taliban. In fact, our region's own Sikh community traces its start back over a century ago, back when the city was just growing from its logging town roots and McKinley was president. Since that time, Sikhs have made and continue to make positive contributions to the Pacific Northwest, in ways as varied as their presence in our area - from professionals leading technology companies to youth influencing hip-hop culture with bhangra music. To understand the history of the Sikh community in the Pacific Northwest is to find a perspective where the spiritual and worldly matters of life converge.

Although Sikhs have been living in the United States and Canada for over a century, the general public understands little about the Sikh faith and the community's long-standing roots in the Pacific Northwest. The first Sikh immigrants arrived in this region in the late 1800s, working in lumber mills and constructing railroads. Immigrants arriving since the 1960s have been professionals, businesspeople, and entrepreneurs. Despite their rich contributions to this region, Sikhs have been the targets of racism and discrimination, especially amplified in the United States since the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

The Sikh Community: Over 100 Years in the Pacific Northwest exhibition at the Wing Luke Asian Museum features historic and educational materials, artifacts, photographs, oral history collections and multimedia of the Sikh community in the Pacific Northwest. Public programming will also be scheduled throughout the duration of the exhibit. This exhibition seeks to educate the general public about the Sikh faith and the history and heritage of the Sikh community in the Northwest.

This exhibition is made possible by support from:
Prime Sponsor:
Institute of Museum and Library Services

Major Sponsors:
Adobe Systems Inc.
City of Seattle Office for Arts and Culture
The Peach Foundation
US Bank

Sponsors:
Americans for the Arts
ArtsFund
4Culture
Washington State Arts Commission

Community Supporters:
Hate Free Zone of Washington
Japanese American Citizens League- Seattle Chapter

Community Partner:
The Sikh Coalition

Read on...

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani

Gallery of Contemporary Issues

July 6, 2006 - December 2006

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani is a fiercely independent, 86-year-old Japanese American artist who lost his family and friends to the United States internment camps during World War II and Hiroshima's atomic bombing. He has survived the trauma of those two significant events and homelessness by creating art every day. This remarkable exhibition about the art and life of Mr. Mirikitani is a poignant exploration of the lasting impacts of war and discrimination, and the healing power of creativity.

Sponsors
4Culture
Artsfund
City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs
Paul G. Allen Foundation
The Boeing Company
Washington State Arts Commission
Wells Fargo

Exhibit Opening & Reception
Thursday, July 6, 2006, 5 PM
At the Wing Luke Asian Museum
Seattle's International District/Chinatown
Members and guests, including the media, are invited to the opening and reception of the Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani exhibition, curated by Roger Shimomura- Seattle-born artist and University of Kansas Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Jimmy Mirikitani and Roger Shimomura along with Linda Hattendorf (director) and Masa Yoshikawa producer) of the documentary film, "The Cats of Mirikitani" about the life of Mr. Mirikitani, will all be present at this special event.

Thirty Years After the Fall of Saigon

Gallery of Contemporary Issues

October 21, 2005 - December 19, 2005

For the past 30 years, the anniversary of Thang Tu Den, or "Black April," as many Vietnamese Americans call April 30, has been commemorated with sorrow and pride. For many older Vietnamese who experienced firsthand the trauma of war or as political prisoners, April 30th is considered a "holocaust day," and an occasion to mourn the loss of their country and denounce communism. For many younger Vietnamese Americans, April 30 is also an occasion to reflect on their new homeland and a celebration of their survival and success in America. These differing viewpoints manifest to this day, as two separate events were held on April 30, 2005 in Seattle to observe the anniversary.

As part of the New Dialogues Initiative series, the 30 Years After the Fall of Sàigòn exhibition provides a space for Vietnamese Americans, young and elderly, across class and ideological lines, to share their experiences and opinions on the historic event that catalyzed an entire generation of migration to America. This exhibition is also a follow-up to the 1995 Wing Luke Asian Museum exhibit, 20 Years After the Fall of Sàigòn, which took an in-depth look at the Vietnamese migration story and the establishment of a new community facing challenges in their new home.

The 30 Years After the Fall of Saigon is part of the New Dialogue Initiative at the Wing Luke Asian Museum. The New Dialogue Initiative is a multi-strategy program, including multi-sensory exhibits, that address community concerns and urgent needs about contemporary social issues and current news events, giving voice to underrepresented ideas and opinions from the Asian Pacific American community. The New Dialogue desires to proactively initiate dialogues around key issues and needs in the community, and create a safe space for mindful, dynamic dialogues that advocate for community empowerment, establish leadership and action, and bring new levels of understanding through unique and creative presentations. For more information about the New Dialogue Initiative program at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, please visit here.

This exhibit would not be possible without the support of the following: Prime Sponsors:
ArtsFund
Washington State Arts Commission
4 Culture

We also thank the community organizations and individuals who participated in this project.

Women and Violence

Gallery of Contemporary Issues

April 22, 2005 - September 22, 2005

Women and Violence is a courageous view on the issue of violence toward women, particularly women in the Asian Pacific American community. Addressing historical and root causes, types of violence and abuse, and community response and action, this exhibition was created to present the issues objectively and provide a space for dialogue and feedback.

Exhibition topics includes: History of Violence Against Women; Types of Violence on Women including Women as Sex Objects, Sexual Abuse, Exoticism and Servanthood, Stereotypes on Asian Women, Economic & Workplace Inequalities, Women and War, Domestic Violence, and Trafficking; and Community Responses on the Issue. An area for resource materials is also available.

Women and Violence is part of the New Dialogue Initiative at the Wing Luke Asian Museum. The New Dialogue Initiative is a multi-strategy program, including multi-sensory exhibits, that address community concerns and urgent needs about contemporary social issues and current news events, giving voice to underrepresented ideas and opinions from the Asian Pacific American community. The New Dialogue desires to proactively initiate dialogues around key issues and needs in the community, and create a safe space for mindful, dynamic dialogues that advocate for community empowerment, establish leadership and action, and bring new levels of understanding through unique and creative presentations. For more information about the New Dialogue Initiative program at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, please visit here.

Prime Sponsors:
Amgen Foundation
The Ford Foundation
One Family Foundation
Verizon Wireless

Community Partners:
Asian and Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center
Gabriela Network-Seattle Chapter

Asian and Pacific Islander Adoptees: A Journey Through Identity

Main Exhibition Gallery

January 7, 2005 - October 2, 2005

While many adoption trends are tied to specific historic events, such as war and poverty, Americans adopting children from Asia has grown in demand. As thousands of children and babies enter into the United States each year from Asia, many prospective parents face challenges in raising a child of another ethnicity from their own, as well as the general questions of identity adoptees acquire through adolescence. The adoption experience is complex and very personal. This exhibition captures the brave journey adoptees make in pursuit of self-identity. This intimate exhibition is a unique melding of history, personal testimony, culture, and art from adoptees, adoptive parents, family members, and those involved in the adoption process.

Presented by Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.

Additional funding provided by:
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
Ford Foundation
PONCHO
Families with Children from China - Seattle Chapter
Vietnamese Adoptee Network
World Association for Children and Parents

Community Partners:
Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington
Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network
Mavin Foundation
Vietnamese Adoptee Network
World Association for Children and Parents