3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night: Museum Tour and Special Performance

May 17

Since reopening in late 2022, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art has provided free tours of its exhibits on the third Friday of every month. This month's event deserves a special mention, though, as we usher in AAPI Heritage Month. To celebrate and commemorate the contributions of Asian-Pacific Americans, the Heritage Museum has been carefully preparing exciting exhibits and audience experiences.

To that end, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art is proud to have hosted a dance performance from artists Yoshinojo Fujima and Tomatsu Takahiro! Utilizing the museum’s exhibition space, they performed “Spiral Moment,” just one iteration of their concert “Spiral Inwards/Outwards.” To the “Spiral Inwards/Outwards” project, breathing is integral and essential regardless of station, stature, or identity. A Princess or Pauper; Dragon or man. Love, like breath, transcends. A dynamic exploration of movement and music, Fujima and Takahiro’s performance evoked imagery of a pendulum that marked the inhale and exhale of life’s rhythm. As it spiraled out with each breath, there was a corresponding release of energy. Alternatively, the inward spiral reflected a calming flow, reminiscent of the natural ebb and flow of existence.

During the tour and reception, our docents actively interacted with the visitors, answered their questions, and provided further explanations. The docents also shared their own experiences and knowledge of culture and art in Asia, showing the charm of multiculturalism and deepening our understanding and appreciation of Asian art.

Following the tour, visitors enjoyed a newly permanent portion of our exhibition space, our Scholar's Gallery. Themed on the life scenes of scholars in the late Qing Dynasty, this room shows the real arrangement of the decorative arts and aesthetics of the scholarly class who held great influence over cultural and governmental affairs. The tour also highlighted the museum’s ongoing special exhibition “YEAR OF THE DRAGON: Early China to LEGO” and the enduring symbol and meanings tied to the dragon across Asia and the world.

The Heritage Museum of Asian is very grateful for the support and participation from all who call Bridgeport and Chicago home. We are especially thankful for the enthusiastic response to this AAPI Heritage Month event and its accompanying programming. We are so inspired by the continuing power of objects in connecting Chicagoland communities to Asian art and cultures.

About the Artist: Yoshinojo Fujima

Yoshinojo Fujima (Rika Lin) is an interdisciplinary artist, dancemaker, and Grandmaster in Fujima-style Japanese classical dance and part of the postwar Japanese American diaspora. Her process and art springs forth from a complete immersion in traditional practice.

About the Artist: Tomatsu Takahiro

Born in Tokyo, Tomatsu Takahiro has worked in mental health and welfare for over 25 years, teaching breathing workshops, community dance, and free art creation programs. He continues to energetically perform impromptu dance performances with people with mental disabilities.