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Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center of San Francisco

A Place of Her Own

May 2010

SomArts Cultural Center

932 Brannan St., San Francisco, CA 94118

Visual Artists: TBD

Curator: Cynthia Tom and AAWAA

Literary Artists:TBD

AProject Premise:

A Place of Her Own is AAWAA’s ambitious five + year project, launched at de Young Museum early in 2009, whose starting point is the premise that for a woman to thrive she must identify what is most important to her alone.

AAWAA poses the question, “If you had a place of your own, what would it be?” provides the creative space to explore the answers leading to profound answers and thought provoking imagery, written word and offers new paths to deep discussions.

Expanded description of concept:

AAWAA’s 5+ years project, “A Place of Her Own,” is a multi-phase project taking place at different sites and online. www.aplaceofherown.org. The first phase took place January 2009 during a month long Artists-in-Residency at the de Young Museum. Artists developed large installations “Places” while interacting with the public. AAWAA documents the work online, plans to host a forum for dialogue and encourage viewers to participate.

Our vision, however, is not limited to staging an exhibition. More important, is the community outreach that this project demands of AAWAA. Whether it’s workshops, artistic endeavors, lectures, panel discussions, online or one on one, we have seen A Place of Her Own inspire critical thinking. It has the power to grow confidence and develops a sense of community.

Historically, across cultures and generations (age and immigrant status) women through necessity, serve in many roles, as spouses, parents, children, employees, family and community members. Rarely have women learned to claim a space of their own, metaphorically or physically.

2009-2010 Confirmed Venues

September 2009, SomArts Cultural Center for AAWAA’s 20th Anniversary, May 2010, Asian Heritage Month, AAWAA has been invited to install a large exhibition of A Place of Her Own at SomArts Cultural Center. A Place of Her Own will consist of two and three dimensional art works, life size installations, as well as private and public workshops, readings, and other written/spoken word events for the entire month of May, all responding to the question, “If you had a place of your own, what would it be?” In September 2010, AAWAA has been invited to grow the project at the Euphrat Museum, Sunnyvale.

AAWAA is working on long term collaborations with API Legal Outreach and Asian Women’s Shelter to encourage their staff and selected clientele to participate alongside our artists. Our wish is to donate finished functional and decorative works from these exhibitions to the women and the shelters that would benefit and enjoy being supported by women artists in this way.

See www.aawaa.net or www.aplaceof yourown.org

www.aawaa.net

Sharing

Ongoing and Available for Bookings

Reading: Cheers to Muses

A Reading Sponsored by the Asian American Women

Artists Association

In conjunction with the de Young's Artist in Residence: A Place of Our

Own, members of AAWAA will read poetry and prose, including work from

the anthology, Cheers to Muses, Contemporary Works by Asian American

Women. This diverse collection comprises a compelling part of today's

literary voices.