“It’s Golden!” — San Francisco Asian Art Museum is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. On the first weekend of March, Saturday March 5th and Sunday March 6th, 2016, I was invited to perform live calligraphy, give a presentation and have a studio talk at San Francisco Asian Art Museum. Titled as “New Traditions: Buhay x Sei.” I performed large-scale live calligraphy in collaboration with Kristain Kabuay, a Baybayin (an ancient Philippine script) artist, with live music that represent our traditional culture and own rhythm.

“Buhay,” in Tagalog and “sei” in Japanese mean “life” and “breath of life.” Inspired by the springtime and celebrating the Asian Art Museum’s 50th birthday, the theme for this performance evokes a positive, uplifting energy, the spirit of awakening from hibernation after a long winter.

My large Japanese calligraphy brush, resting before the big moment… 

Setting up, having a quiet moment before the opening:
My large-scale Japanese calligraphy paper for the performance is laid out on the floor in the North Court of the museum.

Meditation..

My collaborators, Aleo Mok & Galen Rogers of Jiten Daiko

My performance was accompanied by talented young Japanese taiko drummers, Galen Rogers and Aleo Mok of Jiten Daiko.  Starting with ambient sound by scratching the surface of the taiko drum, they transformed the liveliness in the North Court into a small cosmos — everyone held his/her breath, slowly invited to the rising energy with dynamic crescendo of the drum beats.  Together, it was a collaborative performance to artistically express 生 “life” in both calligraphy writing and sound.  They were so in sync with the rhythm of my calligraphic movements, and I loved holding brush surrounded by their drumming, that sounded like the heartbeat of the character I was writing.

The first stroke.

“生 – Life” 

Writing in unison with Kristian Kabuay 

Thank you so much for those who made it to our two-days live calligraphy performances & presentations. I’ve never seen North Court of the museum so packed, great energies. It was really exciting to perform to dynamic drum beats by Galen Rogers & Aleo Mok of Jiten Daiko, it was transcending. Thank you all for such an inspiring day.

Happy 50th birthday AAM, hope to come back again!

Collaborators: 
Japanese Taiko Drums: Galen Rogers & Aleo Mok
Baybayin Calligraphy: Kristian Kabuay
Klingtang: Kulintronica (on 5th) & Titania Buchholdt (on 6th)