Designers, please take a gander at our preliminary line-up for the upcoming MATCHA program. Read it, digest it, and let it inspire you your creative process. We hope that after reading this, there'll be plenty of visuals swirling in your head. You can look to our Flickr photos for aide as well. Thanks!June 18: Kampai! Sake + TeaQuench your summer thirst with the refreshing flavors of sake and tea, and learn about their respective cultures, at the kickoff for MATCHA 2009-2010. Cultivate your palate with a sake tasting and multi-media presentation by author and art history lecturer with an expertise in the visual history of the culinary arts, Kirsten Shilakes. Sip, learn and chat with sake sommelier and manager of True Sake, Miwa Wong about the nuanced tastes and bouquets of sake. Cruise the galleries or special exhibition Lords of the Samurai, discover the flavors and rituals in Japanese tea ceremony, an art-form closely interwoven with ancient Samurai culture. At the heart of this ceremony is matcha, a refined powdered green tea and the namesake of the MATCHA program series. Observe the meticulous preparation of matcha and whisk your own. Dip into a talk on tea ceremony and warrior culture, join a docent conversation, or relax with a sake-tini, friends, and DJ-spun music. August 27: Way of the SwordHailing from the sword techniques of Japanese samurai, Iaido (ee-ay-doe) is a martial art from days of battle and warfare, preserved and passed on for 450 unbroken years. The iaidoka (practitioner) wields a sword not to control the opponent, but to control himself. He develops a peaceful, harmonious, and active mind, ready to react. MATCHA is honored to present in a rare appearance of Esaka Sensei,* one of Japan's finest sword practitioners. The cream of the crop with a prestigious background and impressive achievements, he will demonstrate iaido. Drop in on a movement workshop or cool down with an art activity, docent chat on Lords of the Samurai, or by the DJ booth.
* Subject to change.
October 29: Thai River FestivalThe Thailand river festival’s Loi Krathong is the practice of floating offerings along waterways, performed on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month (usually November). A banana-leaf cup drifting down the stream carries away ill-fortune and honors the River Goddess. The ritual is believed to have strong ties to Buddhism. Sure, you can’t go to Thailand, but you can still observe this peaceful tradition at MATCHA with live music and dance by Thai Cultural Center. Sample exotic food, create your own river offering, and partake in docent conversations in the luminous exhibition, Emerald Cities.February 18: Shanghai FashionYou’ve probably seen qipao (chee-pow) before. This beautiful, iconic body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women was created in Shanghai, SF’s sister city, and also the namesake for our special exhibition that explores the unique flavor and identity of one of the world’s most cosmopolitan destinations, not to mention China’s most international city. Witness a fashion show inspired by the cheongsam, participate in a hands-on art activity, sip cocktails, and transport yourself to a distinctive city’s past and present, from its glamorous art deco high times to cutting edge contemporary art. April: Shanghai JazzYou didn’t think we’d sync up MATCHA and our big Shanghai exhibition without focusing on jazz, did you?Shanghai is a dynamic, cosmo metropolitan, so it’s no surprise that along with its art scene, the jazz scene has been booming and blooming in recent years. Don’t miss a mesmerizing performance that exemplifies the distinctive elements of Shanghai jazz – a genre with rich history and creative twists. On top of docent tours and activities, this will also be the last MATCHA to check out the exhibition. June, August, October, December TBA
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