Baltimore's diverse artists celebrated through annual Asia North festival
BALTIMORE -- An annual arts festival is celebrating Maryland artists who have an Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Desi American heritage for the fifth year in a row.
The Asia North 2023 Exhibition and Festival is holding most of its events at the Parlor and Motor House, located at 108 W. North Ave. The main exhibition, TRANSition/TRANSformation/TRANScendence, opened on May 5 and runs through June 3.
The festival is put on through a collaboration between Towson University's Asian Arts & Culture Center and the Station North Arts District.
It features a number of performances and film screenings.
One of the artists is Dr. Hyejin Kim, a longtime, accomplished violinist and violist. Based in the DMV area, she has an ear for her heritage as well as other Asian influences.
"I listen to a lot of Asian music and study style and techniques used," Kim said. "With practice and experimentation, I develop techniques that capture the unique sound of Asian music."
This year, the main exhibition's theme is a look into how the community has faced struggles in the last few years, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There's so much that we're all dealing with and, as much as these artists are able to do, [they] really express...everything that we're experiencing and what we're feeling," Nerissa Paglinauan, program manager of Towson University's Asian Arts & Culture Center, said.
It's no coincidence the exhibit is hosted at the Parlor. It's in the city's Charles North neighborhood, which is Baltimore's unofficial Koreatown.
Abby Becker, the Station North Arts District manager for Central Baltimore Partnership, said it was important to ground the festival in that history. At the Parlor, people will find a section to brush up on this part of the city's history.
While the aim is to showcase Greater Baltimore AAPI artists, the true goal is to build community among them.
"One important thing about this endeavor is to create this community of Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American (APIMEDA) artists," Paglinauan said. "Every year we just get wonderful work, wonderful stories."
Here is a list of the Asia North events: https://www.stationnorth.org/news/2023/4/12/asia-north-2023
