APIC Intrepidly Onwards

Defying the difficulties imposed by COVID restrictions, APIC held its annual Holiday Party on 2020 December 14.  Thirty-two APIC and APIC family members gathered via Zoom for connection and celebration.  There were introductions, recountings of holiday events and memories, a talent show (4 pianists, 1 classical Indian dancer, 1 double recorder player, all performing with artistry), and a raffle, in which every family group won a gift card to a local Asian restaurant!  “A perfect kick-off of the holiday season”, “a great event”, “a lot of fun”, participants later emailed.

APIC Holiday Party 2020

APIC/Black Caucus Hopkins Center Event

On 21 November 2020 APIC and the Black Caucus co-sponsored a viewing and post-concert discussion for the Anthony McGill/Gloria Chien (Black clarinetist and East Asian pianist) concert presented by the Hopkins Center.  After a concert comprising both Brahms Clarinet Sonatas, Jesse Montgomery’s Peace, and the Weber Grand Duo Concertant, 8 ERN members and family met on Zoom and discussed their impressions of the concert as well as the role of emotion in music, structural aspects of the Brahms sonatas, and their personal experiences making music.  Everyone present had played at least one instrument, including clarinet (3), piano (4), saxophone (3), violin (2), bassoon (1), and drums (1). 3 wanted to learn to play drums and one had been a member of a drum circle.

APIC/Black Caucus Hopkins Center Event

Jessica Hong hosted her third “APIC Art Break” on 16 November 2020, discussing the work of Zarina Hashmi. There were 8 APIC attendees who discussed her pieces relating to the theme of Home – represented by a series of abstract, wood cut engravings of specific sites from her childhood home, and cities she had lived in. Zarina conceived of home as something we carry with us wherever we go, not a fixed place. Jessica explained that the medium – paper – is something with cultural permanence, that allows for storytelling and the expression of narratives over centuries. Paper is akin to skin in that it ages, stains, and “keeps secrets” (according to Zarina). APIC viewers felt a sense of melancholy, distance, and disconnect from the emotion of home; however, Jessica explained that the prints are meant to be intimate when considering Zarina’s whole body of work and the abstraction opens the work for interpretation from a multiplicity of audiences.

Art Break III

On 7 July 2020, Jessica Hong hosted another Art Break for APIC.  She presented two works from the Hood collection by Stephanie Syjuco, a US conceptual artist born in Manila: Applicant Photos (Migrants) #1-3, which is 3 works as part of 1 series, and Total Transparency Filter.  In the process the interactive discussion touched on topics like the relationship between artifice and reality, the construction of history, the meaning of citizenship, and the non-neutrality of museum spaces.

Fill out our survey!

While our budget has been frozen, it is our hope to continue to provide a virtual gathering space for APIC members and come together as a community. Please fill out this survey to notify the leadership team of ideas for future events/initiatives as well as resources for our APIC community during this pandemic. You are welcome to spearhead an event/initiative and/or ask for logistical support from IDE staff or the APIC leadership team. We welcome all suggestions!

Survey Link

Dear APIC members,

We hope that you and your families are safe and healthy during this evolving situation. In this time of uncertainty and day-to-day developments, please remember to take care of yourselves, check in on friends and loved ones, and continue to find strength in community, even if it is now virtual.

As you know, Dartmouth is asking all employees who can work from home to do so starting this week, with the goal of social distancing. While necessary, we know that working remotely comes with its own set of challenges, like adjusting to a new work style, working at home with children, mental health challenges, and feelings of isolation. Working from home will also not possible for everyone.

You may have also been following the news of increased xenophobia and Sinophobia that has accompanied the spread of the novel coronavirus. Reports of anti-Asian discrimination have been affecting the Asian and Asian American community across the country. Even though the Upper Valley can seem far removed at times, we are not immune to the effects of racism and harassment. Now more than ever is the time to come together and support each other.

Because of these reasons, the APIC Leadership Team has decided to hold a virtual monthly lunch for March in order to bring our community together. Please check monthly lunch event where you’ll find a Zoom option for people to conference in, which we encourage even if you’re not working remotely. Let us know if you have an idea for virtual programming!

We’ll also be increasing the frequency of the newsletter to every other week in order to stay connected and share information, resources, and useful links. These will be collected by the APIC Leadership Team and through this survey. Finally, we’d like to also continue APIC Member Spotlights, so please contact Shiella if you know of anyone who should be appreciated!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to send them to APICLead@groups.dartmouth.edu.

The APIC Leadership Team – Amanda, Da-Shih, Emily, Reina, Shaun, Shiella, and Siva

On 30 January and 4 February APIC provided tickets to screenings of Parasite, which later went on to win the 2020 Oscar for Best Picture.  After the 30 January screening several people adjourned to Salt Hill Pub, where discussion included the depiction of Korean class differences in the movie and the aesthetics of picture-hanging.

On 25 January APIC sponsored an evening of music and discussion for a Hop concert with Wu Man, the world’s premier pipa (a Chinese lute) player.  People met at Han Fusion beforehand and discussed the history of the pipa and similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese music and culture.  After that they were treated to a fine, colorful, and diverse concert of music from the Tang Dynasty to the present, played on the pipa, sheng, suona, hulusi, taiko drums, and shinobue.