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BY STACEY ALTHERRstacey.altherr@newsday.com
While the Wang Center’s open andairy atrium — with its serenesounds of waterfalls — is dottedwith Stony Brook University
students on a recent weekday afternoon, JinyoungJin, the site’s new curator, reminds the communitythat the building welcomes the public, too.
“People have a hesitancyto come to the college with-out another purpose, but allare invited,” says Jin.
The center is expandingits exhibitions these days —the newest is a rare look atauthentic handmade clothbaby carriers from ruralareas of China and Taiwan,
exploring the symbolisms offive native tribes.
Smaller alcoves tuckedbetween exhibit space arededicated for students todisplay personal items cen-tral to their own Asian heri-tage — a Pakistani prayerrug, a simulated table settingfor an Iranian New Year
celebration. “We want themto participate,” says Jin.
Visitors also might stopby the Asian-inspired cafereplete with bubble tea anda sushi bar.
BABY CARRIERSAmong the tribes in the
rural parts of China, babycarriers carry more thaninfants. They also share thestory of their ancestral past,says Jin, and they are consid-ered family heirlooms. Infact, some embroideredcarriers on display are miss-ing the straps because theyusually are taken off bymothers and saved as me-mentos before the rest of thecloth carrier is handeddown. Those displayed hereare most likely from the
early 20th century.Even now, tribes in rural
parts of China have no writ-ten language; they use sym-bols to convey their heri-tage, Jin says, and theseunique markings can be seenon the carriers’ textiles. TheShui favor a fish pattern,since fish lay lots of eggs,representing fertility. TheDong tribe uses squareshapes, while the Yi designsshow a well where watercontinues to flow. TheMiao’s historic fable has thetribe descended from abutterfly, so that insectshows up in the embroidery,says textile expert Lee Tal-bot, curator of the GeorgeWashington UniversityMuseum and the TextileMuseum.
exploreLI PHOTO GALLERYSee more Wang Center piecesnewsday.com/museums
an asian invitation
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The band Earth, Wind and Fire hadmany hits between 1973 and 1981.And you can hear 30 of themperformed by The Earth Wind andFire Tribute Band 70s Funk, 8 p.m.Saturday at the Suffolk Theater inRiverhead. Admission is $30,631-727-4343, suffolktheater.com
shiningstars
A Miao baby carrier, considered an heirloom, on view at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center.
“Shower” is a 1999 lightheartedChinese comedy that explores theareas of family, friendship andtradition. The 92-minute, PG-ratedfilm, presented in Mandarin withEnglish subtitles, screens 11 a.m.Sunday at Cinema Arts Centre inHuntington. Bagels served at10 a.m. Tickets are $15,631-423-7611, cinemaartscentre.org
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Wang Center exhibits, open to all, inspired by Eastern cultures
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Tokyo native Jiro Osuga’s visions ofmodern daily life in Japan areamong the works on display at theWang Center.
The tribes’ “cultural history istold through oral tradition, andthen visually through textiles,”Talbot says, explaining the signifi-cance of the Wang Center exhibit.“Baby carriers are a very esteemedobject,” he adds. “It really embodiesthe mother’s love and devotion tothe baby.”
MORE TO SEEOther exhibits flow along the
perimeter of the Wang Center —four or five are held every season,Jin says. Admission is free.
“The Everyday Joys of Japan”features paintings by Jiro Osuga, aTokyo native whose works depictnoodle shops and street scenes.
“The Pearl of the Snowlands”highlights original works from theoldest Tibetan Printing House,Derge Parkhang, founded in 1729,and highly revered among the peo-ple of Tibet. The works show Bud-dhas and other cultural symbols infinely detailed cut prints that havebeen well preserved.
“A is for Arab,” on loan from NewYork University, examines Arabstereotypes in American popularculture.
EVENTSThe Wang Center’s two lecture
halls and auditorium host lectures,workshops and performances, all ofwhich are open to the public. Up-coming:
APRIL 1: SUFI SONGS“Sufi Songs of Love,” a 7 p.m.
musical performance highlightingthe great Sufi songs originating in13th century Persia, is one of manyperformances celebrating Asianculture in the theater. Admission is$10.
APRIL 8: CHAI TIMELearn about tea time in India from
master tea maker Drake Page, whowill look at the customs of the popu-lar and traditional beverage in this1 p.m. program. Admission is $10,reservations required.
APRIL 14-15: RAMEN NOODLESA free 2:30 p.m. lecture April 14 by
Dr. George Solt discusses howRamen noodles became Japan’snational food. And a 1 p.m. workshopApril 15 breaks down the making ofJapanese Ramen noodles, from creat-ing the stock from soy and miso todifferent variations of the dish ($20,reservations required).
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The Wang CenterWHEN | WHERE Stony BrookUniversity, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.weekdays, noon-8 p.m. week-ends; hours vary during schoolbreaks.INFO 631-632-4400,stonybrook.edu/wangADMISSION Free (workshops,lectures and performances mayhave admission fees).CAFE The Jasmine Tea House,on the second floor, is usuallyopen 11 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdaysand noon-8 p.m. weekends.
The Jasmine Tea House, on the second floor of the Wang Center, isusually open until 8 p.m. every day, but hours vary during school breaks.
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