Editing Ginger Garden (section)

=Welcome to Ginger Garden 2014=


La version française suivra

Dear friends and curious ones,
Ginger Garden 2014 is a potluck gathering to eat, drink, and talk about burning
questions and projects in the arts, education and community building. Thirteen
presenters, who identify themselves as 1st generation Asians/ mixed race in Canada, will present their most recent works. Each presentation will be followed by Q & A.  

The intent of Ginger Garden is to create an intimate space for sharing
information and exchanging ideas and to encourage self representations.

Date: Tues. August 19, 2014
Time : 5 -9 pm
Place : Simone de Beauvoir Institute, 2170 Bishop, Montréal

You are encouraged to bring a plate, utensils, cup etc. to minimize the waste for the potluck of contributing and sharing food together. Ginger Garden as an event has replaced Chinese Tea Salon in Montréal.

To whet your curiosities, check out some of the presenters coming soon :
http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Ginger_Garden

Feel free to contact us.  
See you at Ginger Garden!!

Cordially yours,

Ginger Garden Team
team@asiancanadianwiki.org


La version française
Chers amis et curieux de nouveautés socioculturelles,

Bienvenue au Jardin de gingembre!

Le Jardin de gingembre est un collectif pour discuter de questions pressantes dans les domaines des arts, pour déguster de plats, pour boire, et aussi pour parler des projets d’éducation et de promotion d’activités communautaires. Treize conférenciers, qui s'identifient comme premières générations d’origines asiatiques ou de race mixte au Canada, présenteront leurs exposés. Chaque présentation sera suivie d’une séance de questions et réponses.

Le but du Jardin de gingembre est de créer un espace démocratique et ouvert pour le partage d'information, pour l’échange d'idées et pour encourager les innovations de façon indépendante.

Vous êtes invités à apporter un plat préparé, des ustensiles, des tasses, etc., afin de minimiser les déchets de ce repas collectif et pour contribuer à un partage de différents plats. L’évènement Jardin de gingembre a remplacé l’ancien évènement Salon de thé chinois de Montréal.

Date : le mardi 19 août 2014
Heure : de 17 h à 21 h
Lieu : Institut Simone de Beauvoir, 2170, rue Bishop, Montréal.

Pour désaltérer votre soif de curiosité, veuillez consulter les biographies et quelques présentations des conférenciers au site web suivant http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Ginger_Garden

Pour toute autre question, n'hésitez pas à communiquer avec nous.

Bienvenue au Jardin de gingembre !

Cordialement,

L'équipe du Jardin de gingembre
team@asiancanadianwiki.org

Event Schedule

5 pm- greetings 

5:30 pm-begin presentations, Tracy: moderator-5 mins.

5:35 pm- Shuibo Wang 6 mins.

5:41 pm-Q&A, 6 mins.

5:47 pm- Green Chinatown Montreal, Chao/Miaoyun 

5:53 pm-Q&A

5:59 pm- Jie Wu 

6:06 pm-Q&A

6:12 pm- Kiran Ambwani

6:18 pm-Q&A


6:36 pm- break-25 mins. 

7:01 pm- Veena Gokhale 

7:07 pm-Q&A

7: 13 pm- Xiao Dan He

7:19 pm-Q&A

7:25 pm- Sophie Gee 

7:31 pm-Q&A

7:37 pm- break, 25 mins.

8 :02 pm- Satoshi Ikeda 

8 :08 pm-Q&A

8 :13 pm- Mi Jeong Lee

8 :19 pm-Q&A

9:01 pm- break, open  

9:30 pm-begin clean up

Presenters Descriptions and Bios

==Tracy Zhang,Moderator==
Tracy Zhang is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University. Her recent research examines international recruitment of Chinese acrobats. She is a member of Art Can Heal Montreal, a collective group of oncology patients and their loved ones, arts therapists, researchers affiliated with Cedars CanSupport.

==Shuibo Wang==
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Shuibo Wang is a Beijing/Montreal based artist and filmmaker, he is also a Guggenheim Fellow and Oscar nominee. He currently teaches at China Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Never Loose My Fist, is a feature documentary directed by Shuibo Wang, it tells the stories of a group of rebellions Punk Rock musicians from the industry city Wuhan in central China.

==Kiran Ambwani==
Passionate about people, their lifestyle, and the arts, Kiran Ambwani is a professional photographer of Indian origin, now based in Montreal.  Kiran's creative vision captivates the editorial and advertising worlds, with a versatile portfolio ranging from portraits to products, lifestyle to landscapes and architecture to abstract images. Kiran freelances for various publications, advertising and press agencies, and non-profit groups. Specializing in portraiture and editorial photography, Kiran's photographs have been published in Vogue, Geo Plein Air, MindFood (Australia), Travesias (Mexico), US Airways, IB World (UK), Le Devoir, Journal Alternatives, Metro, Mirror, and The Bombay Times (India). Kiran's images reflect a sensitivity shaped by her background in anthropology and environmental science and her numerous travels. Driven by a curiosity for the problematics encountered by marginalised populations, Kiran has explored, among others, the lives of Tibetan monks in exile, the survivors of child trafficking in Mumbai, the inhabitants of Asia's largest slum Dharavi, and the indigenous women of Nepal. She has collaborated on several humanitarian projects with NGOs in Canada, India, and Nepal. Apart from commercial work, Kiran has held several group and solo exhibitions of her personal work in Canada and abroad. Kiran is a graduate of McGill University and the Dawson Institute of Photography in Montreal.

Kiran is currently working on 'Objets Cheris'. A public art project, it aims at bringing art and life to the otherwise dull and impersonal walls of the oncology departments in Montreal's wellness facilities. Initiated at Montreal's Notre-Dame Hospital, this installation seeks to inspire people by showcasing patients who have found the inner strength to face the challenges of the disease by engaging in various hobbies and activities. Art is known to have potent therapeutic effects, therefore there is need for art in places of healing. Furthermore, engaging patients in the artistic process can have positive mental health benefits and help them to feel more connected with the hospital and broader community.  Creating art encourages vision, hope and imagination, all of which nurture the healing process.

==Xiaodan He==
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Xiaodan He, born in 1975, has studied film production at the Beijing Film Academy in China from 1993 to 1997. In 2002, Xiaodan directed her first film, The Dance of The Star. In the same year, she moved to Montreal. In 2006, her first short film: Cairo Calling, has screenings in over 50 festivals around the world. In 2009, her documentary The Fall of Womenland is distributed in the TV of Canada and the other countries. Xiaodan is working on her first feature film, Pear Tree Blossoms. 

Pear Tree Blossoms is a feature film of co-production between Canada and China. Li Fang, a Chinese immigrant has been living in Montreal for 10 years. Physically infertile and her violent separation from Eric, her québécois husband, has pushed her to the brink of despair. Escaping the chaos in Montreal, Li Fang travels to her birthplace and visits her grandfather in Dazu, a small district in south China. There, she hides the troubles she left behind but suffers from the sorrow and hate she keeps for her old love. The calmness of her granddad, the support of her childhood friends and being witness to their own problems and sufferings, helps her break the impasse in her life.

==Jie Wu==
Jie is doing his program of Master in Film Studies at the University of Montreal. His thesis work focuses on the impact of technological innovations on the film industry.

==Veena Gokhale==
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Journalist, fiction writer, communications coordinator, project manager and educator. Worked in South Asia, Canada and Tanzania. Created issue-based, illustrated storybooks and developed and delivered workshops on “Using stories for social change.” Looking to build a professional team to apply the stories for social change concept in practice. http://www.veenago.com

My topic is called Using Stories for Social Change. I am going to talk about my own experience in this realm, it's going to be quite informal, and then ask people who may be interested in being on a team to take my project forward, to connect with me. Typically I'm looking for people with experience in video, film, radio, comic books and graphic novels, those who work in online or video games as also people who have started communications businesses. (But it could be others who are just inspired by my project and have some relevant skills.) 


==Sophie Gee==
Sophie Gee is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Directing Programme. Born and raised in Alberta, Sophie spent many years in London, UK before relocating to Montreal where she presents creations under the name Nervous Hunter. Works include The Phaedra Project (No! I! Don't! Want! To! Fall! in! Love! With! You!) (MAI, Montreal), I Am Such a Small Container for All This (SEAS Festival, Iceland), Domestik (Eastern Bloc, Montreal), and Estate (Festival Occupe Bain St Michel). www.nervoushunter.com

Sophie is currently working on an adaptation of a play looking the effects a factory collapse has on a Chinese-Canadian family. This bilingual (English/Mandarin) play will be workshopped in Toronto late August/September under the guidance of Governor-General nominated playwright David Yee of Fugen Theatre Company.


==Satoshi Ikeda==
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Satoshi Ikeda teaches sociology at Concordia University. Aside from his academic activities, he engages in community development initiatives on campus and in the community. The projects he has been involved include Green Chinatown Montreal,
Concordia Food Coalition (Hive Café, Burritoville, Rooftop Garden, etc.), and Transitions NDG. His wants to create alternatives to the corporate economy through the promotion of social economy based on giving, sharing, and reciprocal exchange.

This presentation reflects on personal transformation from an academician to a community activist and artist. Following the images of a journey, the presentation traces major turns in his life that led to the current state. It will conclude with the works of art he is currently engaging in.


==Miaoyun Zhou==
Miaoyun Zhou is graduated from Concordia University, major in Urban
Studies. Miaoyun loves traveling, photography and everything related to food. 
She joined in this amazing project Green Chinatown Montreal in 2013 and she 
helped to introduce fresh locally grown vegetables delivery service to senior 
residences first time in Chinatown. Now she is learning interior design at 
LaSalle College and she would like to combine the idea of urban agriculture 
into her design process in future.

==Chao Zeng==
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Chao Zeng is a recent graduate from civil engineering of Concordia University. He was born in China 
and had studied at Concordia as an international student. He is interested in the urban agriculture and 
sustainable engineering design. He was a volunteer of Sustainable Concordia and Habitat for Humanity 
(Montreal, Quebec), and had joined many conferences and workshops about green engineering and 
food justice.
He is a member of “Green Chinatown Montreal” garden. Green Chinatown Montreal garden 
existing for 4 years has been to create a community environment by exploring and developing urban 
gardening in Chinatown with locally alternative food culture.


==Mi-jeong Lee==
Mi-jeong Lee is an independent filmmaker, writer, video artist, and curator. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and began her professional career as a journalist from 1984, then her interest shifted onto arts and became a practitioner in arts since her migration to Montreal in 1991. She is currently completing her Ph.D research-creation in the department of Études et Pratiques des Arts at Université de Québec à Montréal and a member of Senselab - a laboratory for thought in motion - that is affiliated with Concordia University, where she works as an Asian cinema consultant. 
Her Korean-language novelization of the Luc Besson's film "Le Grand Bleu" was published in 1993 in Korea.  Lee opened up her knowledge of world cinema by watching films and meeting Asian filmmakers at various international film festivals. Her first film script project, Naked Fish, was award to receive a script development funding from National Film Board of Canada in 1995 as a foreign student. This proposition influenced her to reside in Montreal and began filmmaking. Her independent film works are "I Am the Park", "Façcades", "Underground", "Breathe", as well as the video installation piece "Turn Around." Living in Canada as an Asian, she became intricately interest in the issues of Asian culture and identity, which resulted in her founding of Asian film-related festivals and activities since twenty years ago, as well as a non-profit organization: Ciné-Asie (www.cine-asie.ca), AmérAsia Asian Film Festival (www.amerasiafestival.com), Korean Film Festival (www.koreanfilm.ca), and production/distribution company CINEASIE Creatives (www.cineasiecreatives.com).

Subject of the presentation: 
I raise a question very often to myself, "Why am I struggling to keep on the 4th edition of AmérAsia Montreal Film Festival as a filmmaker? My presentation will be about my ongoing problem as an art practitioner.