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The African Art Museum's film festival takes place every Thursday this month.

Tuesday, February 7 Water Matters

Join Smithsonian experts in Water Matters, an online conference by Shout Learning of Smithsonian Education. Starting on Tuesday, the conference will grapple with all aspects of humanity’s relationships with our most vital resource. The first session, led by Nancy Knowlton, Sant Chair of Marine Science at the Natural History Museum, starts with the question: “What kinds of human interventions can help the health of marine life?” For the full schedule, see Shout Learning’s website. Free. Register to reserve a virtual spot. Sessions 11:00 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. Resumes Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, February 8 Multiplicity Curator Talk

If you haven’t yet gotten over to the “Multiplicity” exhibition at the American Art Museum, here’s a good opportunity to check it off your cultural bucket list. Take a walk through the gallery with curator Joann Moser, who will highlight each featured piece and explain how each artist questions the ideas of rarity and uniqueness in art through repetition, pairing, and variation. Free. 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. American Art Museum.

Thursday, February 9 Touki Bouki

Every Thursday through February, the African Art Museum‘s 2012 African Art House Film Festival showcases African films both classic and cutting edge, from all corners of the continent. This week is Touki Bouki, a Senegalese road movie following two young lovers through their schemes to pay their way to Paris. There will also be a Q & A with film historian Françoise Pfaff of Howard University. Free. 6:30 p.m. Landmark E Street Cinema.

The film Shadow Magic features the arrival of motion pictures in China. Photo courtesy Freer and Sackler Galleries

Friday, October 7 Native Americans and the Courts

Come listen to a panel of speakers discuss the history of U.S. court decisions that have affected Native Americans. The symposium will separate the facts and fictions that have underpinned legal decisions impacting Native Americans since 1823. The expert group of Native attorneys and law professors will be moderated by Kevin Gover, the museum’s director. Free, to RSVP contact NMAI-SSP@si.edu. 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. National Museum of the American Indian, Rasmuson Auditorium, with a live online webcast.

Saturday, October 8 Balloons and Blimps

Bring the whole family for this interactive event. Demonstrations and hands-on activities with blimps and balloons are a fun way to learn about science, technology, engineering and math. Free, with a $15 fee for parking. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Air and Space Udvar-Hazy Center.

Sunday, October 9 Shadow Magic

The arrival of film in China in the early 20th century was met with a mix of fascination and anti-Western sentiment. See Shadow Magic, a 2000 film, which covers the birth of the Chinese film industry during this era. Visit “Power|Play: China’s Empress Dowager,” a new exhibition of photography of the Empress Cixi at the Sackler Gallery, to gain a greater appreciation of this chapter in Chinese history. 115 min., Mandarin with English subtitles. Free. 2 p.m. Freer Gallery, Meyer Auditorium

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Online Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

KYOPO Composite, © CYJO

Born in 1974 in Seoul, Korea, but raised in Maryland, artist CYJO sought to explore the lives of Koreans living abroad in her breakthrough series “The KYOPO Project,” currently on view at the National Portrait Gallery. Kyopo refers to any people of ethnic Korean ancestry who live outside Korea and is a reflection of a diverse diaspora. The work consists of a collection of pictures of more than 200 people of Korean descent posed head-on, looking directly at the camera. They are both straightforward and intimate portraits ranging across professions from bankers to students, and ages from the very old to the very young. Accompanying every photo is a short autobiography. The pieces are displayed one after another, juxtaposing a variety of subjects and a wide range of experiences, all helping to define “what it means to be Korean and a citizen of the world.”

I corresponded with CYJO via email to get some insight into her project, her process and her part in the exhibition, “Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter,” at the National Portrait Gallery.

What motivated you to start the KYOPO project?

I didn’t see any photography books in 2004 that covered contemporary issues and the Korean culture. I also was curious to see how individuals who shared the same ancestry contextualized themselves in their societies. And so I decided to create a platform that explored how ethnicity and culture of residence/citizenship related to identity through photographic and textual portraits.

You photographed many different types of people—young and old, white collar and working class, well known and unknown—for the KYOPO project. How did you find each of your subjects and how important was it for you to represent a wide variety of people?

In November of 2004, a random stranger at the time, Sebastian Seung, stood in line behind me at the Cooper Hewitt Museum. He inquired about the exhibition, and I inquired about his ethnicity. After confirming he was Korean, he became the first subject for the project. He recommended a couple of people who recommended others. There were chance meetings with other people who became participants, and the group organically grew into over 200 people over the course of six years.

What was important was to make sure that the group was a sincere sampling and random, not researched. From this grouping, a variety of individuals surfaced. It was a nice surprise to obtain such varied results.

You studied fashion at both New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and Istituto Politecnico Internazionale della Moda in Florence. How does your fashion background inform your photography?

The process of producing a collection under a theme/idea was definitely exercised through a photographic and textual medium. A concept was developed, and pieces/portraits were created to flesh out the idea. Expressing a concept through a cohesive collection can be applied to many forms of art which include fashion and photography.

Who are your favorite subjects from the series? What about them stands out to you?

It’s hard to say which are my favorites, but below are some of the many memorable participants. Steve Byrne and Bobby Lee—Their fearlessness, surprise, semi-nudity and humor (Bobby had requested that I do an additional personality shot with only his socks on as he squatted and pointed to the sky. And Steve unexpectedly whipped off his shirt last minute before I took the shot). Daniel Dae Kim, Chang Rae Lee, Juju Chang—high profiles in the media who were distinctively humble and modest. Linda Vestergaard—her introduction to Korean cultural exposure in her late twenties, her history as an adopted individual of identical triplets in Denmark, and her journey with embracing her ethnicity where she and her Danish family eventually met her biological parents. Cera Choi and Patricia Han—their courage to defy the odds, overcome extreme challenges and make a difference to better affect their communities. Cera from Anchorage, Alaska, is a single mother of four children, with her youngest suffering from a severe disease, Prader-Willi syndrome. She has helped to create some policies in her community to help families who have family members with special needs. Patricia Han from NYC had lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks. And she took this tragedy as a reminder that she had a purpose in this world to positively contribute, as she still had a lot more than many others did. In turn, she created an orphanage in Bangladesh to help provide a supportive foundation where children could grow and become productive individuals in their societies. Linda Volkhausen and Aiyoung Choi—the earlier pioneers of civic activism and community involvement in America. Suk Pak—He grew up in the Canary Islands and is the co-founder of dramafever.com, the first major portal to bring English sub-titled Korean soap operas into the American vernacular. KYOPO Consultants and Supporters—They provided instrumental support to help realize this project.

In describing the project, you say the goal was to challenge “the idea of a monolithic, ‘authentic’ Korean identity.” How do your subjects’ stories compare? Did you find any similarities besides their shared Korean heritage?

One resounding similarity with most participants was their respect and curiosity for differences due to their bi-cultural/multi-cultural background. They identified with a universal human race. There were definitely generational similarities where children of those families who immigrated in the 60′s and 70′s had certain societal and cultural pressures instilled in them, different from some who had grown up later where ethnicity is celebrated much more.

There were also different types of relationships people had with their ethnicity. One participant, Cabin Gold Kim had parents who wanted to provide the best American experience and environment for him to thrive in their newly adopted American culture. He loved his mom’s grilled cheese sandwiches growing up and didn’t care much for kimchi. And I can still hear his Rochester, New York, guffaw that erupted during our interview.

This contrasted to other participants who visited Korea regularly, spoke the language fluently and preferred to receive their news through Korean media portals.

Other individuals exfoliated their Korean culture off of them to better integrate and assimilate to American society growing up only to come back to it at a matured age, understanding that part of being American was to embrace your heritage.

In the end, each story was individual and uniquely their own.

What would your KYOPO statement say? Has your own Kyopo identity changed over the course of working on this project?

Bits and pieces of my thoughts can be found in select participants’ answers in the KYOPO book published by Umbrage Editions. My identity has not changed but strengthened and expanded over the course of working on this project.

Are there any figures you wish you had the opportunity to add to the series?

The project was done to produce an organic and spontaneous result within a certain framework. My wish was for that element to be maintained. The KYOPO Project illustrates a sampling of individuals, mainly Korean Americans, and does not represent all Korean Americans or KYOPO, but provides a flavoring over a course of time.

What are your thoughts on the Portrait Gallery’s “Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter”? What are your impressions of the work of your fellow exhibitors?

I’m honored to have The KYOPO Project in such a venerable institution and grateful for the opportunity. I’m also honored to be among the six artists represented in the group.

It’s an important and unprecedented event, the first time in the Smithsonian Institution’s history in which an art exhibition of this kind has been executed. The exhibition explores expressions of being Asian in America in a national museum institution that is not defined by a specific ethnicity, but by the American culture.

“Asian American Portraits of Encounter” reinforces the diversity and multiculturalism which partly defines American culture today. And the global audience of over one million visitors that experience this exhibition over the course of the year will be reminded of what makes this country so special and unique, and how cultures continue to evolve as the immigration phenomenon continues.

CYJO will be speaking more about the KYOPO Project during a Gallery360 lecture and book signing at 2 p.m. on September 17 at the National Portrait Gallery.

The Leaf-tailed Gecko. Photo courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo

Tuesday, September 6 Zoo Photo Club

Come join the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) photo club to see the best of what the Zoo has to offer! Members will share their photos, hear from speakers and learn about techniques and tips to help capture the moment. FONZ is a group that supports the Zoo in its mission of caring for animals and conserving natural habitats. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month and are free for members. 7 to 9:30 p.m. National Zoo, Visitor Center Auditorium.

Wednesday, September 7 See the Sun and Moon

Bring your family to learn about astronomy from the experts. At the Public Observatory Project, you’ll have the chance to use the Air and Space Museum’s 16-inch telescope to see craters on the moon, spots on the sun and other marvels. Museum staff will conduct other hands-on activities that are sure to delight. Free. 1 to 3 p.m. Air and Space Museum, observatory located on southeast terrace.

Thursday, September 8 ASL Tour of American Art

Join a discussion of American Art‘s works on view in American Sign Language (ASL). If you can’t make this tour, the event repeats on October 13 and 23, and on November 10. Free. 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. American Art, meet in F street lobby.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Online Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

Carm's Crew, 2009, Shizu Saldamando.

“Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter“ seeks to explore what it means to be Asian in America through the works of CYJO, Hye Yeon Nam, Shizu Saldamando, Roger Shimomura, Satomi Shirai, Tam Tran and Zhang Chun Hong. The exhibit, a collaboration of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APAP), opened today, August 12, at the Portrait Gallery. Konrad Ng, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, shared his insights on the show via e-mail.

What can the works in the show tell us about being Asian in America?

I think the works start conversations about what it means to be Asian in America rather than offer a definitive interpretation. Indeed, the show offers a cacophony of ways of being-in-the-world. If there is a common theme that unites the experience, I would say how they treat identity as a complex negotiation as opposed to a being given, that “I am definitively X.”  The negotiation comes from how one can be rooted in a community, but not limited by it.

Is there a personal reason that you chose to explore the Asian American experience?

I appreciate good art and the show contains terrific work.  The Portrait Gallery and my program the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program see the “Asian American experience” as a vehicle for showing how portraiture is a language and a story. These artists use the form to express their experience and by doing so, start conversations about what it means to be American, the dynamics of world cultures, and their intersection.

What is a “Portrait of Encounter”?

For me, a portrait of encounter conveys the forces at work in telling the story of identity, that is, how we work on finding balance during our negotiation of things like: what to wear, perceptions and self-perceptions, our sense of home, culture, or the expectations of heritage and gender.

The show contains a wide range of media and unique interpretations of portraiture. Which pieces are your favorites and what about them stand out to you?

It’s hard to pick one. As a scholar of cinema and digital media, I’m immediately drawn to Hye Yeon Nam’s work. I love the edginess of Saldamando’s works. CYJO’s photographs are engrossing. I love the messiness of Satomi Shirai’s photographs. The way that Tam Tran ties a sense of elasticity with her identity is great.  The textures of Zhang Chun Hong’s work surprised me with its aggressiveness. Roger Shimomura finds a a productive balance between anger and playfulness.

The artists featured in the exhibit come from different Asian backgrounds as well as different geographic areas of the U.S.  How important was representing the unique Asian cultures when putting together the show? How important was representing the unique U.S. regions?

The artists were selected from a general call for submissions. Together, the NPG and the APAP created a shortlist based on the caliber of work and how the work would fit in the larger experience of the exhibition. During the process, I wanted us to curate a set of encounters such that the journey for the viewer would be a transformation in their understanding of Asian America; not to arrive at a conclusion, but to start a conversation about that that means. I think we were able to do that.

“Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter” is open now through October 14, 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery.

View a gallery of the photos here.