Year of the [Black]Dragon

All Things Dragon

January 23, 2012

CHINATOWN- Downtown LA

113th Annual Golden Dragon Parade & Chinese New Year Festival

Saturday, January 28, 2012 and Sunday, January 29, 2012

113th Golden Dragon Parade: Sat, Jan 28th 1pm-4pm (commencing at Hill and Ord Streets and concluding at Broadway and Cesar Chavez). Grand Marshals are Disney’s Mulan and Mushu and international bestselling author Lisa See. Honorary Grand Marshals include David Lee, Collin Lai and James B. Wong.

Chinese New Year Festival
Central Plaza & West Plaza
943-951 N. Broadway
Saturday, Jan 28: 12pm-8pm
Sunday, Jan 29: 12pm-5pm
(213) 680-0243
FREE to the public

Event Schedule – Central Plaza
*Entertainment Stage (schedule TBA)
*Cupcake Wars 1000 cupcake giveaway (Sat)
*LA Craft Experience
*LA Food Trucks (Confirmed: Crepe-N-Around, Grill Cheese Truck (Sun), Holy Aioli, King Kone (on Hill Street), Loma Arigato, MO Eggrolls (Sun), Sizzler Truck, Tropical Shave Ice)

Event Schedule – West Plaza
*Cultural Artisans (calligraphy, dough sculpture, candy sculpture)
*Storytelling (Dragon tales)
*Art & Craft Workshops

Year of the Dragon Cocktail

1 oz. dragonfruit puree
2 oz. lychee puree
1/2 oz. yuzu juice
2 oz. orange vodka
1 small egg (egg white only)
Fresh pressed pomegranate juice
Dragon stencil*

Combine all ingredients in mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously, 50 times. Strain drink into a coupe martini glass until it is just below the rim.

[MUSE] LACMA

If you have ever dined at a Chinese restaurant, you have probably seen something printed with the signs of twelve animals—rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar—known as the zodiac animals. The Chinese use these signs to mark years, a system that follows the lunar calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar used in the West. The first day of a lunar year is the most important holiday, celebrated in many countries in Asia, such as China, Korea, and Vietnam.

January 23, 2012, is the first day of the year of the dragon. To celebrate this special occasion, LACMA has installed a gallery with dragon related works from LACMA’s permanent collection. The dragon is the only mythical animal among the twelve zodiac animals, bringing special auspices to the year of the dragon. In addition, the dragon is believed to possess supernatural powers such as controlling the rain. As a result, it is one of the most popular themes for Asian artists.

Vase with Everted Fluted Lip and Raised Dragon Décor, Japan, nineteenth century, gift of Allan and Maxine Kurtzman

Jar with Dragon and Clouds, Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), nineteenth century, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jae Min Chang and The Korea Times

In the gallery, you will see ceramics from China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Although the objects are different shapes and sizes and were made at different times in different regions, each piece has a dragon (or a pair of dragons) as its decorative motif. The earliest piece displayed in the gallery is a bronze mirror made in China circa 200 BC, where the interlaced bodies of the dragons emphasize the animal’s long and curvilinear body.

Mirror (Jing) with Interlaced Dragons, China, probably Anhui Province, the Phil Berg Collection

In ancient China, the dragon was seen as the embodiment of the emperor, who claimed himself as a “son of heaven.” In the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911), only the imperial family was allowed to use dragons to decorate their homes, furniture, and clothes. The embroidered image of a dragon on display in this special installation is a rank badge, probably worn by a prince in the seventeenth century.

Badge (Lizi) of the Imperial Prince with Dragon, China, late Ming dynasty (1368-1644), mid-seventeenth century, gift of Miss Carlotta Mabury

The dragon emerges from a background of waves and clouds. The waves symbolize the yin element of the ocean, and the clouds the yang element of the sky. Here the dragon resides within the perfect harmony of yin and yang, which can also be seen as the imperial house’s supreme power over the universe. Other works included in the gallery, such as a Japanese ink painting of a dragon and a jade belt buckle in the shape of a dragon, testify to the popularity of the dragon in Asia.

Christina Yu Yu, Assistant Curator, Chinese and Korean Art

As reported in the LACMA Blog: Unframed The LACMA Blog

LOMOGRAPHY

Diana F+ Hong Meow

Diana F+ Hong Meow: if you’re new to the world of Lomography she is defintely going to be your first love.

Diana F+ Hong Meow
Diana F+ with Flash – “Hong Meow” special edition, celebrating Diana World Tour’s first stop Hong Kong! Hong Meow is the mocked Cantonese pronunciation (Hung Meo) of China’s national emblem – the Giant Panda. We draw inspiration from the appearance of the panda (and bamboo) for the design and colors of Hong Meow (dig the black, white and bright green color scheme). Completed with the illustration of the panda on the rewinding knob and focusing ring, the Diana F+ Hong Meow special edition is your most collectible (and cutest) Diana F+!