#window2asia is a project of AREA Ruhr, which collects and publishes information on current and upcoming cultural events in the Rhine-Ruhr region. In our overviews, we feature exhibitions, concerts, movie screenings and workshops that are aimed towards the general public. Heading into the summer break, several institutions that host events related to East Asia have toned down their programme for this month and will return to business in September. Nonetheless, we have put together the events that do take place in August below.
Ongoing events
Since March 2024, the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn features the exhibition »Kengo Kuma. Onomatopoeia Architecture«, presenting around two dozen models of some of the Japanese architect’s most important buildings. Kuma, who was born in Yokohama in 1954, has built all over the world: in Japan, but also throughout Europe, the United States, China and Australia. The exhibition is open to the public until September 2024.
The Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst in Köln is currently showing the exhibition »Bizzare Schönheiten« (bizarre beauties). Consisting of a stone collection received from collector couple Gudrun and Willi Benz complemented by paintings, bronzes and porcelains, it sheds light onto the Chinese tradition of bizarrely shaped stones as decorative elements in gardens and scholars’ studios. The exhibition opened in April and will be accessible until January 2025.
Southeast of Düsseldorf, the Wohnstift Haus Horst is currently home to the photo exhibition »Impressionen aus dem Land der aufgehenden Sonne« (Impressions from the land of the rising sun) with works by photographer Steffen Hübner made during his 10 year stay in Japan. The exhibition in part deals with Japanese geisha culture and may be visited until 26 August.
Upcoming events
During the first half of the month, the Landesspracheninstitut at Ruhr University Bochum conducts the fourth round of its two-week summer school »Korean in a bubble« for students aged 14 to 18 from 4 to 18 August. Besides an intensive language training programme, the course offers cultural activities centred around Korea. While the summer school is currently fully booked, it is still possible to apply for the waitlist.
On 17 August, the EKŌ-Haus in Düsseldorf opens its doors to celebrate the Bon festival with a ceremony conducted by the priests of the in-house temple, and a lecture on death and nirvana in Shin Buddhism held afterwards. On the same day, the Animany Convention (Ani-Con) 2024 kicks off its two-day programme in Siegburg, featuring a cosplay contest, voice actor panels with several special guests that have lent their voice to popular anime characters, music acts on two stages, quizzes, workshops, artist booths, karaoke, and the After-Con-Party.
Back in Düsseldorf, the EKŌ-Haus hosts one of their public guided tours of the premises, including the temple garden and the Buddhist temple on site on 20 August. As the number of participants is limited, a prior registration is required.
Fans of Anime soundtracks have a rare opportunity to get their money’s worth with two concerts of the One Piece Music Symphony World Tour that take place on 21 and 22 August at the Kölner Philharmonie. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the popular anime series “One Piece”, a full orchestra performs music from the show live on stage, while the best moments from the anime are projected synchronized on screen. Tickets are still available for the first of the two dates.
Near the end of the month, the Van Der Grinten Galerie in Köln opens the art exhibition “Food, animals, organs, plants, bodies, etc, everything outside me is everywhere in the air. I breathe them in, I breathe them out” with works by Japanese artist Rikako Kawaguchi. After her first exhibition at the gallery in 2020, this iteration will display her oil paintings for the first time, in tandem with a selection of the latest drawings on paper. The exhibition opens on 30 August and can be visited until 26 October.
If you want to find more information on the events listet above or take a look at more upcoming and past events, visit the #window2asia page. While we strive to include as many cultural events related to East Asia that take place in the Rhine Ruhr area as possible, our work does not claim to be exhaustive. If you know of an event that fits the criteria but is not yet included in our overview, please feel free to reach out to us at window2asia@area-ruhr.de.