The AACC's Artist Showcase features works by students and local artists. Themes of art exhibits have varied from international adoption, the environment and sustainability, fabrics and textiles of Asia, and traditional Chinese arts. If you are interested in having an art show at the AACC, please contact us at aacc@illinois.edu.

Previous Showcases

2023 Exhibitions

Red Thread Reflections Art show, a thin red thread is tied in a bowtie through the center of the post. White background.

 

"Red Thread Reflections"
An art exhibit to elevate adoptee voices and stories.
Curated by Callie Goering
Through letters, photos, and art, learn from transracial adoptees on campus the ways in which we are all connected by a red thread.

February 27, 2023-May 5, 2023
AACC Lounge

2022 Exhibition

Colorful Indian fabrics on orange and white background

 

In collaboration with Spirit of India and Ascending Art 360, "Fabrics of India on the Silk Road" celebrates and honors our fabric and clothing traditions.

August 15, 2022-September 30, 2022
AACC Lounge

 

2021 Exhibition

Inspired by Nature Art Show graphic featuring a green forest scene in the background

Inspired by Nature Art Show

Co-hosted by Ascending Aesthetics and the AACC

Artist Meet-and-Greet and Reception

Meet our guest artists and hear about their art pieces on display!

  • Date: Thursday, December 9, 2021
  • Time: 3:30-4:30 pm
  • Location: Asian American Cultural Center Lounge (1210 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL 61801)
 

2020 Exhibition

"Vaigyanik Bharat/Scientific India" - Celebrating Indian Independence Day 2020

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center and Spirit of India.

Guest Bios

Dr. Chandramallika Basak, PhD

Associate Professor, Center for Vital Longevity
School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
University of Texas at Dallas
Twitter handle: @ChandramallikaB

Aadya Joshi

Aadya Joshi

Grade 11 student at the American School of Bombay

Aadya is passionate about restoring native biodiversity and natural ecosystems in urban environments. In 2018, she founded The Right Green, an organization whose mission is to spread awareness about the ecological importance of native plants in restoring urban ecosystems. She has developed a database of plant-insect relationships for over 2,000 plants (and growing) in the Indian subcontinent and ranked them according to their ability to support biodiversity. This will now enable gardeners and landscapers to choose such plants that are not only beautiful, but will also support the most biodiversity for their eco-regions. She regularly conducts workshops for school children, adults and municipal authorities, highlighting the vital ecological links between native plants, insects, and birds that are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

In addition to her work with The Right Green, Aadya is also a budding researcher, a classically trained musician and enjoys the outdoors.

Juhi Gupta

Mrs. Juhi Gupta

MS, RD-N, CDE

Masters in organic Chemistry, India. Masters in Dietetics from Wayne State University, Michigan, 2003. Internship from various hospitals in Detroit area. Over 16 years of work experience at Saint Francis Hospital as outpatient Registered Dietitian ( RD-N) and over 7 years as Certified Diabetes educator at Saint Francis Hospital. Working as consultant  at Manchester Memorial Hospital for over 3 years. Also have participated in community events like health fairs, health screening at temple, speaker at lighthouse mission centers in Manchester.

Tanmay Takle

Tanmay Takle

Co-Founder of Degrees of Change, a youth-led community working to demystify climate change and sustainability
Link: www.degreesofchange.org

Tanmay graduated from UIUC with a B.S. in Techincal Systems Management in August 2019, focusing on renewable energy and sustainable development. He has worked on the iCAP2020 and on research aiding community solar development in Illinois. This Fall, Tanmay will pursue an M.S. in Sustainability Management from the Earth Institue at Columbia University. Tanmay is a Student Energy Leaders Fellow.

2011-2019 Exhibitions

One Inch Behind poster featuring black and white photo of seated figure sculpture in gallery room

One Inch Behind - A B&W Photography Exhibition

Featuring works by Yahsin Chen, Yanyu Xiong, and Ziang Xiao

4 November - 20 December 2019
1210 West Nevada Street, Urbana

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center UIUC & Urbana Museum of Photography

Windows to the Past poster featuring grid of four square paintings -- boat, steam engine, horse carriage, and old red truck -- against faded landscape background

Windows to the Past - Art Work by Siti Mariah Jackson

August 22-September 30
Reception: Monday, September 16
5:30 pm-7:00 pm
1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center

Intricate Treatment, Two Person Exhibition poster featuring blurred background and grid of four paintings -- a face, a rope, a feather like image, and figure next to a tree

Intricate Treatment, Two Person Exhibition

Jihee Lee & Hyelin Park

July 15-August 2
Reception: July 16, 5pm-6pm

1210 W. Nevada, Urbana 61801

Breaking Barriers poster featuring three paintings -- person hanging upside down, abstract figure standing next to microphone, and person serving two others seated at diner

Breaking Barriers Art Exhibit - Boneyard Arts Festival

Asian American Cultural Center
April 1-May 17, 2019

Reception: Thursday, April 4, 2019
5:30 pm-7:00 pm

Featuring artists: Siti Mariah Jackson, Hyeon Jeong Lee, Jihee Lee, Gayathri Menokee, Hyelin Park, AJ Poe, Nada Sweid, Mohan Tracy, Kuldeepa Vatak-Mehta, Huanyan Zhao & Vimin Zhao

Paid for in part by SCPF

Can You Judge an Asian by its Cover poster with cutout photos of brown boots, grey backpack, yellow notebook, and white shirt in top row and sunglasses, red skirt, chocolate bar, and deck of cards in bottom row

Can you Judge An Asian By Its Cover?

The River Flows North poster featuring black and white photo of lake with broken down dock and tall buildings of cityscape in background

The River Flows North

by Ryan Fang

November 1-December 22, 2018

Reception: Monday 6pm-7:30pm, Nov 26

Presented by Asian American Cultural Center & Urbana Museum of Photography

Paid for in part by SCPF

Fighting for Visibility poster featuring blue and purple overlapping transparent triangles along the outer edges

Fighting for Visibility

A Group Art Exhibit

April 3, 2018 - May 12, 2018

Drama of Black and White poster featuring ink drawing of two speed skating figures in a white angled stripe down middle of black background

Drama of Black and White

Pen and Ink Drawings of Hua Nian

February 2nd, 2018 to March 30th, 2018

Exhibit Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center
1210 W Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Manzanar Art Exhibit poster featuring brown monotone photo of tall wire fence in front of hut structures

Manzanar Art Exhibit

December 18, 2017 to January 31, 2018

Exhibiting Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center
1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Paid for in part by SCPF

An Artist Impression of UIUC poster featuring painting of Altgeld Hall

An Artist Impression of UIUC and Champaign Urbana

June 10, 2017 - July 10, 2017

Opening Reception: Monday, June 19, 2017
4:30pm - 6:00pm
Artist Talk @ 5:00 pm

Presented by the Asian American Cultural Center

Between Realism & Abstract Conceptualization poster featuring unfocused photo of green plants in background

Between Reslism & Abstract Conceptualization

A Group Art Exhibition By Chinese Americans On Living Within Cultures

September 1, 2016 - November 30, 2016

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 8, 2016
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Artist Talk: 6:30pm

(En)Gendering Culture poster featuring painting of person peering through thick leaves and foliage

(En)Gendering Culture

A Dual-Site Exhibition of Collective Works

Living History: Our Stories from 70s to Now poster featuring faded greyscale photo of large group of people with hard hats and shovels

The Asian American Cultural Center invites you to

Living History: Our Stories from 70s to Now

August 24, 2015 - December, 1, 2015

Tenth Anniversary

Flower in the Mind poster featuring a plate painted with bird and floral scene set against a paper texture background

The Asian American Cultural Center invites you to

Flower in the Mind

Artwork by Su Sen | Curated by Ian Wang

A Community of Immigrants poster featuring colorful sharp angled shapes in background and an ornate tree illustration

The Asian American Cultural Center invites you to

A Community of Immigrants

A Group Art Exhibit

Art Reception: November 6th, 2014
5:00 - 6:00 pm

Exhibit Dates: November 3, 2014 – January 30, 2015

Many Voices. Single Story. #WeAreIllinois poster featuring several photos of students around campus

Many Voices. Single Story. #WeAreIllinois

More student narratives at the Asian American Cultural Center's art exhibition: July 14 - October 17, 2014

#WeAreIllinois by the Intercultural Horizons Interns

This Voice of Mine poster featuring photo of four males and one female posing in alleyway

this voice of mine

photography and artwork by Puja Patel

On display at the Asian American Cultural Center
January 29 - March 31, 2014

Child of the World poster featuring bright yellow background and painting of a bald figure with mouth open centered against circular textured background

Child of the World

Paintings and Photography by Jessica Lee Rojas
November 5, 2013 - January 28, 2014

Opening Reception: November 7th, 2013 5-6:30pm
Exhibit Hours at the AACC: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Asian American Cultural Center
1210 West Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Paid for in part by SCPF

What do you care about? poster featuring exhibition title set over smaller faded text

What Do You Care About? An APA Voice Project

Be Seen. Be heard.
Art Exhibit by University of Illinois Student Leaders

August - November 2013

The Art of India poster featuring muted red background and two landscape paintings by children

The Art of India: Through the Eyes of a Child

Artwork by Barkstall Elementary Students

November 5, 2012 - January 31, 2013
Asian American Cultural Center

We are Project A poster featuring neon green text against black background with neon pink marks and green robot illustration

We are Project A.

We are Asian American Artists.
We are poised to start a Revolution*.
We are going to change the System*.
We have power and we will wield it justly.
We will have you join us**.

March - July 2012 -- Art Blank Activism: 10 Years of Project A

* Revolution and System TBD.
** So long as you self-identify as Asian American. If not, you can support us financially or mystically.

Ink drawing of a male and female dancing

Drama of Black & White

Artist: Hua Nian
December 2011 - March 2012

Yellow, red, and black sunset like abstract painting

From Chinese Literati Painting to American Modernism Abstract Expression

Artist: Guoliang Wu
August - December 2011

Round painting featuring two women in traditional garb

Asian American and Pacific Islander's Community of Mothers

Images of Motherhood as part of the Boneyard Arts Festival
Champaign-Urbana Asian and Asian American Artists
April - August 2011

Painting of symmetrical pattern featuring tigers and figures

ImaginAsian

Artist: Kate Agathon
January - April 2011

2006-2010 Exhibitions

Abstract pink-toned painting with dark particles sprinkled on top

Halmoni's Hanboks

Lena Domyung Choe
October - December 2010

Painting of a rocky coast with ocean and sky in the background

Bridging

Jason Tran
June - October 2010

Torn paper piece of figure in red hat and two birds

Celebrating Asian American Heritage Through Artas

Champaign-Urbana Asian and Asian American Artist
April - June 2010
Part of the Boneyard Arts Festival

Line drawing of a panda and bird playing chess

Sharing with the World

Annie Rong, Wynee Bao, Andrea Bajcsy and Sergio Juan
February - April 2010

photo of young Asian American woman in black frame and white matte

commUNITY

Photographer Kate Agathon & William Snyder
November 2009 - February 2010

Abstract colorful painting of male face with glasses

Not Between But from the East and the West

Yunnan Art Institute, UIUC, and Parkland College
September - October 2009

Framed colorful painting of elephant and two god-like figures in red temple scene

Infusion

Rajni Shinghal
May - September 2009

Photo of three framed mixed media works hanging on wall - the largest middle piece is a green square with circle of patterns

"Through an Asian American Lens of Identity and Culture"

Community and Students
featuring mixed media works
April - May 2009

Scene of a dark, empty room with spotlight on an empty arm chair with items laying on floor

"Vague"

Sarah Seyoung Kim, BFA candidate
featuring mixed media works
April - May 2009

Wide view of four framed art boxes featuring bright pink hearts hanging on wall

"Knotted Passion Box"

Hyon Joo Kim
featuring mixed media works
December 2008 - March 2009

Framed painting of figure standing in front of landscape view hanging on wall

"To the East"

Lei Zhang Shanbhag
featuring mixed media works
August - November 2008

Painting of overhead view of koi fish and lilly pads in pond

"My Recollections of the Joy of Art Creation"

Hermia Soo
featuring mixed media works
May - July 2008

Black and white page spread of comic book layout

Art Exhibit featuring mixed media works

Saemi Yi, BFA candidate
April 2008

Photo of three framed mixed media works -- the largest middle piece features red floral image

Asian American Women Art Show: "Reflections of Who I Am…”

Asian American Women (Community and Students)
featuring mixed media works
February - April 2008

Painting of two purple flowers with green leaves on abstract muted pink background

"Devotion and Love in Islamic Art"

Intercultural Friendship Foundation
Student Organization
featuring mixed media works
November 2007 - February 2008

Three framed colorful abstract paintings hanging on wall

"Kut-Kut—The Lost Art of the Philippines."

Fred DeAsis, International Artist based in Chicago
August - November 2007

Framed painting of one red and one blue flower with blue sky and red sun in background

"Om. A Creative Goddess Vision's The Mother Essence"

Sujata Dey-Koontz, Champaign resident
featuring watercolors, colored pencil, mixed media works and photography
April - June 2007

Framed painting of white leaf shape with many colored shapes inside set against a red background

"Journeys"

Umeeta Sadarangani, Champaign resident
featuring watercolors, mixed media works and photography
January - March 2007

Photo of two paintings hanging on wall -- the closest one on the left features a landscape scene of a field with trees and shadows

"Siti's Diary"

Siti Mariah Jackson, UIUC MA 1988, Champaign resident
featured twenty watercolor paintings
September 2006 - January 2007

Framed painting of a red hibiscus flower with barred window scene in background

"Solo Exhibition of Trans-cultural Photography"

Yu Wang, UIUC Spurlock Museum Adjunct Associate Curator of the East Asian Gallery
featured nineteen photographs
May - September 2006

Framed torn paper piece featuring large hooded figure and smaller figure at table

"Paper Tearing Art"

Hua Nian, Urbana resident
featured twelve pieces
March - May 2006

Angled perspective view of three framed black and white photographs hanging on wall -- first photo features dark portrait of person

"Displace"

Dan Ma, UIUC MFA 2006
featured eleven photographs
January - March 2006

Photo of AACC space with artwork hanging on wall -- largest piece shows female figure with red hair against abstract colorful lines

"Transformation"

Hyon Joo Kim, UIUC MFA 1985, UIUC Undergraduate Library Science Library Specialist
featured six drawings and four paintings
September - December 2005

Wide art piece featuring two ornate brown doors with three white panel doors on each side

"Reconstructing Korean Memory"

Areujana Sim, BFA candidate
April 16-27, 2007

Photo of wall with four menu like boards and several Chinese take out boxes hanging from ceiling

"Rice, Chopsticks, and the Melting Pot: Asian American Restaurants in Chicago"

Presented as part of the Filipino American Coming Together Conference by the Philippine Student Association and the Columbia College of Chicago
October 2006

Photo of gallery space with prominent yellow poster featuring three Asian women holding different art pieces hanging on wall

"Constructing the Middle Ground"

Jeannie Chang, Jessica Rubenacker, and Eunji Rhim
all UIUC BFA candidates
May 2006