Fusion Fridays at the Pacific Asia Museum
Artistic Inspiration

New York City may claim to be this country's melting pot, but Los Angeles can definitely give it a run for its money. While the cultural landscape is more spread out than its east coast rival, it's just as rich with a population that encompasses communitues from all over the globe.
Fusion Fridays at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena is the perfect place to get a taste of L.A.'s Asian community. The monthly summer event treats guests to live performances and games in the courtyard, food trucks in the parking lot, the opportunity to wander the galleries and a chance to get down to an eclectic mix of dance tracks. July's event gave visiting designers the chance to wander every inch of the museum for inspiration from Thailand, Korea and Pakistan.
In the Courtyard…
Upstairs…
Down in the Gallery…
At the other end of the museum, Takashi Tomo-oka illustrated how tradition can be honored using updated techniques. Though his collection of flower portraits resembles painted hanging scrolls, they're actually a series of photographs. It's a clever lesson on how to create something that simultaneously feels like a modern piece of art and an ancient artifact.
For more information on the Pacific Asia Museum and Fusion Friday's visit: http://pacificasiamuseum.org/index.aspx
All images by Megan Mostyn-Brown