Introduction

JUDY MITOMA

In an increasingly globalized world that is primarily driven by concerns of economic and technological development, the Asia Pacific Performance Exchange (APPEX) provides a space for artists and writers whose work is rooted in the local concerns of culture in contrast to the machines of mass communication.

Global information technology and mass communication favor the interests of commerce and the power elite. Consequently, artists working outside these systems are neither recognized, valued or supported by transnational concerns. Even more devastating, in the face of the homogenizing force of popular culture, artists often lose credibility within their own communities. Adding to this dilemma, artists who work with the interests of a local community are themselves unable to learn about their counter parts in other locales, thereby adding to a growing sense of isolation and marginalization.

APPEX is a site of intercultural exchange that has supported the personal and professional growth of over 100 artists and writers. The program reinforces the value of each person's unique local practice while it also introduces artists to other like-minded individuals and promotes mutual understanding. Through APPEX, artists and writers participate in an intercultural and international dialogue.

Some may argue that this can disrupt and compromise the development of local culture and tradition. However, over the years, we have clearly seen that convening an international group of artists can be one step toward validating the shared concerns and interests of culturally-grounded practitioners. The program provides these dedicated individuals with time and space for personal as well as professional renewal and the needed opportunity to reflect on one's own situation. We propose intercultural collaboration as a learning strategy, one that encourages artists and writers to reinvest creative and intellectual capital at the site of their respective home communities.

Judy Mitoma and Nguyen Thu Thuy
PHOTO: EKO SUPRIYANTO

The UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance is well aware of the pitfalls of an American program colonizing the practice of artistic communities in Asia. To mitigate against this tendency, the program invites artists who are mature, accomplished, and secure in their commitment to their community. We select individuals who do not model their work after the West; rather they work in their own culturally-specific “local” aesthetic. However, since these individuals do not look to the outside international community for validation, they often have little international experience and are virtually unknown to international curators and presenters. Participation in APPEX expands each person's network of contacts, leads to new opportunities for international exchange, and validates the work of these deserving individuals.

APPEX has grown out of work I have done in the Department of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA. The department is home to many talented and dedicated faculty, and we challenge ourselves to administer a department that does not privilege a single artistic practice or region of the world. We work to develop an inclusive curriculum that provides for and supports the diverse interests of young American artists and scholars. As we have grown, it has become evident that our approach is equally relevant for international artists and scholars.

In 1994, the Ford Foundation awarded the department funds that enabled us to extend to a national and international constituency the fundamental principles developed within the teaching program. The UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance was established in 1995 for this purpose, and in 1996 APPEX began working with the first group of professionals from America and Asia.

After the initial grants from the Ford Foundation, we were able to secure additional funds from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Asian Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Japan Foundation, and many others. Over one hundred artists/writers have participated in the APPEX sessions of 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000. As of this writing, with the support of Cultural Programs of the United States Department of State, we are preparing for sessions in 2004 and 2006.

I have conducted research in each of the countries included in the APPEX program. Beyond the United States, these countries include: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. As a result of my study, the program has selected artists whose work is integral to each site. The artists have included: traditional/contemporary practitioners; disciplines such as music, dance, theater, puppetry; creative persons such as composers, choreographers, directors; artists employed by communist governments, independent artists/activists, artists based in the academy, as well as artists who lead or are members of professional companies.

Artists and writers were selected for excellence in their practice and are active leaders within their own communities. Generally they have had little or no opportunity to engage in dialogue with artists/writers outside their country, and they recognize the value of international exchange. This wealth of talent is the primary resource that makes up the APPEX experience.

In contrast to the globalization process where information and power politics generally flow from first world nations to the rest of the world, the content of the program is based on the knowledge and abilities of each person in accordance with their individual and shared interests. We establish a horizontal structure that privileges no artistic authority. This is accomplished by ensuring that each participant has ample time to convey his or her cultural, professional, and personal perspective to the group. As a result, each person learns from the contribution of others.

The “APPEX methodology” at work
PHOTO: EKO SUPRIYANTO

Over the course of the program, the arc of activity shifts from teaching and learning different skills, to experimenting and testing artistic boundaries, and finally to collaborating and creating. In APPEX, we define collaboration as a process of co-creation. Rather than working under the direction of designated directors, we aspire to engage participants equally. In many Asian cultures, the collective group ethos takes precedent over individual leadership. This inclusive model is the fundamental approach of APPEX.

Developing a creative process that is sensitive to the inevitable differences among participants is a major challenge for the program. We work to establish an environment that promotes professional trust, emphasizes the benefits of shared discovery, encourages risk taking, incorporates dialogue and self reflection, and works without the pressure of creating work for the stage.

As the Director of APPEX, I set forth the structure of the program, ensure that the ideas of the artists are incorporated into this framework, and facilitate the resulting process. I manage, adjust, and pace activities in accordance to daily outcomes. I have no personal artistic agenda; therefore, a great deal of the time, I sit back and witness the mastery of each individual and the creative engagement of the group.

In 1999 and 2000, we had the added benefit of inviting writers and scholars to the program. We are grateful to the Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Resident Fellowship Program for awarding a total of ten writers the opportunity to participate in APPEX.

APPEX 1999 writers Peter Tokofsky and Uttara Asha Coorlawala
PHOTO: KATERI HYUNG

With the able facilitation of Dr. Ricardo Trimillos of the University of Hawaii, writer/scholars from Asia and the United States were invited to immerse themselves in the workshop process. In addition, Dr. Trimillos conducted seminar sessions and developed writing projects related to the program. As a result, writers formed their own working group in addition to being active discussants and participants of daily APPEX activities. The essays contained in this volume are evidence of their deep commitment . Through these writings, the authors narrate their own experiences with the liveliness and immediacy of performance. In doing so, they bring into focus certain elements of the artists' personal narratives as they were expressed in the studio, spoken in interviews, written in letters, and performed on stage. They also capture the dynamism of the program itself, the evolution of personal relationships both in performance and in private engagements. In “The Process,” Karen Ito, Peter Tokofsky, Mario Ontiveros, and Garrett Kam describe the APPEX structure and explore the impacts of the “APPEX methodology.” Marina Roseman, Denise Uyehara, and Kazuko Yamazaki consider the complex and delicate cross-cultural encounters between the artists in “Intercultural Challenges.” Finally, Karen Shimakawa and Uttara Asha Coorlawala investigate the “A” in APPEX in “Reflections on “Asianness.’” You will see their attention to the details of the artists' process, their thoughtful analysis of complex artistic interaction, as well as their frequent contribution to the creative process itself. The essays are only one manifestation of their valuable contribution to the program.

Ricardo Trimillos, APPEX Writer’s Program Director
PHOTO: TRACY FLINT

Special thanks are due to Dr. Ricardo Trimillos who supervised the writing program from its initial conception, throughout the two sessions, and during the many months of follow-up. A teacher in the most honored sense of the word, we have all benefited from his caring and able leadership. This volume has been given final form by Anoosh Jorjorian. She has worked with each of the writers as they re-framed their essays for this volume. Her intellectual engagement, her concern for details, and her skills as an editor have been of critical importance to the success of this effort. The footage contained in the DVD is the work of Mark Eby who has, over the years, been a key collaborator on our many CIP projects. With the able assistance of Huy Phuy and editor Emily Quist, Mark has prepared an innovative DVD program that provides compelling visual images of APPEX 2000. We are also grateful to Christian White for his creative hand in designing both the DVD and this volume. We appreciate the support from the Rockefeller Foundation particularly since our request to support a community of researchers is not their normal format for the Humanities Fellowship Program.

APPEX would not be possible without the tireless efforts of many people. These individuals brought to the project both their intelligence and administrative experience. More than this, however, their sensitivity to issues related to international and cross-cultural exchange provided the moral authority that guided this complex endeavor. Our work was in support of APPEX artists and writers with the hope for their continued success and productivity. I wish to thank all who have contributed to the success of this program. In addition to those mentioned below, special mention should be made of Rachel Cooper, Sue Fan, Marcia Argolo, Ming Ng, and Anu Kishore.

Finally, we offer these essays, along with the visuals contained in the DVD, in the hope that others may better understand the value of international exchange. We encourage others to develop similar programs in the United States and abroad. The benefits to the artists and writers cannot be quantified, for like any educational project, the impact lies not only with those who participate, but the communities that they inspire and educate.