On Thursday May 19, the Chinese Culture Center will present its first Evening of Art, a series dedicated to providing the community with space to enjoy great art, great food, and contribute to a great cause. This inaugural event will pair the opening of the Center’s 2011 XianRui (Fresharp) artist’s series, Zheng Chongbin’s White Ink, with an exclusive concert titled Sumie Sounds by renowned jazz ensemble, the Francis Wong Unit. A percentage of proceeds from tickets to Sumie Sounds, titled to reflect artistic comparison of legendary jazz musician Miles Davis’s work to Japanese Sumie (墨絵) painting, will go to the Japan Tsunami Relief Fund created by the Japanese Culture Center of Northern California (JCCNC). Inspired by the fluidity, innovation, and pulse of ink painting, this event pays homage to shared Japanese and Chinese artistic tradition and to Asian American community solidarity.

*The opening of White Ink is free to the public*

5-7PM: The opening of White Ink marks the first collaboration between the Chinese Culture Center and artist Zheng Chongbin, whose groundbreaking approach to contemporary ink painting has been described as 'open[ing] a door whose existence was hitherto unsuspected.’ His large-scale, site specific works exude a dynamic, modern energy imbued with the timeless harmony of the Chinese ink painting tradition. The show marks the fourth installation of the Chinese Culture Center’s XianRui (Fresharp) series, which showcases emerging Chinese American contemporary artists’ work.

7-9PM: With Sumie Sounds, the Francis Wong Unit explores the notion of art illustrated as music, using the improvisational imagery shared by jazz and Japanese Sumie painting. The Unit features Francis Wong, saxophone, Karl Evangelista, guitar, Karen Stackpole, drums, and a number of special guests and friends. An 8pm raffle generously sponsored by the Hilton Hotel Financial District will send the winner and a guest to San Diego for a 2 night stay in the Hilton San Diego. All ticketholders will be entered to win the raffle, and will also be served complimentary wine and refreshments.