Lily Chou:
Hi Everyone, welcome to Bay Area Focus with Lily Chou. Today we welcome Loretta Huang who is the representative of San Francisco downtown, Central Market district, International Art Museum of America(IAMA). This museum is an international museum, the artworks are from China and some other countries. We will let Loretta introduce for us. You are the volunteer director of museum operations. Your job is fully a volunteer. Loretta, can you introduce yourself and IAMA?
Loretta Huang:
Hi Lily Chou and everyone, I am Loretta, a volunteer in the museum. I am honored to introduce IAMA. The museum is the central market district. The address is 1023 Market St. near the cable station, civic center and union square. We are a unique museum.
Lily Chou:
I’ve been to this art museum for 2-3 times, but I have been there for 2-3 years. I just discussed with Loretta about our program, and I know there are even more artworks now. Could you introduce the origin of the museum, and how it was established?
Loretta Huang:
Yes. the museum was founded in 2011. It is a non-organization and non-profit museum. The museum’s artworks are from famous artists all over the world. And the museum’s fund is from people in the United States and overseas. And also, from the members of the museum and the tickets of entrance. So, we operate the museum frugally. But we thank the people who support us for 6 years.
Lily Chou:
Thank you. We know the origin of the museum. I remember when I went, the first floor and the second floor were remodeled and there was a big pond and artworks incredible. Also, there were animals, plants, calligraphy, sculpture. And such a good place should have more people in San Francisco, bay area know, and even my friends from overseas, I will invite them to visit the museum. This museum is so good and even I want to be the volunteer in the museum.
Loretta Huang:
There are plenty of people from overseas to be the volunteers every year. They are from France, Japan and Korea. Our museum is very outstanding, you are not able to see the incredible artworks all over the world.
Lily Chou:
Why do you say people are not able to see such incredible artworks all over the world?
Loretta Huang:
Because we have the most famous artists from the whole world, their artworks are exhibited in the museum, especially the incredible artist H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha.
His artworks are calligraphy, 16 styles of paintings and sculpture are exhibited in the museum. These paintings are not in any other place. So if you have a chance to come, please come to International art museum of America to see the most famous artists’ paintings.
Lily Chou:
From my understanding, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha’s paintings are being public auction, and the value of the paintings are very high.
Loretta Huang:
Yes, the paintings are worthy of ten million. In New York Gianguan Auctions, over the years, the paintings are all worthy of ten million dollars. So please come to the museum to see the paintings. The paintings are originals.
Lily Chou:
Besides H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha, you mentioned French, Belgian. Can you introduce them for us?
Loretta Huang:
Let me talk about the purpose of the museum because it is very unique. The museum is under a beautiful and peaceful environment to combine San Francisco community and the whole world. We promote art appreciation, international cultures exchanges and communication between artists and guests through artworks exhibition and art education. The final goal is to achieve human peace, which is different from other museums. Because museums in general are artworks exhibitions, but we will also have spirit level purpose, hope to promote art appreciation, communication and hope all races can have deeper understandings between each other, building the peace of all human beings.
Lily Chou:
So the income of the museum is from the donation all over the world, the member of the museum and the tickets of entrance. How many days is the museum open?
Loretta Huang:
We open six days a week, from Tue to Sun, 10am to 5pm.
Lily Chou:
Got it, so you are closed on Monday.
Loretta Huang:
Yes. The question you asked about who the artists in the museum are.
Lily Chou:
Yes. Who are the international masters?
Loretta Huang:
Besides H.H. Drove Chang Buddha’s incredible artworks. Our art museum board decided to collect Chinese famous masters’calligraphy and paintings, such as Zhang Daqian, Qi Baishi, Wu Changshuo and the 17th century artist Yun Shuoping. They are very famous Chinese artists. You will see them when you come to the museum. Besides we have 17th to 21th century artists, Julia is from Africa, and also some artists from Belgium, England, France, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Russia, Scotland and America. This is a rare chance; these artists are the representatives of their countries. It is really amazing. When you come to visit, you will see fauvism, French creator of fauvism al Julia, his famous paintings are flowers. There are a lot, I hope you can come to visit.
Lily Chou:
How long have been the volunteer director of museum operations?
Loretta Huang:
I have been the volunteer for 5.5 years.
Lily Chou:
I was there 5.5 years ago. I remember there was no foreign artist then.
Loretta Huang:
Yes, but there are two big European halls now. Last year, there is the most famous contemporary artist from Russia, Lathmia Semeski. He saw our art collections, was very delighted. In order to celebrate our five anniversary, he donated an artwork called nine swimmers. Welcome to visit. Our European artworks are from the 17th century till contemporary.
Lily Chou:
Let us introduce IAMA activities.
Loretta Huang:
We provide ten language recording guides for free, and also including Mandarin and Cantonese. We will also have introduction of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha’s 16 painting styles in Chinese and English. And we have a small screening room, which introduces Chinese renowned artists and Chinese ink paintings. On the first floor, we built a small community room called tendergold @ IAMA. We invite bay area and international artists to our small room to exhibit their artworks. The artists can have interactive relationship with tourists. Every month we will have an exhibition by turns. Last month we invite a Syria refugee artist, who live in Greece refugee camp. She is a young artist. Her paintings were displayed in our room, and the income from auction of the drawing was donated to Syria refugee camp.
Lily Chou:
Great! Very meaningful!
Lorretta Huang:
We support the artists and the refugees’ bravery.
Lily Chou:
Thank you, Loretta. And hope everyone can go to the museum’s website: www.iamasf.org. Thank you very much, Loretta. Today’s interview is finished, I am Chou le. Everyone, I hope you all have a wonder weekend. See you next week, good night and goodbye.