Katriana Hazell, Cultural Director of Asia House, names those who have inspired her.
Nima Poovaya Smith
All the talk in the museum world in the late 1990s was about Nima?s new Transcultural Gallery at Bradford?s Cartwright Hall Museum. The Pakistani taxi driver who took me there knew all about it when it first opened ? Nima aimed to make the collections of South Asian Art more relevant to Bradford?s Pakistani population. Nima is skilled at making connections, between the visual and the verbal and across cultures. Her gallery made dramatic juxtapositions, mixing contemporary with traditional, and art with craft.
Peter Minshall
I too aim to shake up museum exhibitions to excite and involve audiences. In the early 90s I curated an exhibition at the National Museums of Scotland where Trinidadian mask artist Peter Minshall contributed his awe-inspiring Angels of Fire made for the Barcelona Olympics opening. His giant puppets, three times life-size, stroll and dance independently in a totally human way. I will never forget the amazed guests when two puppets sambaed into the vast great hall of the Museum.
Akram Khan
Contemporary kathak dancer Akram Khan was a child when I first saw him perform in Peter Brooke?s Mahabarata in Glasgow. Last month he wowed audiences with Zero Degrees a powerful performance on the huge stage of Sadler?s Wells. More than a brilliant dancer, he is passionate about engaging with his audience and educating them about his art.
Sir Peter Wakefield
I was incredibly privileged to work with Sir Peter, founding chairman of Asia House. Energetic, charming, generous and hugely sociable, Peter?s love of life, art and his curiosity about people and current affairs made for a stimulating work environment. His tireless work means that Asia House has now become a real house: in November we launch our new centre, a beautifully restored 18th century building in central London complete with gallery, café and fine rooms.
Betty Yao
Betty is Programmes Director at Asia House and I particularly admire her skill of identifying exciting projects then persuading partners and sponsors to support them. One example was Zhang Yimou?s popular production of Raise the Red Lantern by the National Ballet of China which Asia House brought to Sadler?s Wells in 2003. Recently Betty introduced the great Korean theatre director Master Oh Tae Sok to London audiences as part of our series on Korean culture; now, we?re working to stage his extraordinary production of Romeo and Juliet next year.
Asia House is launching its new public centre at 63 New Cavendish Street, London, W1 on 7 November.
t: 020 7307 5454; w: http://www.asiahouse.org