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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">For Immediate Release
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">From Geisha to Diva comes alive online at Kelowna Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">April 16, 2020 – Kelowna, BC:</span></b><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"> The fascinating life of Ichimaru (1906-1997), one of the most
famous geishas of the 20th Century, is told through a collection of her rare and magnificent kimono and personal effects in a new exhibition at the Kelowna Art Gallery.</span></em><em><span style="color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru</span></em><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"> gives visitors a glimpse into the beautiful and complex world of geisha.
It is told through the eyes of Ichimaru who rose from rags to riches and captivated the Japanese public’s imagination during the 20<sup>th</sup> century.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">The only problem is that like most other cultural institutions, the Kelowna Art Gallery is temporarily closed to the public.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">Beyond its doors, lies a stunning collection of 32 kimono, 12 obi,</span></em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
<em><span style="color:black;font-style:normal">a number of decorative combs, fans, hairpins, umbrellas, books, LP records, and Ichimaru’s personal shamisen. These are accompanied by a selection of woodblock prints, paintings, and scrolls. Together, they help
to draw the curtains back on the complexities of geishas and the vital role they played within Japanese society.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">“Our team had only just completed installing this ambitious exhibition, when all of the preventive measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 were put in place,” says Nataley
Nagy, Executive Director at the Gallery. “Since then, we have dreamt up ways to bring this exhibition to life in people’s homes. We hope that by sharing these video tours, art activities, photos, and exhibition resources, people can virtually explore what
they might have experienced in person.”<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">The first two video tours in a series of four are available now on the Gallery’s website. The videos are all kept to under five minutes long and explore bite-sized selections
from the exhibition. The first one answers the questions, “What is a Geisha?” and “Who was Ichimaru?” while visually transporting the viewer into the exhibition.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">Education Coordinator of Adult Programming, Victoria Verge, takes viewers on a fascinating look inside Geisha style in the second video, offering a closer examination of Ichamaru’s
</span></em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#222222;background:white">katsura</span><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"> (or wig), along with her combs, hairpins, and other fashion accessories.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">Feeling more creative? A step-by-step video that shows viewers how to create their very own origami kimono will have people folding like a pro in no time.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal">The Gallery’s website
<a href="http://www.kelownaartgallery.com">www.kelownaartgallery.com</a> is where one can go to find this and other exhibition-related content.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru</span></em><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-style:normal"> is organized and circulated by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and
curated by Barry Till, Curator Emeritus of Asian Art. It is generously supported by Oland Baxter.
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">- 30 –<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">[links]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Webpage:
<a href="https://kelownaartgallery.com/from-geisha-to-diva-the-kimono-of-ichimaru/">
https://kelownaartgallery.com/from-geisha-to-diva-the-kimono-of-ichimaru/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Video Tour #1:</span><span lang="EN-US">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFNQzZAEM0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFNQzZAEM0</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Video Tour #2:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5oDf1_x3OE&">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5oDf1_x3OE&</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Origami Kimono Art Activity:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBuywQiTqsc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBuywQiTqsc</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Instagram:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/">https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">[image credits]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Kiyoshi Kobayakawa (1898-1948),
<i>The Geisha, Ichimaru</i>, 1933, woodblock print, 40 x 25.5 cm. Given in Memory of Mrs. Theo Wiggan, by her Ikebana Students and Friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Installation photograph of
<i>From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru</i> at the Kelowna Art Gallery, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Video still from exhibition tour of
<i>From Geisha to Diva</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">To arrange for an interview, additional high res-images, or more information please contact:<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Joshua Desnoyers | Marketing and Events Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Kelowna Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">1315 Water Street | Kelowna, BC | V1Y 9R3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">250-762-2226 ext. 305 | 250-762-9875 fax<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:josh@kelownaartgallery.com">josh@kelownaartgallery.com</a> | kelownaartgallery.com
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