DALLAS, TX – Dallas-based non-profit ATG Against The Grain Productions puts on more than just a fashion show every year; the innovative organization’s overall purpose and goal is to support and promote Asian American artists, and this event has become a platform to share fashion, music and the latest emerging art. The anticipated Fashion for a Passion No. 5 will be held at the Dallas Contemporary on Saturday, October 12th from 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM, and this year there will be an eclectic mix of eight Exhibiting Artists who represent different genres and styles. Guests will not only get to view but even bid to own one of a kind pieces from this granted group of rising stars, including ATG Artistic Scholarship Winners DJ Wang, Grace Kwon, Xiaoye Jiang and Catherine ‘Kit” Zauhar, alongside local artists Jody Pham, Trung Vuong of Loyal K.N.G, Kathy Tran and Cameron Lee Phan. From photography to painting and even the newest addition of short films, several types of art media created by Asian American artists will be on display for guests to enjoy. Proceeds of the event go to benefit ATG’s supported orphanages in Asia, artistic and leadership scholarship funds and outreach programs.
“What ATG is trying to do is not only encourage art appreciation but also to build a community of artists and bring together those who love it and are passionate about it to support one another,” said ATG President/Founder Tammy Nguyen Lee. “Whether it’s on a canvas or on a TV screen, ATG wants to share the talent and unique message that these artists have and hopefully bring some inspiration to others.”
There are more ways than one to show how much you love to exhibit your passion through art, and Jody Pham truly exhibits a wide array of creative skill — from providing illustrations for Stripmall Architecture’s last album, creating bag designs for a collaboration with Cykochik Custom Handbags, to illustrating the winning canvas-wrapped cooler for Red Bull’s Canvas Cooler competition this summer. Before donating her pieces to Fashion for a Passion, Jody has previously donated original works for various fundraisers and charity events like Artists Healing Japan in Dallas and Anatomy for Life in the U.K.
“I am thrilled to be an exhibiting visual artist for Fashion for a Passion! I am especially excited to be a part of an event that not only works to help those in need through creative expression, but also brings both the talents and unique struggles of the Asian community to the forefront.”
Most people make their life choices and decisions to better comfort themselves when it comes down to it, but Trung Vuong made his choices by living a lifestyle that commonly beat all odds. A dropout pre-med student, he chose to pursue his passions in the artistic fields through developing his own T-shirt brand, Loyal K.N.G. Throughout the past 4 years since the brand’s inception, Trung, along with his teams of passionate artists and leaders, have grown Loyal K.N.G. into a full-fledged lifestyle brand that sells jackets, button-downs, hats and more.
“It’s an honor to be apart of such a positive cultural community event, and to be able to showcase our artwork at Fashion for a Passion really invigorates our resolve to keep creating and contributing our artwork to the world.”
Beaumont, Texas native Kathy Tran carries around a sketchbook, knows how to handle various professional cameras and some nights may be seen sporting a pair of boxing gloves. Because Kathy likes to do so much, she doesn’t consider herself just a photographer, designer or sketcher – but instead, a creative individual. Kathy is currently studying at Brookhaven College, working on an Associate of Arts degree and plans to transfer to Southern Methodist University to study Creative Writing, all while donating her time to this year’s show.
“It means a great deal to be a part of this event, because it hits home for me in every aspect with the arts, fashion, my culture and the charity connection to the orphanages, because I myself have recently been adopted. I’m living in two worlds of culture and class as a Vietnamese American artist, and Fashion for a Passion ties my worlds together.”
Currently based in North Texas, Cameron Lee Phan is a Vietnamese American photographer whose work focuses on fashion and portraiture. He develops more for his work each year and continues to grow in the field and path that he follows.
“Being a part of the 5th annual Fashion for a Passion is an honor! It means breaking down limitations and paving the road for innovation!”
Five seems to be the magic number for ATG this year, as the organization recently awarded a record five artistic scholarships to graduating high school seniors, all of whom are participating in Fashion for a Passion No. 5. One of the biggest benefits of winning the scholarship as an artist is to be able to be connected immediately to a community of fellow artists and art patrons who can help bolster, mentor and launch these budding careers. Included are 18 year-old Grace Kwon, a Tigard, Oregon native who is majoring in Visual and Fine Arts and 17-year-old Xiaoye Jiang, an adopted Chinese Jew who grew up in Minnesota who is attending New York University double majoring in Photography and Sociology.
Dih Jiun “DJ” Wang just began his freshman year at The Parsons School of Design in New York City, majoring in Communication Design. DJ is Taiwanese from Virginia Beach, VA who has a wide-range of artistic talents, from fashion design to the visual arts.
“Being a part of the 5th annual Fashion for a Passion means being a part of something greater than myself. Something phenomenal. Something inspiring,”
For the first time, ATG is incorporating film into its line-up of exhibited art. “It’s so ironic that we never had film in our previous FFAP,” said President/Founder Tammy Nguyen Lee. “Considering film is my first creative passion, it only made sense to bring it into spotlight now. We’re thrilled to show the work of one of our scholarship winners and partner with The Asian Film Festival of Dallas to bring you some of the coolest ‘visual wallpaper’ to enjoy.”
“I’m really excited to be going to Fashion for a Passion, because I am obsessed with all things fashion, and this will be my first time getting to go to such an event,” said Catherine ‘Kit’ Zauhar, a Philadelphia native who is majoring in Film and Television Production at the elite Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Art is a deep part of Catherine’s life, and she aims to use her talents to tell compelling stories. “I am so happy and inspired by a lot of current Asian American designers (Anna Sui, Alexander Wang, etc.), and I can’t wait to see what kind of interesting and unique looks are put forth. I feel like fashion is still an industry that Asian Americans are breaking into, so it’s really exciting to be apart of such an interesting and unique time for Asian American designers. I absolutely cannot wait to be in the same room as so many talented Asian American artists!” Her short film, IT WAS FALL, will play on a screen in addition to the short film, THIEF, directed by Jay Chern (a Taiwanese filmmaker who grew up in Texas).
Tickets to Fashion for a Passion range from $50 to $100 and are on sale exclusively online at the FFAP Event Page.
For more press/media information on the event, please contact Elizabeth Dinh or Annie Tran at pr@againstthegrainproductions.com.
ATG Against The Grain Productions, a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, promotes Asian American cultural awareness through compelling media projects and raises funds for international orphanages. In addition to giving out annual scholarships to exemplary Asian American student leaders and those pursuing a degree in the arts, they also produced the feature documentary, Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam, which has screened at over a dozen film festivals nationwide and received the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at the Vietnamese International Film Festival and the Documentary Audience Choice Award from the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. For more information, visit www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com or www.TheBabylift.com.