Join us next Sunday 4/19 for the last day to view and buy artwork from local Bay Area artists for @lunar.art.exhibition 2026 Year of the Fire Horse at @artbuildscommunity. 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘳 is an annual art exhibition curated by @quynh.mai.nguyen that celebrates the Lunar New Year.
For this closing reception, we are joined by:
KAAREM
KAAREM is an independent Vietnamese fashion label, with design rooted between California and Saigon, and all production made in their in-house studio in Saigon. For over a decade, they have worked closely with their team of makers to create small-batch garments that honor Vietnamese craft, hand-finishing techniques, and thoughtful construction.
This marks their first pop-up in San Jose, co-founder Kathy’s hometown where she grew up, which makes this moment especially meaningful. To return and share their work here, in community, feels like a full circle.
Kasama Cà Phê
San Jose-based Kasama Cà Phê has been championing coffees sourced from Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and more since 2018. Inspired by the moments shared with friends & family over the flavors they grew up with and the spaces they enjoyed them in, their purpose is to nurture connection and collective pride for Southeast Asian coffee, culture, and creativity.
Website: www.kasamacaphe.com
Instagram: @kasamacaphe
Art Builds Community
Art Builds Community is a women-led, public art planning, consulting, policy, curation, placemaking, and community engagement firm that brings critical thinking and artists’ perspectives to the creative design of cities, buildings, and infrastructure. It is also a new arts space in Downtown San Jose. Check the website or IG for updates on new programming and events in the space.
Website: www.artbuildscommunity.com
Instagram @artbuildscommunity
Pop-up Details
What
KAAREM Pop-up in San Jose!
When
Sunday, April 19, 2026
One Day Only!
Address
📍 Art Builds Community
E William St, Downtown San José
Between S 1st St and S 2nd St
Time
11am-5pm
We’re grateful to come together across KAAREM and Kasama Cà Phê, in collaboration with Art Builds Community, to share this space and connect with you all on the closing day of the Lunar New Year exhibition.
Related Features
Editorials
In the Studio with Ngô Đình Bảo Châu
Photos from a visit to artist Ngô Đình Bảo Châu’s studio in Saigon, a creative space where she both produces her own work and shares her passion through teaching. On most days, the studio holds multiple rhythms at once. It is where Bảo Châu develops her painting and drawing practice, while also opening that process to others, guiding students in developing their own artistic skills. Practice and pedagogy coexist here, shaping a space that feels both deeply personal and quietly communal. It’s a place where her creative work and mentorship naturally come together. For Kaarem, the visit unfolded through an ongoing conversation. Our creative director, Chương Phạm, has been studying figure drawing with Bảo Châu, returning each week to the discipline of observation, repetition, and patience. What began as a class became a dialogue: between teacher and student, artist and process, garment and gesture. We photographed Bảo Châu in her studio, in between moments of instruction, where attention shifts fluidly between her own work and the work of those she teaches.
Editorials
Memory in the Making
In Sài Gòn, homes often carry more than one life — a place to live, to work, to create. Our studio was once a home, and in many ways, it still is. Among fabric, thread, and sketches stands the cabinet that once belonged to our grandparents. It holds not only our tools but also traces of memory — a quiet witness to the lives, care, and stories passed from one generation to the next. Through the memories shared by our family, we see how a single piece of furniture can carry joy, curiosity, and love across decades, connecting the past to the present in ways both tangible and deeply felt.
Editorials
Rooted in Love: Motherhood
Celebrating the heart of our town this Mother's Day in our photo series Rooted in Love: Motherhood. We had the honor of collaborating with the talented Brigitte Park to capture the beauty and strength of local mothers, as parenting comes in all shapes and forms. These photographs tell a unique story of love, resilience, and the incredible bond of motherhood. Each mom shared their reflection around the journey and precious moments with their children around iconic Santa Barbara locations.