Artists Confront Asian-American Stereotypes

[karadinart]

There are almost 14 million Asian Americans. (including my three cousins!) I would like to see this show, and I also wonder why I hear about on the BBC!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14501196

BUT OH MY GOD! Roger Shimoumura's Work! Japanese and American pop culture merged into one, I think I just met my new hero!

http://www.gregkucera.com/shimomura.htm
http://www.rshim.com/

Comments

[koshien.livejournal.com]

This is quite interesting, most of my Asian American friends are now either 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation and mostly don't even speak their parent's language. From talking and spending time with them I feel the sense of nonchalance as people will ALWAYS make their own assumptions no matter how they act, dress, eat or say. In a way, I guess they are not bothered to make an issue of it in public anyhow, except my step-brothers 2nd gen Chinese boyfriend who wears a tshirt with "GIVE ME A FUCKIN' FORK I CAN'T USE CHOPSTICKS" printed on it.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

My cousins are Korean, but were brought here as infants, so they have the distinct category of being 1st generation immigrants, but completely American. I just recall hanging out with them when people would ask, 'do you speak Chinese?' I also have a friend who is 4th generation Chinese from Oregon, who was terrified travelling in China that her passport would be stolen and she would not be able to get back to the US, and I said, well, they probably would have known by your clothes and accent you weren't native.

But I'm glad Shimomura speaks from his personal experience, hes speaking to everyone who's ever been marginalized and misrepresented, not just Japanese Americans, and rather than gloss over the past, confronts it and makes it his own, I gotta write him a fan letter.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

This also relates to my spouse who is an immigrant, but a 'good' one (being English) as oppossed to my friend's spouse who is Mexican 'bad' you have completely different reactions, and my friends who are Arab and Muslim.

You can also relate it to my friends and my child who are disabled, and how people react to them, the comment 'your child doesn't look disabled' or my friend who is in a wheelchair being pushed aside by someone like a shopping trolly.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Why is it that if they visibly react to other people's unwarranted assumptions they'd be the ones "making an issue"?

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Ah good point.