Kennedy Museum of Art
Ohio University - Lin Hall - The Ridges - Athens, OH
740-593-1304
Beyond Ethnic Stereotypes: Contemporary
Chinese American Artists
Ohio University's Kennedy Museum of
Art will have on display from August 19 through October 8, 2000, "Beyond
Ethnic Stereotypes: Contemporary Chinese American Artists." The exhibition
was organized by the Alpha Contemporary Artist Association of New York (ACAA).
The
six artists represented in the exhibition present not only diverse media:
paintings, mixed media, digital iris prints, and a digital on-line project;
but a wide range of content. The artist's exhibition proposal states that
the exhibition's goal is "to cover a broad spectrum of visual languages
and concepts so that we as contemporary Chinese artists can do our part
in bring into focus the numerous facets of our work rather than a singular
preconception or stereotype of 'ethnic art'." They point out that many
artists of European descent are not expected to represent their individual
cultures in their art but minority artists including those of Asian, Hispanic,
African or Indigenous American descent are often expected to represent the
traditional art of their cultures. And they point out that this is a form
of "polite and passive discrimination." (left: C. J. Yeh,
Eternity, oil on canvas)
The
exhibiting artists break down these stereotypes with a contemporary view
of their worlds -- some of the art is pointedly political in nature; some
of this provocative art is concerned with feminist issues, contemporary
icons are examined in some, and perceptions are the subject of others --
perceptions of culture -- how perceptions are influenced and changed based
on perspective, and the influence on these artists of a mixing of cultures
that creates something new. (left: Bovey Lee, from Body Garden
Series, iris print)
This exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the
Ohio Arts Council. Also on view is the Education Gallery, featuring selections
from the Southwest Native American Collection, and the exhibit "Woven
Vessels: Chauncey Elementary Fifth Grade," both of which are supported
in part by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.
Read more about Kennedy
Museum of Art in Resource Library Magazine.
Please click on thumbnail images bordered by a red line
to see enlargements.
This page was originally published in Resource
Library Magazine. Please see Resource Library's Overview section for
more information. rev. 3/18/11
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The
six artists represented in the exhibition present not only diverse media:
paintings, mixed media, digital iris prints, and a digital on-line project;
but a wide range of content. The artist's exhibition proposal states that
the exhibition's goal is "to cover a broad spectrum of visual languages
and concepts so that we as contemporary Chinese artists can do our part
in bring into focus the numerous facets of our work rather than a singular
preconception or stereotype of 'ethnic art'." They point out that many
artists of European descent are not expected to represent their individual
cultures in their art but minority artists including those of Asian, Hispanic,
African or Indigenous American descent are often expected to represent the
traditional art of their cultures. And they point out that this is a form
of "polite and passive discrimination." (left: C. J. Yeh,
Eternity, oil on canvas)