elsewhere, within here

How is cultural identity formed? Is it based on geography or experience, or a complex interaction between them? Media representations of Asians in America perpetuate monolithic stereotypes of a model minority, often ignoring the diverse experiences encompassed within the Asian/Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities and their diasporas. This reduction oversimplifies the rich and intricate experiences of our infinitely varied, intergenerational, and multi-ethnic communities. The purpose of this group exhibition is to present a perspective on identity that goes beyond political labels and focuses on individual narratives. In other words, we aim to explore how we define ourselves rather than how we are perceived.

“elsewhere, within here” takes inspiration from Trinh T. Minh-ha’s perspective on identity, which challenges conventional narratives that attempt to define cultural identity based on shared historical events related to race and ethnicity. Such narratives often overlook the individual’s personal encounters with space, time, and location, thereby disregarding affective experiences and lived realities. Minh-ha’s exploration of how spatial logics intersect with lived experiences, social contexts, and embodied histories allows for a more nuanced understanding of identity. It embraces hybridities that transcend the boundaries imposed by traditional labels associated with racial, and other, perceived minorities. By framing identity as an endless encounter with possibilities, the exhibition seeks to challenge the notion of a singular and fixed identity. It encourages viewers to consider the diverse and multifaceted nature of identity, emphasizing the importance of individual agency and the exploration of various identities beyond predetermined categories. It invites them to contemplate and embrace the possibilities that arise from the intersections of various identities and to question and explore what it means to be present in the world.

CURATED BY
Xinan Helen Ran (BFA Fine Arts, Drawing ‘17)
Sharmistha Ray (MFA Fine Arts, Painting / MS Theory, Criticism, and History of Art, Design, and Architecture ‘05)

PRESENTED BY
School of Art
Department of Exhibitions

SUPPORTED BY
Center for Equity & Inclusion
Alumni Relations

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Jimin Baek (MFA Fine Arts, Painting & Drawing ‘23)
Matthew Celis Del Carmen (BFA Fine Arts, Drawing ‘23)
Yonkyung Choi (BFA Fine Arts, Painting ‘23)
Jeff Deng (AOS Graphic Design ‘23)
Mengyu Han (MFA Fine Arts, Integrated Practices ‘23)
Nuohan Jiang (Nuo) (BFA Fine Arts, Painting ‘24)
Yeri Jun (MFA Digital Arts, Interactive Arts ‘24)
Hannah Kim (BFA Photography ‘23)
Seungheon Lee (MFA Fine Arts, Painting & Drawing ‘24)
Yooyeon Nam (BFA Fine Arts, Painting ‘23)
Tino Park (BFA Fine Arts, Painting ‘23)
Arno Reyes Baetz (BFA Photography ‘25)
Jiahong Wang (BFA Photography ‘24)
Xiangjie Rebecca Wu (MFA Fine Arts, Painting & Drawing ‘24)
Chang Zhang (MFA Fine Arts, Sculpture ‘24)
Shiyu Zhang (MFA Fine Arts, Painting ‘23)
Jianhao Zheng (BFA Digital Arts, Interactive Arts ‘24)
Lands of Trust: Alexandra Anisman, Sage Callen, Jingyang Luo, Jamie Kyung Min Oh, Rishinandini Kumari Singh, Keiko Taniguchi (MPS Arts & Cultural Management ‘23)