Belonging: Before & After the Immigration Act of 1965
Fifty years ago, the Immigration Act of 1965 lifted the quotas for Asian Pacific Islander immigration, reshaping the demographic make-up of the US. This exhibit dives into the cultural and political climate that pushed for this action; featuring activist profiles, original artwork, and a crowd-sourced digital display.
These past several months, I have had the honor of working with the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience on a nationally-coordinated New Dialogues Initiative exhibit, Belonging. It's been awesome to have been able to design an exhibit that contributes to the visibility of immigrant voices and stories as well as spark dialogue on the future of immigration in America. In addition to the physical exhibit, I designed and developed a digital component of the exhibit, featuring amazing art and poetry inspired by immigration from all around the nation at www.wingluke.org/belonging. You can visit the exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle's Chinatown, on view now through February 15, 2016.
The photos above, taken by Sincere Shiota, are of the exhibit's opening night reception on Thursday, March 5, 2015. The evening featured Asian-inspired finger foods catered by Food & Sh*t, speakers Binah Palmer, Rich Stolz of OneAmerica, Ray Corona of the Washington Dream Act Coalition and artist/poet Jess X. Chen, whose beautiful paper art installations are also featured in the exhibit, wrapped up the program.
I was already an artist by blood; all immigrants are artists because they create a life, a future, from nothing but a dream. The immigrant’s life is art in its purest form.