Artist Statement
I am Asian-American, but my current work splits the phrase, and myself,
into two separate identities. My work is, in my own way, the
results of the research I gather in my attempt to learn more about my
background. Being entirely born and raised in the suburbs of
Detroit, I have reached adulthood with a very little grasp of my
Filipino background. My goal, through my work, is to discover
aspects of my background that I previously took for granted, as well as
to see how I conform (or not) to traditional Filipino customs and
expectations.
I have
always been drawn to visuals of American pop culture, particularly
advertisements and billboards. Their appeal to me became even
stronger on a recent trip to Manila. The city, now more
Westernized than I can remember, is plastered with shopping malls and
gigantic billboards. I was raised in a suburban setting where
buildings, whether houses or strip malls, are built in record
time. My parents both worked for Chrysler and my father in
particular worked on the assembly line. Since I was young, I have
been surrounded by replication, and I find methods of mass-production
interesting. Printmaking has the unique characteristic of being
able to duplicate an image over and over. It is because of that
characteristic that I use print to create my work. Printmaking
also allows me to play with multiple layers of information and visual
cues. The resulting imagery is the product of my own personal
experiences, insight from family members, and research.
I explore both Asian
and American stereotypes, putting myself into those roles. It is
interesting to explore what visual cues label someone as Asian and what
labels someone as American. What labels do I come with? I
wonder what Asians think of Americans, and what Americans think of
Asians. Do I fit in with what they think?