FROM THE CURATORS

Welcome to Re: Model, LCC Theatre Company’s second annual digital AAPI art gallery. Lapu, the Coyote that Cares Theatre Company (LCC) is a student led Asian American theatre company affiliated with UCLA, and this year’s online gallery “Re: Model” came as a response to two things: the current rise of anti-Asian racism and the isolation experienced by artists in this pandemic. In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM), we present to you a collection of works from all kinds of artists within the AAPI community. We hope that “Re: Model” will give you a space to experience the diversity of Asian American stories.

The works in this gallery defy categorization. They span the art world, coming from professionals and hobbyists alike. While some artists put pen to paper or brush to canvas, others combine textiles, film, and even video games to tell their stories. The diversity present in this gallery breaks the mold of AAPI art. Our collection responds to and remakes the multitude of Asian stereotypes that have proliferated in the media this year. These artists, through their bold representations of their unique experiences, have redefined the model of Asian American personhood that has been forced upon us. Each piece in this gallery carries the same astonishing power to move viewers that can only come from passion. One story cannot define all of our community, but what does tie us together is our shared experience of struggle, and a shared drive to break free of the models that try to contain us.

This year, we wanted to expand our gallery to new mediums. Our open mic event, “To Hear From Us,” seeks to foster connection between AAPI artists. After being quarantined for over a year, we want to revive the energy of live performance, even if it looks different from how it once did. Select pieces from the gallery are featured in our zine, “Sincerely.” We seek to present a collection of AAPI artworks and messages from artists that represents the beauty of our diverse forms of expression. Please also explore our resources page, where you can find links to educational materials and causes worth supporting in relation to the AAPI art activism community.

We would like to thank the artists who generously shared their work with us to create this gallery. They are the heart that drives this project. As you explore the products of their labor, please consider following and supporting the artists involved in the gallery. We would also like to express our utmost appreciation for our incredible team of organizers, who have come together in this busy time of year to help us create this platform for AAPI art. Please also explore UCLA Asian Pacific Coalition’s “Re:define,” a series of events and publications created in celebration of APIDA history month. Lastly, we would like to acknowledge the generations of AAPI artists and activists who have paved the way for us. Our work is only one small part of a long history of AAPI community members who redefine the model of who we are.

Sincerely,

Jade Lacy and Mei Tam

Head Curators