Not So Lang (Pretty): Why Two Chinese-Cali Artists Don't Date White Boys

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In the show, JOY LIU and TIFFANY ENG explore controversial
and emotionally charged issues that don't often get
discussed in immigrant families, including racism and the
American Dream, domestic violence and the bureaucratic
system, and the struggles of Chinese immigrants and their
families in the US. As two young, emerging Chinese-/
Taiwanese-American women painters grown up in California,
their works challenge mainstream stereotypes of Asian and
Asian-American women and the American dream through
the unique lenses of their own experiences.

Especially controversial has been a simple T-shirt that
states, "I Don't Date White Guys". The controversy ignores
the many complex and subtle images and messages that the
works portray, and also the personal histories of the two
artists. For instance, Liu tells a story that sheds light on Eng's
t-shirt: "Back to that AP Calculus class - I got a "D". Not only
because I didn't get it, but because the teacher (a white
guy), sexually harassed many of the female students during
class--the Chinese and Persian ones. It wasn't the first, and
wouldn't be the last time that my sense of self-worth and
purpose would be questioned by a White man. It is our turn
to do the questioning."

As curator GREG JUNG MOROZUMI puts it, "Despite what you
may be picking up from mainstream media deceptive
depictions of race relations in America, it is not a beautiful
day in the neighborhoods. Upon closer examination of the
message in contemporary and hip hop culture, angry and
violent racial strife is alive and well."

Liu says, "Personally, I always been obsessed with 3 things:
sex, suicide and symbols; over the last few years (especially
while fighting an abusive relationship), it's been birds-
beautiful, born with the freedom of flight, but often caged,
made to feel small, ornamental, unintelligible. Lately it's
been all about dead canaries-seeing the old story of canaries
in coal mines as a metaphor for what poor, working class
people and communities of color...are going thru today. In
that story is also the reality that we are also standing up and
organizing together to overturn injustice in the world.
Sharing the stories is key to changing the game. I hope my
art does just that."

Finally, Eng describes her work: "In much of my work, I
discuss the ways in which American society promotes its
virtues and idyllic lifestyle while glossing over a history of
economic and human exploitation both at home and abroad.
I want to question that facade that influences people to
believe in the clichéd possibility of the American dream, to
reject the idea that these lofty goals are hopes that anyone
can achieve in reality--or even the notion that these dreams
should be something that we all strive for."

"Not So Lang (Pretty)" will be on display at the Asian
Resource Gallery at 310 8th Street through the end of
August.


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THURSDAY ::: JULY 28TH, 2005 ::: 6-8 PM
Asian Resource Gallery
310 Eighth St @ Harrison
Oakland Chinatown
(walking distance from Lake Merritt or Downtown 12th St.
Oakland BART)

ART, MUSINGS, T-SHIRTS
PERFORMANCES and REFRESHMENTS
::: FREE to the PUBLIC :::

Artists: JOY LIU and TIFFANY ENG
Curated by: GREG MOROZUMI

Performances by: Ophelia Stringer, Jason Bayani, Tina
Zaman, Lolan Sevilla (Kreatibo), Tina Bartolome (Kreatibo)
and more...

For more info, see below or contact Greg @ 510.287.5353
x342