Asian Americana: Balancing Tradition and Modernity
Asian Americana: Balancing Tradition and Modernity
Asian Americana: Balancing Tradition and Modernity marries two powerful projects in a multimedia tapestry of art, culture, identity, and human connection. Zodiac Plants by Paulina Hoong and Open Flowers Bear Fruit by Stephanie Shih evoke memories and meditations on food, family, and heritage, speaking to the hearts of the Bay Area’s diverse Asian American community.
Zodiac Plants
Zodiac Plants marries Hoong’s upbringing as a restaurant-kid with her love of houseplants. This project bridges the gap between the earthly and the celestial, pairing each zodiac sign with a similarly-tempered houseplant. Inspired by her Chinese American upbringing, Hoong’s work often features food, plants, and symbols from the Asian American Diaspora, but her artwork resonates deeply with other diasporic communities.
To purchase prints or other merchandise with Paulina’s work, check out her website or follow her Instagram.
Open Flowers Bear Fruit
Open Flowers Bear Fruit celebrates food, flora, and precious objects that are typically deemed as “exotic” or “other” by traditional, Euro-centric still life artists. These images embody the duality of tradition and modernity, often combining things like ube pop tarts or lego bricks with heirloom pottery, fish cakes, and incense. The series features foods that were common in Shih’s Taiwanese-Chinese American upbringing and many of the pieces are made in collaboration with Asian and Asian-American owned businesses, including Oakland Chinatown’s Napoleon Bakery.
To purchase prints or follow Stephanie’s work, check out her website or follow her Instagram.
About the Asian Resource Center Gallery
Oakland Photo Workshop has been given the opportunity to curate 2 exhibitions for the Asian Resource Center, located at 310 8th St. Oakland, CA 94607.
For this exhibition, we wanted to highlight Asian American, female artists with connections to the East Bay Asian American Community.
This exhibition is on view on the first floor of the Asian Resource Center. You may enter through the Asian Resource Center weekdays from 9-5p or through Oakland Photo Workshop Fridays and Saturdays 12-6p and Sundays 12-3p.
Thank you to the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation for making this exhibition possible.
EBALDC’s mission is to emphasize our historic and continuing commitment to Asian and Pacific Islander communities, EBALDC works with and for all the diverse populations of the East Bay to build healthy, vibrant and safe neighborhoods through community development.
EBPCO’s mission is to provide facilities, education, inspiration, and community to East Bay photographers, including those who are under-served or lack access to a creative community. Our community gallery space, Oakland Photo Workshop, is located at 312 8th St, Oakland, CA 94607. OPW’s hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 12-6pm and Sundays 12-3pm.