AsianHow#1 #Swim
Laser print on packing paper
420 x 297mm
24 pages
China, or Asia, has been labeled in Western contexts as a vast political body, a network of censorship, cheap labor, furthermore, a former colony. Beyond the Western modernist context, behind these labels are the individual’s exploration of the relationship between the individual and society, the struggles and trade-offs of daily life in the face of opportunities and survival mechanisms, and the cultural landscapes squeezed out of the individual and macro contexts. As a cultural and identity phenomenon that the West sees as a curiosity, “Asia” is codified as a consumer symbol and an alienated aesthetic that is sold in Western-centric art contexts and markets. The word ‘Asia’ has even created a visual impact in the Western context, making people look twice wherever it appears. The immense imagination that “Asia” carries, and the imagery that is constructed on top of it, creates a geographically based but transcendent divide, drawing out stereotypical boundaries between self and other, center and periphery, mainstream and resistance.
AsianHow is an attempt to step outside the gaze of Western expectations and imagination by emphasizing commonalities - embracing identity boundaries and virtual imaginaries above, How Asian confines ourselves to days and nights, the kitchen, and love? AsianHow focuses on authentic daily lives and inspiration-driven outputs. Through the form of zines, we highlight projects that exist in the ‘in-between,’ much like the identity of overseas Asians: images worth seeing but not enough to become a photobook; topics worth discussing but unable to enter the confines of a museum; thoughts worth hearing but needing specific cultural contexts for understanding.
With the exploration of the ‘in-betweenness’ that characterizes Asian culture and Asians in the global context, AsianHow delves into the intricacies of daily life, intimate spaces, and personal connections, embracing the nuances that exist between cultural identities. Where cultural intersections, identity boundaries, and shared experiences converge, offering a unique perspective on the multifaceted nature of being Asian in a globalized world.
