ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Presented by Asian American Women Artists Association and Manilatown Heritage Foundation.
The concept of “Hungry Ghosts” is common throughout many Asian cultures and religions. It typically refers to the lost spirit of a deceitful, jealous or greedy person or someone who died in a violent or unhappy way. These hungry ghosts roam the earth burdened by unmet needs, insatiable hungers, and intense desires often for a particular substance or object. Placating these ghosts often involves special ceremonies and offerings of fine food, “ghost money”, burning incense, and candles.
The Hungry Ghosts exhibition explores the unsatiated ghosts of our individual and collective historical struggles and the ways they continue to haunt us today. In the era “after identity politics” when many have been quick to proclaim America as being “Post-Racial” or “Post-Feminist”, we have seen the specters of unresolved struggles with racism, sexism, homophobia, and economic inequities re-emerge into public consciousness in both overtly violent and subtle ways. Illuminating these shape-shifting specters (and their illusive progeny) of historical struggles, the artists in this exhibition will serve as mediums for our Hungry Ghosts.
Co-Presented by: Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center
Venue: I-Hotel Manilatown Center Gallery, 868 Kearny Street, San Francisco
Exhibition Dates: April 2-29, 2015
Opening Reception: Thursday April 2, 2015. 6-9pm. Sponsored by Asia Society of Northern California. RSVP on Facebook!
Closing Reception: Wednesday, April 29, 2015. 6-9pm. Featuring community potluck and literary reading. Featured Readers: Arlene Biala, Jason Bayani, Jennifer Cheng, Jennifer Hasegawa, Carolyn Ho, Linda Shiue. Sponsored by Kundiman. RSVP on Facebook!
Curator: Michelle A. Lee, AAWAA Director of Exhibitions
Curatorial Advisors: Linda Inson Choy, Cynthia Tom, Sigi Arnejo
Juror of Visual and Performance Art: Elizabeth Travelsight, artist and social activist
Juror of Literary Art: Lisa Chiu, writer and curator of Hungry Ghosts: Yearning for Fulfillment (2012)
INVITED ARTISTS
KaYan Cheung and Juliana Kang Robinson
JURIED ARTISTS
Manon Bogerd Wada | Samantha Chundur | Marlene Iyemura | Diana Li | Karen Nagano | Genevieve Erin O’Brien | Nicholas Oh | Kaitlynn Redell | Pallavi Sharma | Vida Kuang | Arlene Biala | Grace Lee | Linda Shiue
