ARAM HAN SIFUENTES

"Aram Han Sifuentes uses a needle and thread as her tools to examine immigration, citizenship, race and craft, drawing on both personal experiences and shared cultural identity. Her work has been exhibited and performed at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Wing Luke Museum of Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle, Washington; Elmhurst Art Museum in Elmhurst, Illinois; Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum in Seoul, South Korea; and the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design in Asheville, North Carolina. She currently has a solo exhibition at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (September 2016 – April 2017), and was a resident at the Chicago Cultural Center (February 2017 – May 2017)." - (from Aram's Artist Statement)

Aram was a 2014 BOLT Resident and 2015 BOLT Mentor at the Chicago Artists Coalition. She is a 2016 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow and a 2016 3Arts Awardee. She earned her BA in Art and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and her MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Image courtesy of artist. Photo by Hyounsang Yoo. — Image courtesy of artist. Photo by Hyounsang Yoo.

A Mend: A Collection of Scraps from Local Seamstresses and Tailors (Chicago), 14 x 10 x 4 ft, Jean scraps and gold denim thread, 2011-2013. Image courtesy of artist. (Photo by Hyounsang Yoo)

"The Official Unofficial Voting Station: Voting for All Who Legally Can't " Image courtesy of artist. Photo by Sara Pooley — ***"The Official Unofficial Voting Station: Voting for All Who Legally Can't*** " Image courtesy of artist. Photo by Sara Pooley

From the Protest Lending Library at the Chicago Cultural Center:

Image courtesy of artist. Photo by Kanthy Peng

Protest Banner Lending Library at the Chicago Cultural Center. Photo by Kanthy Peng

Below are excerpts of work from "A Community of Non-Citizens: Proving Worth of Citizenship Through Stitching Samplers (A Work in Progress)" (with photos by Hyounsang Yoo)

Name: Aram. Age: 28. From: South Korea. Moved to the United States in 1992. (Image courtesy of Artist)

See more of Aram Han Sifuente's work on http://www.aramhan.com // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Interview // MANDY TSUNG

As an organization that supports the independent arts among Asian Americans and the larger Asian Diaspora, we are so in love with Mandy Tsung's work which predominantly explores issues of identity and questions established and normative definitions and concepts of beauty and self.

Mandy was born in Banff, Canada, but spent her most formative years in Calgary, Canada, and Hong Kong. After completing a BFA in Sculpture at The Alberta College of Art and Design in 2007, she then moved to Vancouver and began painting full-time. She has exhibited in numerous galleries in North America, Germany, Japan and Australia, and has completed many private commissions. Most recently, she underwent a mentorship in tattooing and now splits her practice between painting and tattooing.

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

My identity has a big influence on my work. It wasn't until I was able to really be comfortable with who I am that I became confident in the work I was making. The themes I explore are personal and are very much about expressing my feelings and experiences.

"Shroud" by Mandy Tsung (Image courtesy of artist).

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I definitely have hopes for how it might open people's eyes to different experiences of life, but I've learned never to expect anything. No matter how obvious I think the meaning of an image is, someone will take it to mean the opposite. I've had people say that I objectify women or that I promote the killing of animals, things that I spend so much of my energy thinking of how to convey the exact opposite. I try to remember that the majority of people understand what I'm trying to do, but the wrong interpretations do stick with me.

"Feral Love" by Mandy Tsung (Image Courtesy of artist).

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Art is so much more than beauty and aesthetics. For me, personally, it's therapeutic. For the viewer, it's an opportunity to give them an experience that they've never had before, to show them a world that they don't normally see. The themes I'm exploring right now - mixed-race identity, gender fluidity, and queerness - are all things that we don't see much of in western culture, and when we do it's often done one-dimensionally by people who don't live the stories they're telling. Even for me, I'm constantly learning from others in my communities better ways to tell my story. Beauty is an important aspect to my work because it's a valuable tool for getting people to be receptive, but it's not the goal. Sometimes I do think about how nice it would be to just make pretty things, but then I realize that even my idea of pretty is political.

"Cantilever" by Mandy Tsung (Image courtesy of artist).

-How do current events affect your practice?

There's never been a more necessary time (in my life) to be speaking about race, gender, etc. I dislike the cliche of the artist needing conflict to create great art, I'd prefer to live a happy, free existence than to make the most incredible work ever. But, I do feel that as the world becomes more unstable and hostile, my identity becomes more solid and so does my creative voice. Which is probably because I've known what it's like to be in hiding, to feel lost and unsure, and then to feel the comfort of being safe and surrounded by people that accept me as a valid human being. I want more people to feel that sense of comfort, especially right now.

"Nikki" from The Bitchy Resting Face Project, by Mandy Tsung (Image courtesy of artist).

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

My initial ideas tend to come as a reaction to something, whether it's emotional or something I've seen. Then, as I'm working on a piece, I become more reflective over the days and weeks that it can take to complete. I'd probably never finish anything if I was only reactive!

See more of Mandy Tsung's work on mandytsung.com // Instagram @mandytsung

Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Feature // DAVID T. CHO

David T. Cho is a painter based in Vancouver, BC.
Originally drawing inspiration from his love of MMA, Cho is known for his portraits of male fighters, boxers and wrestlers. These pieces usually present a close-up, almost geometrical portrayal of their raw emotion and facial distortions that are laid out like an abstracted, sculptural almost craggy terrain. It's interesting, based on this treatment, to compare his "Fighters" series with his more interesting foray into the mountainscapes of British Columbia.

See more of David T. Cho's work on www.davidtcho.com // Instagram @davidtcho // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Feature // TAE LEE

Tae Lee, originally from Seoul, South Korea, is currently a Los Angeles based artist and illustrator.

From Tae Lee's website, his description for his art is as follows: 'As an outside observer, I become fascinated by the conviction humanity have in their beliefs. Curiously, a person's ethical morality is cooked with a recipe of goodness and righteousness, as their own lives are built on the backs of so many. In a quick overview of life as a Hollywood film, the villains would often be portrayed as some heartless wolf-like Wall Street tycoon. Yet, the heroic working class protesters of Occupy Wall Street are sharing information using electronics loaded with blood soaked conflict-minerals from some hellish mine in the Congo, assembled into completion by the machine-like hands of Asian sweatshop "workers". (I am also typing this on a Macbook) In the words of Bill Callihan, "there's blood on the seas if you map em."

The hypocritical and cyclical tendencies of the material world can only be soothed by the light of empathy, an effort mystics and shamans from times past have all championed. The illuminated visages of the Holy Mary and the Great Buddha radiate a similar empathy, their peace not denying the great cost of sustaining life. This grace, used to navigate through this tumultuous and ultimately comedic lifetime, is the realm in which I seek to explore my art.'

"Everything Is Everything" by Tae Lee. (Image courtesy of artist)

Lee is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - July 15) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which ran March 31st through April 12th, 2017.

"I Love Frida" by Tae Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

"To the flora and to the fauna" by Tae Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

"Universal Cream" by Tae Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

Illustration for Mangchi (Courtesy of artist)

Illustration for Mangchi (Image courtesy of artist)

See more of Tae Lee's work on http://taelee.net // Instagram @taelien // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Feature // WALDIA & CO.

Waldia & Company is an art project based in the midwest and started by designer and illustrator Manuja Waldia. About her company, and artwork: "Originally from India, we strive to create objects of art to decorate and delight, while celebrating our roots from the Indian subcontinent. My pieces are about finding self love and appreciation of identity by people of color. It's of utmost importance to find pride in one's roots, especially in the current political climate."

Waldia & Co. is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - July 15) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which ran March 31st through April 12th, 2017.

"Pizza Coven" by Waldia & Co. (Courtesy of artist.)

From "Self Care" series. (Image courtesy of artist.)

"Tug o' War" by Waldia & Co. (Image courtesy of artist.)

"Empowered Sunset" by Waldia & Co. (Image courtesy of artist.)

See more of Waldia & Co.'s work on https://waldiaandco.com // Instagram @waldiaandco // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Interview // GRACE MICHIKO HAMANN

Grace is a graphic designer by day, and illustrator / textile designer / jewelry maker by night. On her creative process: "I love all things that are intricate, vibrant, and colorful. I'm half-Japanese, half-German, and my heritage deeply informs my designs."

Grace is a Chicago based artist. She is one of the participating artists for the current Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which ran March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes! I've always been influenced by my heritage, both on my Japanese and German sides. I think Japanese culture has such an appreciation for decorative art. I'm drawn to decorative art because it exists for no other purpose than to please the eye. I've also recently been studying some German textile designers - particularly Gunta Stölzl. I love the geometry in her work.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Much of my work is textile design and not as conceptual - so not as much of a "message". I like to make work that calls attention to color and geometry. I strive mostly for balance and to create things that are visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I'm happy when my work causes people to think about / talk about culture. I pull a lot of inspiration from other cultures and spend a lot of time thinking about how I can fuse visual references with my own personal style to create something new. I love when people can recognize the influences in my work, or when they call my attention to something that my work reminds them of that I've never seen before.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can use art and design to talk about current events. My goal for this year is to use my platform as an artist to call attention to issues that I think are very important. My pieces in the Fierce Tidings show may look decorative on the surface, but hold a deep meaning for me. My grandfather was one of the many Japanese-Americans sent to live in American internment camps during WWII. Despite the fact that their human rights were brazenly violated by a xenophobic American government, many Japanese-Americans showed an incredible amount of perseverance and patriotism. I wanted to honor these people by illustrating traditional Japanese crests that represented themes of resilience and the triumph of good over evil.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I lean more towards reflective. Drawing patterns is a great way to meditate and I use my art-making to create order in chaos.

See more of Grace Michiko Hamann's work on grace-hamann.squarespace.com // Instagram @michiko_design // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - May 12, 2017.

Artist Feature // TERRY YANG

"Born in 1992 at Los Angeles, California, Terry Yang earned her BFA in Illustration from the Art Center College of Design. Her paintings feature hidden figures displaying journalism, masculinity in femininity, and hidden meanings. Her figures hide human expressions; barely showing face. Only using body language mixed with environmental awareness. Inspired by Korean and Western folk, it creates subtle behaviors: trends, beliefs, and backstage problems." - Artist bio

Terry Yang is a Los Angeles based illustrator. She is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017.

"School Zone" by Terry Yang. (Image courtesy of artist)

Page from Yang's sketchbook. (Image courtesy of artist)

See more of Terry Yang's work on www.terryang.com // Instagram @bafiayang // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - May 12, 2017.

Artist Interview // TREVOR SHIN

Trevor Shin is a Dallas-based illustrator. He is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

My identity informs almost everything about my life. Growing up bi-racially was interesting, I was aware of race at a very young age. I saw the world from two simultaneous perspectives while never fully being accepted into either group. As a perpetual outsider, I was constantly observing the world around me from the outside looking in. I believe this way of thinking and observing heavily influence my thinking and way of seeing the world.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Mostly I try and forget anyone is going to be looking at the work at all. It stresses me out and I feel it makes the work seem disingenuous. I don't mind if someone misinterprets my work as they are bringing their own life experience to the table.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

There is something so satisfying about making marks and letting lines flow right out of your hand. Art is therapeutic for me and a great tool for continual growth as a human being. Art has made me more empathetic.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events make me hyper aware of race and inclusivity. I try and avoid pointing out the differences between people and focus on universal aspects of humanity.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

My work is reflective. I'm constantly filtering the world around me and trying to make the best sense of it that I can.

See more of Trevor Shin's work on // Instagram @trevorshin // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

on Insta

Artist Interview // KATIE SO

Katie So is an illustrator and tattooer from Vancouver, BC. After graduating from graphic design school, Katie found her place in small press comics, through which she has had the opportunity to exhibit her work around the world. From there, she honed her illustration style to the recognizable brush and ink work she is known for. For the past two years, Katie has applied her illustrative style to tattooing and is currently a resident artist at Black Medicine Tattoo in Vancouver. Whatever medium she is expressing herself in, Katie's work retains a sense of dark introspection and humour.

So is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

from "Dirty Knees" group show, by Katie So. Image courtesy of artist.

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I’ve been told that my work involves asian subjects or themes with a European storybook application. That’s not something I consciously considered when approaching my work, but my mixed background has clearly seeped into my work whether I’m aware of it or not. I also identify as female, and definitely celebrate the feminine and female form in my work, whether portraying it in a sensual or sinister way. I think the female psyche embodies both those things, and I try and celebrate that.

Comic from "Dirty Knees" exhibit. Image courtesy of artist.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I generally have something to saywith the work I put out there, but I don’t like to display my intent directly along side it because what has personal meaning to me, might (probably does) mean something else to another person. I’ve always been fascinated and motivated by the viewers’ own interpretations. What someone takes away from my art is never incorrect, and often those revelations end up being different than what I would have thought which is so interesting. Sometimes, it takes someone else’s viewpoint to really solidify what I was trying to say with a piece, which is why art is so important to me.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I’ve used art as a therapeutic process, which begins when I’m creating the piece and continues through to sharing and discussing it with my peers and my audience. I’ve learned a lot through the dialogue my art has started about racial identity and mental health issues. It’s easy to think that you’re the only one processing the complexity of these issues, but I’ve found that the artwork I’ve created has helped me and people who enjoy my art feel a little less secluded.

"Inner Tempest" Image courtesy of artist.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events are very overwhelming. I’m overwhelmed most of the time! If anything, I’ve felt more comfortable discussing the issues that inform my work because race inequality and the stigma of mental health aren't issues to be quiet about anymore. Hopefully, we can talk about and discuss these issues more openly.

from "Attempts at Positivity" Image courtesy of artist.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

Definitely reflective. I struggle with depression and personal identity and art can help to articulate the way I’m feeling, whether thats to myself or to my audience.

See more of Katie So's work on katie.so // Instagram @ghostmeadow // Tumblr http://katieso.tumblr.com/ // Katie's Tattoo tumblr https://katiethebaby.tumblr.com/ // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // NOMI CHI

Nomi Chi is a multidisciplinary visual artist currently residing in Vancouver, Canada. Chi’s primary practice engages with the visual lexicon of illustration and tattoo. Images produced within their painting and drawing practices display a heightened sense of emotive drama, often composing animal and human figures, in varying degrees of fictitious construction, as stand-ins for personal experiences and observations on human nature. Their current focus takes interest in power relations and ontological distinctions between individuals, and between the individual/environment. Multi-breasted, multi-limbed, femme-bodied creatures and figures populate the worlds they create, with the intention of - among other things - calling to question notions of femininity, and by proxy gender as a whole. Interactions between these figures signify Chi’s interests in depicting sexuality, ritual, and the search for identity.

Chi is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked them a few questions about their work and artistic practice!

Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Certainly. My drawing style is often described as being markedly 'Asian' - actually, I started drawing because I watched so much anime as a child. To this day, there are notable vestiges of that influence in my work. A lot of my work is concerned with my identity - as a queer person, as a femme-bodied person, as a bi-racial person. As such, I strive for my work to resonate with folks who struggle with similar facets of themselves.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Purveying a clear message is not important to me - I like to operate in a space of ambiguity. My work is often prompted by an emotion or a thought, and I aim for my work to be evocative of intense emotion. I find it interesting when viewers bring their own narratives and meaning to the image, even if it strays far from whatever intention I have behind the work.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?
To me, art and art-consumption is a very necessary and utilitarian part of my life. So, in short: yes.

"In This Time of Need" by Nomi Chi. Image courtesy of artist.

"Maybe she'll live so long she'll forget about me" by Nomi Chi. Image courtesy of artist.

-How do current events affect your practice?

For a long time, and still even now, I've felt overwhelmed and disheartened. Many of us are asking ourselves: Why bother making art? Can my art be helpful to anyone? How do I channel this frustration/despair into something positive? It's been a struggle to pick up a pencil. However, I've also observed a lot of energy and inspiring backlash against the rise of fascistic political forces, and in particular I've seen a lot of artists rallying around each other and marginalized communities in an attempt to soften the blow. Witnessing this, and also being a part of this, has been uplifting. It has definitely forced me to consider the political implications of the images I make.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?
I feel like my most interesting work is made when I am on autopilot, kind of like free association. So, maybe a mix of both.

See more of Nomi Chi's work on www.nomi-chi.com // Instagram @Nomi_chi // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // SALLY DENG

Sally Deng lives and works in Los Angeles. As a child, she used to play in the back room of her family’s small restaurant that was located in a not so pretty part of LA. This somehow led her to wanting to become an artist and she is now doing that full time. Within her art, she experiments with environments by manipulating the perspectives and space her figures occupy. She uses a mixture of mediums to create textures and surfaces that reference the architectural landscape she grew up in. Sally is a graduate of Art Center College of Design.

"An Education" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

Deng is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

"If A Girl Can Do it" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes, even when I'm not consciously thinking about it. I create work that interests me and that ultimately ties back to what is important to me.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I aim to create work that can speak to viewers emotionally. Obviously, I will always try to make pieces that are aesthetically pleasing but I really hope that people are drawn to my work on a more visceral level and see beyond the design and composition of the piece.

"Late Night Swim" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I like making art that has more than decorative purposes. No judgement on people who just make stuff for kicks, though. You do you.

-How do current events affect your practice?

It's important to me that the art I create is relevant one way or another. I enjoy researching about history and connecting past events with the present. It ultimately guides the direction my art will go in. That being said, reading too much about the news these days can put me in a slump for hours. I envy artists who can channel their depression into their creativity. I just become a sad, vegetative blob.

"The 38" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

More reflective. I think I tend to research and think too much...I think.

See more of Sally Deng's work on www.sallydeng.com // Instagram @sa.deng // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // KYU HWANG

"Kyu Hwang is a visual artist based out of Seoul, Korea. Born in Seoul in 1980, he spent most of his life abroad traveling between England, Germany, Hungary, Canada, and Korea. Having moved around a lot, Kyu has mastered the art of spending quality alone time, watching clouds roll by, and getting lost in his thoughts. This experience / habit feeds his work in the form of drawings, paintings and sculptures."

Hwang is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes, I spent a lot of time abroad growing up, so "identity" has always been a big subject in my work.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I guess I would be lying if I said I didn't care about how my work (or the message of my work) is received by the viewer, but in the actual process of making my work I try not to think too much about it. I seem to work better when I think less about someone else's perception of what I'm doing.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Definitely. For me, art is a way of processing my relationship with the world, and although aesthetics is a major part of that process, it's most certainly not the only part (or the most important part for that matter).

-How do current events affect your practice?

They seem to affect my practice more and more. We're going through a very strange political situation in Korea right now, and that experience has changed (and will most likely continue to change) my practice dramatically.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I would have to say reflective. I think it's just the way I'm wired. I tend to be that way with things outside of art as well.

See more of Kyu Hwang's work on kyuhwang.com // Instagram @kyuhwang_ // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // JAMES CHIA HAN LEE

"I'm an artist and graphic designer based in Toronto. I'm interested in creating art that's representative of every day life but is sometimes refocused by a lens of surrealism and tarnished by mechanical accidents of the medium and failures of the hand. My goal is to elicit some sort of emotion and surprise that's unique to visual art and to my own voice."

James Chia Han Lee is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Probably, but not actively or consciously.

"Allan Gardens" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

"Marked" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I'd like for it to pull some sort of personal emotion/sensation from the viewer, whether it recalls a memory or the aesthetics simply work well enough to flip a switch somewhere in their head. My current intent lies simply in building moods and emotional environments that people would hopefully like to spend some time in. I aim to make beautiful things and I aim for connection.

"Just Don't Think About It" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Internal mediation and meditation. Connecting with others. The big thing is that enjoy all the technical challenges and the questions it brings up as a creator.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I don't know, sorry. Probably not very much.

"Fish" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

Reflective. If my art were a band, it probably plays whatever the opposite of punk music is, in its room by itself.

See more of Jame Chia Han Lee's work on jlee.ca // Instagram @buttmcbutt // Tumblr @jameschleeart // Facebook @jameschleeart // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // HANDA

Handa (or H&A) finds an escape from the relentless current of life in Seattle, WA through illustration, crafting, and cycling. Her work has appeared in local collections such as Intruder, Extruder, Thick as Thieves, Short Run's Relay Anthology, and the Seattle Weekly.

Handa is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

An understanding of my personal identity has always eluded me, so it can be difficult to see how it comes out in my work. I don't feel anyone has to know me to understand my work, however. A lot of it is light-hearted, silly, and aimless. I try to get away from myself as a subject in a lot of drawings. The theme for this show led me to do the opposite and pull inspiration directly from personal struggles and aspirations. Perhaps I discovered more about my identity through making work for this show.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Entering the world of comics as an illustrator meant that I had to start writing. It certainly isn't my strong suit and I usually convey simple, straight-forward ideas. Since there isn't a lot to interpret, I primarily focus on the fluidity of paneling and pacing. So if a reader does not understand the visual sequencing, I do feel I've missed the mark. In regards to non-sequential illustration, I hardly have deep intentions to defend. It can be refreshing and insightful to have someone else explain their perspective of my work to me. As an opinionated person, I need to be open to other perspectives.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Like many people, I feel the constant urge to make things. Art is my mind's exhaust which means it isn't necessarily a choice, but I do find it therapeutic, and it makes me happy. Making art can be a solitary, isolating lifestyle. The community of self-publishers and comic artists in Seattle has also forever enriched my life. I am super grateful to be connected to so many through the same passion.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events drive many conversations, debates, and discoveries throughout my day. And though I would say I am interested in the lives of other people and the global community, there is always an urge inside to get away from everything. When I get into the sketchbook, I tend to leave political and social hot topics behind.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I imagine I'm more reflective. The time I spend making something is typically when I work through my life strand by strand. Dissecting all of the details of days gone by and days ahead. Sometimes, after the brainstorming stage is over and it's all mechanical work, I don't even think about what I'm drawing. I'm just daydreaming about exploring outer space as a Starfleet officer.

See more of Handa's work on http://handahanda.tumblr.com // Instagram @hellahanda // Facebook @hellahanda // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // ANA CHO

Ana Cho spends her waking hours of freedom from the computer at the pottery studio working with her hands. Inspired by the earthy nature of clay she aspires to create functional yet aesthetically unique and pleasing pieces. She feels making usable vessels forms a stronger connection to the people who use her pieces at home. A Korean Canadian Artist who is currently living in the Los Angeles area, during the day Ana works in video games creating digital art.

Photo of artist taken by Scott Greenway.

Cho is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I never used to make a strong connection between my identity as a Korean and my artworks until I started pottery.

When I became interested in the traditional Korean pottery I realized my desire to create simple and elegant pieces largely comes from being exposed to the traditional aesthetics both consciously and unconsciously while growing up in Korea. I’m looking forward to learning more about Korean pottery, both traditional and modern, and exploring elements that can be integrated in my own practice.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I find meaning when my pieces are used in people’s homes with pleasure but without the preciousness that often comes with artwork. I would like my pieces to feel approachable, down to earth and practical – a vessel that makes a person's daily rituals feel a little bit more connected and richer.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Art can be messages sent by the artist to their community, society, the world, or within themselves. Art can also be just for aesthetics. I personally don’t believe art has to have a purpose always because a person creating something itself is meaningful.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I started learning pottery in the midst of a very personally challenging time. The mindful nature of pottery-making helped me tremendously to get through the difficult times. As it did then, working with clay, each step of the process, continues to reminds and allows me to be in the moment and keep the sense of inner peace and calm that easily escapes one in the society we live in.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I’m more reflective when I create.

See more of Ana Cho's work on Instagram @anacho.made // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Giant Robot Media // Interview with Eric Nakamura

by Lydia Fu // twitter: @lydiafu

Images from Giant Robot Media and Eric Nakamura — Images from Giant Robot Media and Eric Nakamura

For the theme of this year's art show, Fierce Tidings, we focus on how artists, creators and culture in the Asian American and Asian Diasporic community respond to current or recent events and how that inspires us to defend or create new spaces for underrepresented voices and cultures.

As one of the formational vanguards of modern Asian American identity and pop culture, I wanted to take a look at Giant Robot Magazine which was started as a DIY zine, photocopied and stapled, in the 90s by Eric Nakamura. Giant Robot created a unique platform that hadn't existed before. It has since developed into a store, a brand, and an online resource for pop culture and art and it continues to evolve its larger encompassing legacy.

At least for me as a young lass in the early days of the internet and growing up in Midwest isolation from the diverse culture of the peripheral coasts, GR magazine was one of my main sources of creative news and inspirational content. Before JUXTAPOZ or High Fructose and others, GR was where I could get info on art that I was sincerely interested in or that I related to. Eric keeps his daily schedule incredibly busy with his endeavors that include running the Giant Robot store and brand, curating shows at GR2 (Giant Robot's Art Gallery), the Japanese American National Museum and the Smithsonian APA Center, recording his podcast with fellow LA curator Daniel Rolnik The Jew and the Lotus and serving as a councilman for the LA Sawtelle neighborhood (P.S. he's been to the White House and met Obama). Despite his hectic schedule, I'm amazed at how he still manages to be so chill and such a gracious person to chat with and learn from. I asked Eric some questions about his current project launching Giant Robot Media!

Lydia: I think in addition to FAAIM, a lot of Giant Robot fans out there can also say we're super excited about GR magazine re-launching as a media presence both online and perhaps print again! GR Media is currently in beta version - when can we expect the release version and how can people sign up?

Eric: I’m not quite sure yet, but so far we’ve been putting up content three times a week in a short two and a half weeks as of this writing. At the moment, you can find us at giantrobot.media and if you want to read any of the past articles, you just have to see our Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Each article is sort of like a page on its own. We email out the link to everyone on our email list and let it fly. The last thing I’d want to do is promise a giant page of content everywhere without the ability to change each portion of it often so we’re doing things one step at a time, without promising a thing.

Lydia: You first started Giant Robot magazine 20 years ago, when there were virtually no other publications in the same space. Why have you decided to re-awaken GR Media now?

Eric: 23! I’m unsure if there’s been another publication in the same space since. Has there? People seem to not think so, but I’ve stopped paying attention to things like this long ago. GR Media is something new, so it’s a re-awakening I suppose, but really it’s completely new. I met George Ko who's a multi-talented youngster and believes in it. So here we are. We’re not looking back. We’re just going forward. I think making media is still something I enjoy doing and I think the right circumstances are here for it.

Lydia: How has the game changed?

Eric: It’s hard to say exactly. The internet is cluttered and noisy and there’s a lot of deception in social networking. In the end, I suppose I don’t think about the game that much. I’m thinking about doing good work and putting up interesting content. There’s always a need for that and there’s still a shortage of that too. You’d think there was a lot of it, but I guess I still have a hard time finding it.

Lydia: How is GR Media different than the early GR Magazine?

Eric: Even the later GR Magazine wasn’t the same as early GR Magazines. GR Media is different for sure. It’s faster and perhaps less self-indulgent. In a short time we’ve put up more articles than we would ever have, and that includes more videos and audio interviews Giant Robot Magazine ever did. Also the photography is looking great. This is sort of how I wanted later GR Magazine to be like with an online component that enhances it, but now we’re doing it all in one. We’ll see how our print edition comes out.

Lydia: You've had some history in film, including with FAAIM, your first film Sunsets with Michael Aki, and Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe among others.
Will you be incorporating more films into GR Media?

Eric: Cinema? At the moment, no. But perhaps we’ll be interviewing the makers, players, or geeks in between.

Lydia: Any current/new projects?

Eric: There are a bunch of projects which are all either Giant Robot or Giant Robot Media related. The fun part is that things can change quickly as new projects or ideas come up. That’s how it’s been and gladly that hasn’t changed.

Giant Robot Media: James Jean draws on a tokyobike with Giant Robot for charity. (Photos by George Ko. Video by Sarah Ko.)

You can sign up for Giant Robot Media at their website:

giantrobot.media

and also find info and articles via their social media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

FIERCE TIDINGS: On Rage and Hope // An Art Show OPENING at the Gene Siskel Film Center

Accompanying the release of this year's 22nd Asian American Showcase, we are hosting a group show "Fierce Tidings: On Rage and Hope" at the Gene Siskel Film Center. To celebrate the diversity of the Asian diaspora and Asian America, we invited artists from a few different disciplines to share their process and work as a response to or a reflection on recent and current events globally and locally.

The show opens the same night as our first film The Tiger Hunter. Come join us, arrive early if you need to snag your tickets from the box office and scope out the art before the show! We'll also be having a Pop Up Market featuring prints and other wares by the participating artists.

Fierce Tidings Art Show
Friday, March 31 2017
6pm - 8pm

at the Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N. State St.
Chicago, IL

Artist Interview // MAGGIE CHIANG

Maggie Chiang is a Taiwanese American full time artist and part time dreamer. Inspired by both places real and fictitious Maggie's illustrations evoke a longing for adventure and the pursuit of the unknown, exploring impossible landscapes and places unseen. A central theme of her art is the relationship between humanity and nature, oftentimes the underlying thread that ties together her work and establishes her individual artistic voice.

Chiang is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I believe that my background influences my work, coming from a Taiwanese family living in the US definitely shows up in my work.

"Day & Night" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

When I am making my work, I don't have any expectations in any way, shape or form. My work usually is a reflection of my state of mind, so I don't ever have any expectations of how people will view the pieces I make.

"Fox" by Maggie Chiang for Giant Robot Formations show. (Image courtesy of artist) — "Fox" by Maggie Chiang for Giant Robot *Formations* show. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I think art helps me express my thoughts and emotions better than I can verbally express them. I don't think I am very good at communicating my thoughts and ideas into words, so art definitely helps me.

"Woodland" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist) — "Woodland" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-How do current events affect your practice?

At first, I was a bit afraid to make any work that would be insensitive to anyone. But I've since realized I should just focus on the work I want to make, and not let outside factors effect the work I want to create.

"Zen" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist) — "Zen" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I think my work is more reflective than it is reactive. I am constantly reflecting on myself, my life and what I've done so far. So it makes sense why my work is constantly a reflection of my thoughts and emotions.

See more of Maggie Chiang's work on www.hellomaggiec.com // Instagram @mcmintea // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.