Licking the Sugar
"I wish I didn't have to talk about Chinese food - I'm not just about the only thing you know about being Chinese."
Artist: Jiayi Young
Literary Contribution: Iris Xie
Medium: sugar
Year: 2022
Size: roughly 4 3/4 x 3 3/8 x 3 1/4 inches
Asian Americans remain marginalized with long-held perceptions of perpetual foreigner objectification. The current-day xenophobia and anti-Asian rhetoric continue to diminish and deny the Asian American experience and identity. Our contribution to the United States history and ongoing cultural milieu are subject to consumption and at once rendered invisible politically, socially, and economically. Centered in the middle of the room is a candy scale model of the U.S. Capitol. This American building and its iconic stately dome are international symbols of representative democracy. This artwork brings to the center focus the illusion of representative democracy in America as a system of government by the whole population.
"Since 2000, the Asian population in the United States has grown by 72% – the fastest rate of any racial/ethnic group in the country. Today, the Census reports that Asian comprises 22 million United States residents. Despite this unprecedented growth, Asian Americans remain largely invisible in the national dialogue and in scientific research." (Yip T, Cheah CSL, Kiang L, Hall GCN. Rendered invisible: Are Asian Americans a model or a marginalized minority? Am Psychol. 2021 May-Jun;76(4):575-581. doi: 10.1037/amp0000857. PMID: 34410735.)
Special thanks for the studio exchange with Niloufar Abdolmaleki, Valentyna Hrushkevych, and Sima Pirmoradi. Production assistance: Shih-Wen Young.
Artist: Jiayi Young
Literary Contribution: Iris Xie
Medium: sugar
Year: 2022
Size: roughly 4 3/4 x 3 3/8 x 3 1/4 inches
Asian Americans remain marginalized with long-held perceptions of perpetual foreigner objectification. The current-day xenophobia and anti-Asian rhetoric continue to diminish and deny the Asian American experience and identity. Our contribution to the United States history and ongoing cultural milieu are subject to consumption and at once rendered invisible politically, socially, and economically. Centered in the middle of the room is a candy scale model of the U.S. Capitol. This American building and its iconic stately dome are international symbols of representative democracy. This artwork brings to the center focus the illusion of representative democracy in America as a system of government by the whole population.
"Since 2000, the Asian population in the United States has grown by 72% – the fastest rate of any racial/ethnic group in the country. Today, the Census reports that Asian comprises 22 million United States residents. Despite this unprecedented growth, Asian Americans remain largely invisible in the national dialogue and in scientific research." (Yip T, Cheah CSL, Kiang L, Hall GCN. Rendered invisible: Are Asian Americans a model or a marginalized minority? Am Psychol. 2021 May-Jun;76(4):575-581. doi: 10.1037/amp0000857. PMID: 34410735.)
Special thanks for the studio exchange with Niloufar Abdolmaleki, Valentyna Hrushkevych, and Sima Pirmoradi. Production assistance: Shih-Wen Young.