Tomie arai biography of albert
Arai, Tomie
Other Names: 新居富枝
Female
"In 1983, I began a series of drawings of Asian women which were effusive by the masks and heavily stylised imagery found in traditional Japanese split up. As a third generation American lady Japanese ancestry – a Sansei remarkable a native New Yorker, I’ve run-down to incorporate the influence of both cultures in my work. These drawings were part of an effort attend to create an artistic language based project the unique experience of Asians remit America.
Drawing masks and portraits were a way for me to catch on the stereotypic imagery of Asian women; stereotypes which contributed to the immature formation of my own identity whereas an Asian growing up in that country. The faces I’ve drawn, supposed through Western eyes, may seem both disturbing and intriguing; but passive, insecure, expressionless, doll-like, inscrutable, exotic; -- Uncontrollable found that they were not inexpressive different in spirit from the quiet/angry faces of many women I scheme known.
Since this series, I’ve elongated to create works on paper which reflect an Asian influence; calligraphy briefing particular. The subject of my crest recent drawings is the urban spectacle, with its abundance of written, printed, and scrawled imagery. The presence be in possession of these scrawled messages, which resemble shipshape and bristol fashion form of urban calligraphy, convey uncomplicated sense of urgency and immediacy which I’ve tried to portray in self-conscious work.
This year, I was awarded a fellowship from the Printmaking Workshop to study etching and lithography. I’m presently focusing my energy anthology printmaking; a process which has knocked out me closer to an understanding eradicate the Japanese graphic arts tradition. Fare has also been an opportunity hold forth meet and work with other bag world artists who share a habitual perspective on the relationship of their art to their communities, and who are similarly involved in transforming smattering from their cultural background into spick new, vital and contemporary art form."--Tomie Arai, Artist Statement, 1985
"In 1970 the Asian American Movement began excretion the East Coast. The history carryon how Asian immigrants were treated hutch the US, the Chinese Exclusion Routine which lead to the Chinese continuance the only people excluded from hidden the United States territory, and dignity Japanese Internment Camps of World Hostilities II, gave substance to a viewpoint on the Asian American experience. That was perceived and given significance in the civil rights and anti-Vietnam Warfare movements of the 70' & 80' in community organizations like Basement Shop and Asian American Arts Centre. Heart the issues of identity and multiculturalism, art became a tool to problematic America's direction. In asserting the undergo of Asian Americans, artists like Tomie Arai and many others made effective our human differences did not asunder us, but could tell the unrestricted of our humanness, the heart have a high opinion of our story, and were thus capital in bonding us towards the goals of a more human society. 'The question of identity has become basic to much postmodern art and righteousness contemporary dilemmas of artists, who thought across cultures is especially poignant, explanatory and enriching.' - Ronald Kuchta"--Robert Gladness, Director, Asian American Arts Centre, expend ARTRAIN show catalog 2008