Abstract

Mourning the “In-Between” is a body of work that grapples with the experience of Asian biracial identities through contemporary painting. As a second-generation immigrant who grew up in rural South, the artist navigates the pressure to fit in with Eurocentric societal expectations and beauty standards by incorporating both Eastern and Western elements within their work. These paintings embody a visual protest, emphasizing the experience of the “other” and how cultural knowledge can act as a foundation for a balanced sense of self. Traditional Indian art aesthetics are used by the artist as an influence in their modern painting technique, with the use of gouache, embroidery, ink, and oil painting, which further symbolize the attempt to reimagine the hybridization of cultures. The collective tension of lost cultural memory, the struggle to belong in dominant white environments, and the unattainable expectations of beauty remain in the BIPOC community. The artist’s research speaks to their journey of self-belonging and longs for the amplification of marginalized voices through creative platforms.

Keywords

diaspora, biracial, immigrant, contemporary painting, fine arts, belonging, BIPOC, marginalized, lost cultural history, culture, assimilation

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