Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Erbu Interview, Xiayla Sisson

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Erbu is a Filipino artist born Wivinne “Eve” Red Buhay in Manila on March 1, 1955. Erbu is the 3^rd child of Nilo Buhay and Delia Red. Erbu was born into art, with her immediate family being very creative and well distinguished artists in their own right. Erbu’s style is unlike anyone else, she delves into the emotional and comfortable aspects of life giving her art a very home like quality.

For more information visit: http://erbu55.com/

Marlon Unas Esugerra Interview, Gis George

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Marlon Unas Esguerra is a second generation Filipino American, born and raised in Chicago. Marlon currently resides in Woodside, Queens, and is a Special Ed teacher at Queens Vocational & Technical High School.

In 1998, he co-founded the panAsian spoken word ensemble, I Was Born with Two Tongues/, which has since performed in over 300 colleges and venues across the country. The Tongues' pioneering performance work and critically-acclaimed debut CD, "Broken Speak" (AsianImprov Records), sparked a new generation of APIA voices. He is also the co-founder of the Asian American Artists Collective-Chicago, YAWP! Young Asians …

Mukul Roy Interview, Emily Ellert

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: [by Emily Ellert] Mukul Roy was born in Udupi, India where she was raised by her mother and father [the artist declined to specify what year she was born]. She began college there and finished her first two years, called intermediary. Then she moved to Calcutta with her family and continued studying literature there. During her time in Calcutta, there were various sociopolitical movements occurring and it resulted in a lot of violence and bombings. She met her husband in Calcutta, and in 1966 they moved to England where he was continuing his studies to be a …

Agnes Chou Interview, Frankie Lacoste

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Agnes Chou, also known as Jua-Ling Chou, is an artist of the Lingnan style of Chinese painting. Agnes began her work at the age of seventy when she began taking classes from Andy Chan. Her work is primarily composed of botanical arrangements in water color on rice paper. Agnes Chou is now eighty-one years old having participated in an international exhibition eight years ago in Japan where her work can now be found in the Murphy Hill gallery. She now uses painting as a hobby and teaches at Oakton Community college.

Bueno Silva Interview, Bianca Andino

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: [by Biana Andino] Bueno Silva is the second child and oldest son in a family of 14. During WWII, Silva fled from the Japanese Army in Manila, Philippines. In 1946 his parents migrated to Gen. Santso City, South Cotabato, Philippines and where he earned his Elementary and High School education from Notre Dame of Dadiangas. In College, he studied at the University of the East, taking courses in Accounting in 1961. There he met his future wife Patria Raterta Fabie, who at the same time was taking up medicine. Silva received his bachelor’s degree in Business and Administration from …

Regin Igloria Interview, Julie Hernanadez

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Born 1974 Manila, Philippines. Lives and works in Chicago, IL. Regin Igloria maintains a studio practice which revolves around teaching and serving as an arts administrator. He teaches studio courses at Marwen, a nonprofit youth arts organization, where he has also served as program and exhibitions coordinator. An alumnus of the program, he helped establish their Alumni Advisory Board and served as its co-chair, run their Alumni Gallery, and served as a teaching artist for many of their study trips to New York City, Boston, and Maine. He has also taught for the children's program at Anderson Ranch …

Jonathan Laxamana Interview, Kevin Galanto

Asian American Art Oral History Project

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Bio: Jonathan Laxamana is the Program Director for the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival. To learn more about CFAAF visit: www.cfaff.org

Prem Sharma Interview, Ester Lee

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio [by Ester Lee]: As a co-founder of Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home) a shelter for surviving women and children of domestic violence was founded in 1989, Prem Sharma also helped create the Club of Indian Women and the Indo-Crisis Line prior to this. Since moving to Chicago in 1972, Ms. Sharma has been actively involved with various South Asian organizations such as Chitrahar (South Asian television show), India Tribune, The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, the Association of Indians in America, and the Indian Medical Association. An accomplished self-taught artist, Ms. Sharma has supported the arts and …

Ruyell Ho Interview, Sarah Bonner

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: BFA School of the Art Institute of Chicago; BA University of California, Berkeley. Has had a 45 year career in art making. Was appointed to the grant review panel of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs for six years. Former professor of painting and lecturer at Bradley University, Peoria, IL. Exhibits nationally and internationally.

Johannah Silva Interview, Mal Warning

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio & Statement:

Johannah Silva is a Chicago-based artist. She received her MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1999 and currently teaches full-time at Wright College.

In the last few years, I have been making work using the circular shape/form as a starting point for my paintings and drawings. The circles allude to micro as well as macro forms, -- cells and atoms as well as planetary bodies, for example. My working process involves the repetition and placement of these shapes and marks on the painting surface, in consideration with formal elements such as …

Andy Chan Interview, David Escobedo

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: [by David Escobedo] Andy Chan is a Chinese immigrant that does a new style of Chinese traditional painting. His art career began in Hong Kong where he attended the Lingnan School and learned the Lingnan style of Chinese painting. Andy Chan is a well-known and established artist in his community in Chinatown Chicago. His art is beautifully done in composition and rendering. Andy is currently facing struggles with his health, which imposes on his ability to create large works and plans to make large art shows.

Liat Smestad, Amy Dosen

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio:

"Coming from a family of architects, I saw how closely related the functions of fashion and architecture are. I wanted to explore the function of fashion further and began my coursework in fashion design, focusing on the protective aspect of clothing. My focus on the protective function of clothing led me to a 25+ years career in fur design. My artistic explorations have led me in some interesting directions. I continually reshape my idea as an artist and the boundaries of my art. I've recently branched out into photography and also returned to my childhood passion: painting. I …

Willi Red Buhay Interview, Lauren Todd

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Willi Red Buhay was a graduate of San Beda College and the University of Sto. Tomas. He was the first artistic director for design of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Folk Arts Theater, a position he held for fifteen years. He also held a teaching post at the University of the Philippines and his alma mater.

One of Manila’s celebrated design-artist-painters, Willi had staged over 300 productions from theater and cinema to gallery exhibitions. In 1970, he won the prestigious design competition for the Philippine Center in New York. It was the start of numerous design …

George Suyeoka Interview, Bridget Pasapane

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Born in 1926 in Hawaii, George Suyeoko was raised in Hawaii and graduated from McKinley High School. He served in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service during WWII in Japan. In 1953, he graduated fro the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has been a fine art and commercial artist in Chicago ever since. He was married to the late Irene Suyeoka, a weaver, has two children, and lives in Evanston, IL.

Suyeoko’s exhibitions include: Chicago International New Art Forms Exposition; Folkworks Gallery of Evanston; Honolulu Academy of Fine Art Extension; Honolulu Gallery; Best pf show at SAN …

Jin Soo Kim Interview, Jin Woo Kim

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: jin soo kim was born in 1950 in Seoul, during the Korean War. In 1974, after receiving her B.S. from Seoul National University, kim left Korea. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, the severity of the culture shock was such that after eight months, she moved to a remote rural town Macomb Illinois, forty miles east of the Mississippi River. She began studying art in Western Illinois University while working at a hospital as a registered nurse.

In 1983, kim went on to receive an MFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Since then, her work …