Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Debra Yepa-Pappan Interview, Alexandra Kelstrom

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio- Debra Yepa-Pappan is a contemporary Native American/Korean artist. She started out in design and photography, and then decided to use photography as her medium to create digital art. Coming from a strong Jemez Pueblo background, Debra incorporates themes of stereotyping, othering, and collectivism into her artwork. She also implements some of her Asian identity into her work to embrace her mixed identity.

Artist bio written by Alexandra Kelstrom.

David Tanimura Interview, Ryan Richter

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: From Chicago Illinois, David Tanimura has created a truly unique style all his own. What began as just fun on his fathers computer at a young age has turned into a passion for art and so much more. It’s not just collage, it’s Digital Collage.

~Ryan Richter

To learn more about David, visit: http://www.musashimixinq.com/

Gabriel Bizen Akigawa Interview, Joe Ondrey

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Gabriel Bizen Akagawa is the Assistant Director of Academic Advising and recently former Academic Advisor in the Office of Student Affairs and Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Sculpture department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He exhibits regularly as a Chicago-based artist. He has been awarded Artist-in-Residencies at the Alternator Gallery for Contemporary Art in Kelowna, British Columbia, at Crabtree Farm in Lake Bluff, Illinois, and at Ox-Bow in Saugatuck, Michigan. His curatorial projects include an ongoing and changing series he initiated in 2005 called “Faketure” (fake nature), which lead to founding the Faketure Consortium …

Jacob Hashimoto Interview, Madeline Barnabee

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Jacob Hashimoto was born in Greeley Colorado 1973 and grew up in Walla Walla, Washington. He Currently lives in New York City. He received his Bachelors degree in fine arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Hashimoto “redefines Japanese screen painting with his assemblages of paper "kites" in undulating, interactive compositions.” Jacob is represented by Studio La Citta, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Galerie Forsblom and Mary Boone Gallery. – Bio from http://jacobhashimoto.com/bio-cv/

Ed Lai Interview About Grace Lai, Thomas Matt

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Grace Lai painted downtown Chicago in concrete and steel bloom, for two decades producing vibrant montages of skyline-shaping buildings as they climbed. An "on-site" artist who didn't seriously take up painting until nearly 60 because of a promise made to her deceased husband, Mrs. Lai donned a hard hat and was unafraid to board construction elevators for rides high into the sky to complete her work. In winter she'd wrap herself in plastic garbage bags and substitute rubbing alcohol for water in her paints, so they wouldn't freeze.

Artist Bio taken from the Chicago Tribune (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-03-17/news/ct-met-0318-lai-obit-20100317_1_paintings-materials-train-stations)

To learn …

Kingo "Melvin" Fujii Interview, Andrea Duke

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Kingo Fujii was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi where his parents were deeply involved in the Kabuki theater. His father was a director/actor, artist, and chief choreographer for the original Hawaiʻi Kabuki Theater Group. His mother was a teacher of traditional Japanese musical instruments. Kingo Fujii attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts School, The Chicago Art Institute, the University of Hawaiʻi and Instituto Allende, Mexico. He works in a variety of media such as oil, watercolor, lithography, jewelry and sculpture. As a fine artists he addresses himself through surrealism, semi-impressionism and traditional or neo-orientalism. As a scientific …

Amy Lee Segami Interview, Bianca Rodriguez

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Amy Lee Segami (See-gah-me) is an artist of transformation. As a former mechanical engineer, she applies her technical knowledge to revive the ancient art of Suminagashi (Sue-mee-nah-gah-shee). Inspired by the physics principles and the Eastern philosophy, Segami exercises her artistic license to share the possibilities of imagination.

Artist Bio taken from http://web.mac.com/amybasic/iWeb/Segami%20Studios/Segami.html

Tim Hugh Interview, Matthew Holmes

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Tim Hugh loves what he does. For the past 12 years he has been the Executive Director for Asian American Showcase hosted by the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM). As a director Tim has kept the founding goals alive and at the center of everything the showcase is about. He finds happiness in helping others achieve their life time goals and in enriching and educating audiences. Tim treats the Foundation much like Herb Tam treated the Asian American artist collective Godzookie in the late 1990’s; with respect and altruism in the groups actions. Tim has steered …

Kuna Na Interview, Edward Kim

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio:

“I like to self-identify as an artist first, and then a woman, and then as a teacher, and then as an Asian/ Korean But as an artist, it has to be universal. It’s a large picture. I’d like to be part of the large picture rather than just an Asian American.”

Kuna Na is a Korean-born artist who teaches a diverse group of pre-kindergarten students in Chicago. She and her husband, Jim, reside in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. They opened an art gallery together in their community and named it mn Gallery after the first initials …