Art Practice Commons^™

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 …

Nor Sanavongsay Interview, Sittha Abhay

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Nor's Biography:

My name is Nor, pronounce Naw, I was born in Thailand. My family moved to the US when I was four years old. We landed in Kingport, TN and stayed with our sponsors for about six months before heading up to Illinois.

I grew up watching Transformers, Bruce Lee movies, Thundercats, and all the great 80's cartoons. I also have a facination with comic books and graphic novels. I began drawing at the age of six with my uncle as a mentor. I honed my artistic skills as the years pass by.

Nor's Websites:

http://www.nawdsign.com/

http://xiengmieng.com/

Lani Montreal Interview, Thi Navi Thach

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with Filipina teacher, writer, performer Lani T. Montreal by Thi Navi Thach

Tatsu Aoki Interview, Brian Callahan

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with musician Tatsu Aoki

Ann Poochareon Interview, Christina Yang

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with new media artist Ann Poochareon by Christina Yang

Li Lin Lee Interview, Barry Au

Asian American Art Oral History Project

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Artist Biography
Li Lin Lee is a self-taught painter who over the years has attended many exhibitions. Many of his earlier exhibitions had his group panel paintings while later ones displayed solo works. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, he studied biochemistry at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. He has traveled many places in Southeast Asia. Among his solo exhibitions: Symbiology and Urban Archaeology was displayed at Walsh Gallery in Chicago in 2001 and 2008 respectively.

Tina Ramirez Interview, Karina Lopez

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with poet Tina Ramirez

Indira Freitas Johnson Interview, Michelle Burke

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Bio: Indira Freitas Johnson was born in Mumbai, India. She has received undergraduate degrees from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art and the University of Bombay. She also received a masters degree in fine arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1967. Her father was an artist and her mother was a social activist, both of whom she was influenced by. She strongly believes that art and activism are a powerful combination for social change. Indira founded the Shanti Foundation for Peace in 1993 in response to the rise of ethnic violence. This foundation helps people …

Dahuang Zhou Interview, Julia Lin

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with multimedia artist and entrepreneur DaHuang Zhou

Chi Jang Yin Interview, Anna Huang

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with experimental documentary filmmaker Chi Jang Yin by Anna Huang

Sam Del Rosario Interview, Nancy Shaba

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with writer and the former ED of the Asian American Artists Collective- Chicago Sam del Rosario by Nancy Shaba.

Von Kommanivanh Interview, John Pluciennik

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with Loatian born/Chicago based painter Von Kommanivahn by John Pluciennik

Masahiro Sugano Interview, Crystal Han

Asian American Art Oral History Project

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Artist Bio
Born in 1972, Osaka, Japan. Moved to the U.S. at age 18. B.A. in philosophy from CalState, Northridge. M.F.A. in Film/Video/Animation from University of Illinois at Chicago. Currently runs a production company based in Chicago, Eye from the Sky, Inc. Sundance Film Festival alumnus (1999). His next project is titled “Transcendental Joe” and it is billed as “Neo-Fundamental Buddhist Journey” across the U.S.

Saira Wasim Interview, Jeremy Adkins

Asian American Art Oral History Project

A Divine Comedy of Errors: Political Paintings by Saira Wasim

Paradoxes of Genre: the Epic Miniature

Teeming with figures captured in mid-action, paintings by Saira Wasim present grand narratives. If it weren’t for their petite size and two-dimensionality, they might be mistaken for Greek mythology, Baroque opera, epic film, or other monumental genres. Yet, these small paintings represent a singular creation, one that transcends any individual medium or genre. In Wasim’s hands, the centuries-old format of the miniature painting has been transformed into a stage for human drama, a jam-packed cinematic space that approaches the grandeur of Cecil B. DeMille …

Rominna Villasenor Interview, Jamelle Apolinar

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with writer, performer, visual artist Rominna Villasenor by Jamelle Apolinar

Michiko Itatani Interview, Liza Rush

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with painter and School of the Art Institute of Chicago professor Michiko itatani by Liza Rush

Mike Park Interview, Ben Rogers

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 interview with Mike Park from Asian Man Records by Ben Rogers

Ann Marie Chua Lee Interview, Jasmin M. Ortiz

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2010 Interview with cosplay costume designer Anne Marie Chua Lee by Jasmin M. Ortiz

Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai Interview, Flor Sigaran

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai is a Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based Chinese Taiwanese American spoken word artist who fights for cultural pride and survival through how she spits and how she lives.

Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai has been featured in over 400 performances worldwide at venues including the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, the House of Blues, the Apollo Theater, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and three seasons of the award-winning “Russell Simmons Presents HBO Def Poetry.” The author of Inside Outside Outside Inside (2004) and Thought Crimes (2005) and the CD Infinity Breaks (2006), Tsai has shared stages with Mos Def, KRS-One, Sonia Sanchez, Talib Kweli, Erykah …

Howard Henry Chen Interview, Diane Nguyen

Asian American Art Oral History Project

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Artist Bio

Howard Henry Chen is an artist that is interested in the ideas of migration, assimilation, hybridization, the global system of change, and the way wealth affect the developing world. He was born in Vietnam in 1972 and left in 1975 with his parents to United States.  He grew up in the east coast, Pennsylvania. He attended Boston University where he studied journalism and political science. After graduating, he worked as a journalist for …

Jienan Yuan (Chien Yuan) Interview, Lauren Smith

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with record producer and composer Chien Yuan by Lauren Smith

Anita Chang Interview, Lauren Smith

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with filmmaker Anita Chang by Lauren Smith. For more information on the artist visit: http://anitachangworks.com/

Flo Oy Wong Interview, Angelika Piwowarczyk

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with Chinese American multimedia artist Flo Oy Wong by Angelika Piwowarczyk

http://www.flo-oy-wongartist.com/

Danny Pudi Interview, Shariq Jefferi

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with comedian Danny Pudi by Shariq Jefferi

Chris Naka Interview, Cheryl Franzen

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with new media and video artist Chris Naka by Cheryl Franzen

Cynthia Tom Interview, Lauren Swift

Asian American Art Oral History Project

2009 interview with painter and president of the Asian American Women Artists Association Cynthia Tom by Lauren Swift