Category Archives: art

Asian American Artists on Overcoming Racism & Stereotypes

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The crew over at TaiwaneseAmerican.org put a video together interviewing Asian American artists about experiences with stereotypes and racism and how it influences their creative work. Among the people interviewed are Adam Wang of Formosa Betrayed, R&B singer-songwriter Dawen, music video producer / filmmaker Karen Lin, and creative director Jerry Ma of the Secret Identities Superhero Anthology along with Prohgress and Kevnish of Far East Movement, actor Parry Shen, and writer Jeff Yang.

Also check out other videos about race and entertainment including Asians Just Aren’t Cool Enough by Kevjumba, David Choi commentary on race, and Apathy Killed the Asian American Star by GT.

Asian American Artists on Overcoming Racism & Stereotypes

Celebrate 35 years with Hello Kitty

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Wow!! Hello Kitty turns 35 this year. (Her official birthday is November 1st. We wish we’ll still look that good at 35.) What started in Japan in 1974 on a coin purse has turned into a global Hello Kitty phenomenon that has also sprouted many friends. Check out all the designs from 1974 to present. Which is the cutest design?

Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary Design History

Did you also know the color of Hello Kitty’s bow conveys a special message too? Red for friendship, pink for cute, yellow for heartful, green for wish and lavender for sweet.



Hello Kitty colors

Also if you’re in the Los Angeles area from October 23 to November 15, there’s a special Hello Kitty exhibit at the Royal/T art space and gallery. The “Three Apples” exhibit is a multi-dimensional exhibition and celebration of all things Hello Kitty by artists & designers around the world. Some of the exhibits include an art show, a Hello Kitty Apartment, a product retrospective, a Pop-Up Shop, and a bunch of special events. Three Apples is open to the public and free of charge. More details and pictures here.

B HERE: Make Your Mark on Hepatitis B

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Join the B HERE campaign to spread the word about hepatitis B. Together, we can encourage our family, friends, and community to take action on hepatitis B. This campaign will raise awareness of hepatitis B and its impact on the Asian American community. Currently, 1 in 10 Asian Americans is living with chronic hepatitis B. And without appropriate monitoring or treatment, 1 in 4 could die from liver cancer or liver failure. 80% of liver cancer worldwide is caused by hepatitis B infection. The most common form of infection in the APA community is the transmission of the virus from a mother to a child at the time of birth.

Fortunately, chronic hepatitis B can be detected by using a simple blood test and can be managed to help prevent serious complications of liver disease. Talk to your doctor about your risk, and get yourself and your family tested for hepatitis B. Get more information here. (You can get a FREE T-shirt at the website.)

There will also be B HERE Exhibit and Live Performance at various college campuses including UC Irvine (10/5), University of Houston (10/13), and UC Davis(10/28). Performers scheduled to appear include Happyslip, David Choi, AJ Rafael, Michelle Martinez, Kaba Modern, Paul Dateh, Jessica Sanchez, and KevJumba. For details, go here.

B HERE educational video

Dr. David Ho talking about Hepatitis B

Other causes that need Asian American participation: Project Michelle and 1000 Cranes of Hope.

Olivia Munn on The Hundreds Magazine

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Besides branching into music, The Hundreds are also jumping into the publishing space. On the cover of the premiere issue of The Hundreds Magazine is Olivia Munn, co-host of G4TV’s Attack of the Show. She’s been in several magazines this year including Playboy, Men’s Health Living and Complex Magazine.

Listen as Olivia Munn gives you 5 reasons to get The Hundreds Magazine. She’ll even autograph it for you if you send it to her. More details here.

Olivia Munn on The Hundreds Magazine

Breaking the Bow

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Are you a writer? Have you ever wanted to be a playwright? Well, here’s your chance to get discovered.

Pacific Asian American Women Writers West (PAAWWW) and Mavericks of Asian Pacific Islander Descent (MAPID) and Ken Choy present “BREAKING THE BOW” : The 1st Annual Independent Asian Pacific Islander Performing Artists and Writers Festival running October 22-25, 2009 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse at 1130 Lincoln Blvd; Santa Monica, CA 90403.

As part of the festival, the “Ten-Minute Asian Pacific Islander Play Contest” will be held with an eventual performance of the winning plays on opening night of the festival, October 22, 2009 at 8PM. Interested playwrights should submit their stapled, ten minute plays along with $8 entrance fee by September 25, 2009. Get more details here.

The winning plays will be read on stage by actors on opening night. Winning playwrights will also have their library of work along with short synopses
of each prominently displayed during the festival. In keeping with the festival’s goals, the ten-minute play contest focuses on the promotion of undiscovered, unattached, and unknown talent however any and all US residents are eligible to enter.

Breaking the Bow

Campus Ghost Story

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Quentin Lee be a busy man. Not only was this guy the director/producer of the upcoming movie “The People I’ve Slept With“, but he’s also cranking out graphic novels. He collaborated with graphic artist John Hahn. Here’s more information about Campus Ghost Story:

Julian, a freshman, becomes obsessed with Darren, a handsome student whom he encounters at only the strangest hours at night. Little does he know, Julian is slowly drawn into a wicked plot of betrayal that will lead him to the other side. Meet Alice, a young and lonely medical student, who invites Becky, a beautiful and sexually experimental English graduate student, to live with her in a possibly haunted house. As Becky draws Alice out of her shell, Alice suspects that Becky is secretly stealing her identity. But Becky s plot is way beyond Alice s imagination. Then there’s Sarah, a fifth year senior with a loving boyfriend. As she struggles with her eating disorder and explores her psychosis with a campus therapist, her senses become heightened. She starts hearing voices and sees five ghostly women stalking her. These ghostly visions lead her to a violent and unexpected conclusion that reveals much more than a murder.

You can take a peek at the graphic novel here. The book will be released on September 9, 2009. You can order a copy here.

BTW – if you like graphic novels, also take a look at Secret Identities.

Campus Ghost Story Trailer