Colorado Asians, Curated by Jane Burke

A Group Exhibition Juried and Curated by Jane Burke

Participating artists: Rita Bhasin, Taiko Chandler, Su Kaiden Cho, Grace Gee, Drew Hsu, Erin Kang, Margaret Kasahara, Sammy Lee, Raj Manickam, Kazu Oba, Liz Quan, Nha Vuu, Elaine Waterman, Mami Yamamoto, and Thomas Yi.

In honor of Asian Pacific month, celebrated in May, this exhibition features a wide cross-section of artists who identify as Asian/Pacific American and have a direct relationship to Colorado.

The intent of this group exhibition is to provide a platform for historically marginalized storytelling to destabilize myths surrounding the invisibility of Asians in the West. We aim to broadly contextualize the work within the largely overlooked legacy of Asian immigrants in Colorado, starting with Chinese Pioneers in the late 1800s, followed by subsequent waves caused by internment, political instability, and ultimately, the search for economic opportunity.

Considering the current socio-political climate, our goal is to collectively represent Asian Americans in Colorado in order to reframe the narrative surrounding their past and present contributions to the vitality and growth of the state.

This exhibition will not only showcase underrepresented local artists but will physically situate their work in a historically homogenous, agricultural hub in Northern Colorado. Sense of place will play a central role in how site specificity impacts art in conscious and subconscious ways. We hope geographically centering this group exhibition will offer a glimpse into the diversity that exists around us and in so doing, continue to expand boundaries of “belonging.”