For my final studio project, I want address and explore the subject of racial stereotypes against Asian-American women, which include exoticism, fetishism and objectification through the visual medium of photography. Common ethnic stereotypes found in American society often manifest in our media, literature and theater, and these stereotypes have been largely internalized and have mainly negative repercussions for East Asian/Asian-Americans in daily interactions. In many instances, media portrayals of East Asians often reflect a dominant Americentric perception rather than realistic and authentic depictions of true cultures, customs and behaviors, thus resulting in the discrimination and diminishing of our humanness and personal identities.
Perhaps the most challenging part of approaching this subject was: how do we focus on the idea of body objectification without objectifying the body ourselves? How can we avoid doing what society does in eroticizing the female form? That is something I had difficulty with, but I chose not to make subverting it my goal, but instead to shine light on the fact that it exists and burns in my mind. I may not have reached what I wanted in my final presentation, but I will continue to expand on this subject that is personal to my own experiences in navigating our racist, hyper-sexualized society (WHICH IS EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY EXHAUSTING). It does make me wonder why we choose to perceive images the way we do and how we should be critical of our own perceptions. In addressing objectification and fetishism and bringing that to attention is one step in the right direction, and will help us work towards changing the way we perceive others. The topic has opened doors to conversation that is otherwise overlooked. It has given me a voice.
These following images are visual representations of how being stereotyped, objectified and shamed for my sexuality and femininity have made me feel over the years of living in this country. I have been silenced and I am tired of being silent. I have had my hands tied behind my back by this society that strives to bleed me and people like me dry. I have been thrown into a cesspool of racially-charged stereotypes and ‘comments’ based on my ethnicity and appearance. I no longer wish to keep quiet about it. In the end, you can perceive these images how you want to – you can eroticize them, you can dismiss them, you can look with a critical eye – but in the end, this is predominantly about how I feel/have felt – the vulnerabilities, the identity loss, and the slow progression in moving away from all that, and this is why I chose to center this visual project on myself. I, AS AN ASIAN-AMERICAN ‘WOMAN’, AM A COMPLEX HUMAN BEING AND I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE SEEN AS MORE THAN JUST A ONE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT.
