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Part of Orientalism is the notion that I, as an Asian person, have a static identity, and therefore produce static identity-based work. And that this work holds the particularly static qualities of an authentically foreign "Asian" quality. I am known, and forever will be known.
One of the things I will be addressing in our panel tomorrow is asking folks to see Asian creators in much more expansive frameworks. To see us always in dialogue with our works, and to see our identities in process. To see our identities and work in dialogue, a working through.
And to know that this working through, this process, happens in part because of the various/simultaneous exclusions and incorporation that Asian creators confront when creating and also bringing their work to both local and global markets.
We are not people who fit into a box and create further boxes that reflect the boxes in which we live. Instead, we are often trying to escape the box, critique the box, confront the box, write outside the box, occupy a space within and outside of the box, and so on.
Furthermore, the types of boxes that we confront are quite different, and the tools we each use to confront these boxes are entirely varied. To the point the specter of Orientalism and our being put into boxes, becomes the main unifying factor between our work.
So anyway, this is a preview of the stuff we will talk about tomorrow. I'll keep providing updates as we go, but the panel will be Saturday, 11/7 (tomorrow), 5:30 EST, and I hope you'll have the chance to watch. Some of us will also be available to speak on Discord after!
