Artist statement: Impelled by today’s divisive political climate, I create artwork that is concerned with ideas of belonging and community. As an Asian-American, I am interested in exploring questions of identity and definitions of self as prescribed by others. One theme of my artwork is assimilation into American society. The characters in this series of drawings—the “traditionally drawn” Chinese woman—are engaged in deep introspection and strange interactions. My characters grapple with the ways that America treats non-white individuals. My drawing of Asian bodies is not meant to take attention away from the violence that Black and Brown individuals face in the US, nor do I mean to equate the experiences of different minority groups. Instead, my drawings are meant to be emotional, reflective responses on racial injustice.
See more of shangguanine’s art on Instagram.