MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana
|
| » |
Ties that Bind |
Project Description
Ties that Bind was a photographic, oral history, and public dialogue project that reflected upon the history of inter-marriage between Asians and Latinos in the San Jose area to illuminate civic issues of intra- and inter-ethnic relations in California today. Intrigued by newspaper reports about major changes in the California social and demographic landscape, MACLA sought to dig deeper into the love stories, cultural negotiations, and personal memories of people directly engaged in expanding the definition of ethnic identity in California. Fifteen families shared their personal stories with scholars and artists in order to create the work for this exhibition. The exhibition represented artists Lissa Jones' and photographer Paul Myers' interpretations of what they saw, heard, and learned through the process. The project aimed to stimulate broader public dialogue that connects issues of hybrid heritage with issues of disparity and media representation that shape public perception of Latinos and Asians as well as each group's perception of the other. Dialogues challenged prevailing ideas about ethnicity that hold to separate histories and identities to consider instead how the reality of shared histories, bonds of affection, and common aspirations has contributed to the cultural and social landscape of the region. Dialogue began with a core group of community leaders and advisors who helped frame the issues; continued with Latino and Asian community participants whose photos and oral histories reveal the depth of the story of inter-marriage, past and present; and concluded with a public forum. Ties that Bind offered an opportunity to explore how a culturally specific organization may foster cross-cultural dialogue about a civic issue.
