Asian America

Understand the importance of Carlos Villa’s work to prioritize and spotlight artists who are underrepresented.

Objective: Students will consider their unique identities and be introduced to intersectionality using Bernice Bing’s experiences to illustrate the many aspects of identity and oppression. 

Create a WPA-inspired poster based on one or more current economic or political issues in the U.S.

Objective : Students will explore Chiura Obata’s artwork as an introduction to political art during the WWII era. They will further consider the experiences of Japanese Americans during incarceration, before creating their own political art.

To understand the contributions of Korean American soldiers during World War II.

Lesson: Students will 1) become familiar with Wong’s artistic style and recognize how an artist can have many influences and sources of inspiration; 2) use compare-contrast skills in discussing artwork from different cultural contexts; and 3) practice online research skills, presentation skills, and working in groups.

Lesson: Wong’s memoirs—Fifth Chinese Daughter (1950) and No Chinese Stranger (1975)—offer students many opportunities to examine issues related to Asian American identity, history, art, and storytelling.  Depending on how much time you have, you can assign one or both books or specific passages; no matter the length of the reading, Wong’s stories and reflections lend themselves to provocative discussions.

Lesson: Students will 1) learn some of the hallmarks of Wong’s ceramics and enamels; 2) gain a general understanding of the ceramics- and enamel-making processes; and 3) understand some of the scientific processes involved in art.