Art on the Walls Reception - We Are Here: Asian Pacific Islander American Artists in PGH

As part of Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s exhibition series, Art on the Walls, “We Are Here: Asian Pacific Islander American Artists in Pittsburgh” features art by April Brust, Wen Gao, Pralhad Gurung, Eriko Hattori, Sesame Kim, Huei-Hsuan Sun, Estelle Tian,Patty Tran, Marieke Van Der Maelen, Grace Wong, and Ariel Xiu. Curated by Karen Lue, the exhibition is available on display in GPAC’s Big Room from July through December 2019. You can view the exhibition during July’s Gallery Crawl on Friday, July 12.

Although Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) have been present in Pittsburgh since the 1870s and represent an ever-growing community in the city and in the country at-large, APIA’s continue to struggle for representation. This exhibition aims to provide visibility for this community: for the first time in Pittsburgh’s history, every exhibiting artist in “We Are Here” identifies as APIA. While some of these artists create work directly informed by their race, family backgrounds, and socio-political history, all possess an identity created in the context of omission and discrimination.

By giving a physical space for viewers to look at and engage with these artists’ work, we hope to set a precedent for the local art scene, educate the larger public, develop dialogue, and voice that “We Are Here,” we have been here, and we will continue to create.