David Ma
Title: FLAG? ( where. are. you. really. from?)
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, Mixed Media (Medical Mask, “I voted” Sticker)
Year: 2020
Dimensions: 48 x 36 inches (H x W)
This is a piece that is an exploration of my own understanding of living under the pandemic. The rise of isolation and lack of food security. The unseen assaults on East/Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander peoples as the cause of the pandemic and lockdown (also in various countries)(They assaulting us all cause they can’t tell the difference between our people). Looking towards what comes next ? (What is death?, What is life?), and an Eastern idea/philosophy of reincarnation. I went back and looked into the archives of Eastern mythologies surrounding cycles, enlightenment, and ritual. There is a lot to unpack from this piece since everything is overlapped and collaged on top of one another. It has grown as the pandemic has continued, like wearing additional layers as the seasons change. This piece serves as a Flag for me and anyone who can relate to the piece
There’s two orientations of the work. It’s meant to be shown vertical with the mask over GuanYin (God/Goddess of Mercy/ Physical embodiment of Compassion). However the “Flag” changes orientation once I’m present in the room, as I take the mask off the piece and wear it and rotate it counterclockwise. This causes certain figures to become visible as an active critique of spaces (performance work???). Eluding that when Asians/ Minorities are not present in telling their own stories, there are views that become overlooked and misinterpreted. Asian people more then ever need Asian artists to represent our own histories before someone of power does it for us. The push towards stereotypically stable careers (Doctor/Lawyers, etc) has cause a deep pit where the Asian American and Asian Diaspora identity/representation is dying (over saturated with boba as a personality trait and proximity to whiteness). People still think all Asians eat bats. Crazy.
There’s two orientations of the work. It’s meant to be shown vertical with the mask over GuanYin (God/Goddess of Mercy/ Physical embodiment of Compassion). However the “Flag” changes orientation once I’m present in the room, as I take the mask off the piece and wear it and rotate it counterclockwise. This causes certain figures to become visible as an active critique of spaces (performance work???). Eluding that when Asians/ Minorities are not present in telling their own stories, there are views that become overlooked and misinterpreted. Asian people more then ever need Asian artists to represent our own histories before someone of power does it for us. The push towards stereotypically stable careers (Doctor/Lawyers, etc) has cause a deep pit where the Asian American and Asian Diaspora identity/representation is dying (over saturated with boba as a personality trait and proximity to whiteness). People still think all Asians eat bats. Crazy.
