Troubling Borders: An Anthology of Art and Literature by Southeast Asian Women in the Diaspora

Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 5:00 pm
Featuring Isabelle Thuy Pelaud, Christilily Chiv, Chau Nguyen, Aimee Phan and Souvankham Thammavongsa. Pairing image and text, Troubling Borders: An Anthology of Art and Literature by Southeast Asian Women in the Diaspora (University of Washington Press) showcases creative writing and visual artworks by 62 women of Southeast Asian descent. The collection features compelling storytelling that troubles the borders of categorization and reflects the multilayered experience of Southeast Asian women. Sponsored by The Poetry Center, Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network, Asian American Studies Department and Fine Arts Gallery. Free.
Location: 
Humanities Building, The Poetry Center
Directions: 
Sponsor: 
The Poetry Center
Phone: 
415-338-2227
Event extras: 

These women’s diverse voices have been shaped by colonization, wars, globalization and militarization. For some of these women on the margins of the margin, crafting and showing their work is a bold act in itself. Their provocative and accessible creations tell unique stories, provide a sharp contrast to familiar stereotypes—Southeast Asian women as exotic sex symbols, dragon ladies, prostitutes, and “bar girls”—and serve as entry points for broader discussions on questions of history, memory and identity.

Isabelle Thuy Pelaud is associate professor of Asian American studies and founder of the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network.

Press coverage

Golden Gate Xpress, March 18, 2014

Links