“The Stereotype – Casualty of American Dream is a large-scale oil painting series based on my lived experiences as an Asian-American immigrant who struggled to survive in New York City. The project will depict stories of lives and deaths within a marginalized community and bring light to a blind spot in contemporary art.
“Throughout my decades of art practice, I have been struck by the absence of voices representing the stories of Asian-American lives in the New York art scene. This silence motivated me to begin work on The Stereotype–an art project that will speak of real memories and narratives from the Asian-American and immigrant communities. For the storytelling, I first reflected upon my own experiences working as a curbside artist in Times Square for years, as well as the livelihoods and deaths of my colleagues that I have personally witnessed. I also interviewed immigrant family members, friends, and other members of the Asian-American community in New York to broaden the perspective of the project.” – Honglei Li
Motivated to make a strong voice for an invisible, underrepresented group of people through our creativity, the oil painting series will reveal the model minority’s many hardships and adversities from the first person perspective. The painting series will feature stories such as The Life & Death of My Friend Xiao Lee (F2), depicting the life of a food delivery worker who was tragically killed by a trash truck; The Job Experiences of Mr. Liu (F1), which illustrates the new immigrant who worked various difficult jobs and struggled to make a living in New York; My Broadway Showcase (F3) that reveals the violence and harassment against Asian immigrants who work around Times Square.
F3. Times Square Showcase, oil on canvas (work in progress), 72″ by 48″. (Image courtesy of Lily Honglei Art Studio © 2021)
In 2022, we will complete about a dozen oil paintings on canvas for the project that aims at shattering the myths about Asian Americans who “often fall victim to a unique set of stereotypes—including the false belief that all Asian Americans are successful and well adapted—that render them invisible in discussions of race and prejudice in America,” as Dr. Vivian Tseng, the senior vice president of the William T. Grant Foundation put it, “the invisibility Asian Americans face is pernicious on its own and can ultimately cause even more suffering.”
Based on the painting series, The Stereotype will also incorporate augmented reality (AR) mobile technology to launch site-specific installations (F4) around New York City, including some Asian American and immigrants neighborhoods.
Under NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship, The Stereotype – Casualty of American Dream received NYSCA Individual Artist Grant in 2022. We are seeking collaborations with art venues in underserved communities to launch potential exhibitions. Please contact us at honglei.li.art@gmail.com for any inquiries.
Lily & Honglei - Asian American Artist Collaborative 