DISGRASIAN™

DISGRASIAN’s Extracurricular Activities

What to do when you’re not studying, calculating your taxes on an abacus, or practicing piano:

Hyphen presents Alien/ation

Hyphen magazine (you might remember the issue that featured Jen and Diana on the cover) presents “Alien/ation: An Illustration Show” on Saturday, July 10 in Los Angeles. This group show features the work of past and present Hyphen illustrators and painters. [Hyphen]

The Armed with A Camera Fellowship for Emerging Artists wants emerging media artists to “capture their world, surroundings and outlook on life as a part of a new generation of Asian Pacific Americans.” Up to ten fellows will be receive $500 awards to make five-minute digital vieos. [Visual Communications]

Vincent Who?, Tony Lam’s documentary about the murder of Vincent Chin, is out on a special edition DVD. [Vincent Who?]

The oh!-so fabulous Oh! Industry has relaunched, and it’s “no-brow approach” to “politics, music, fashion, current events, hot messes” is just as fresh as ever. [Oh! Industry]

Facebook – it ain’t just for Farmville anymore. A few simple clicks, and you can help the Asian Pacific Community Fund, which helps the Asian Pacific Islander community in Los Angeles, win $250,000 from Chase Community Giving. [Facebook]

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Thanks to Lanlien, Eliana, Edward and Karen!

Filed under: Alien/ation: An Illustration Show, Armed with A Camera, Artists, arts, Hyphen Magazine, Oh! Industry, Tony Lam, Vincent Chin, Vincent Who, Visual Communications

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Mike Shinoda

Name: Mike Shinoda

Age: 33

Hails from: LA-ish

Occupation: Artist, musician, record producer

Known for: Staying busy. Shinoda is beloved by some for his decade of rockstardom with rock-hop (hip-rock?) band Linkin Park and side project Fort Minor. Others hail him for his music producing achievements, which include tracks and albums with the likes of Busta Rhymes and X-Ecutioners, and a slate of remixes from Depeche Mode to Metric.

Still others gasp at Shinoda’s art (he’s an Illustration grad of Pasadena’s Art Center, and created a scholarship there five years ago), which is integral to LP’s visual identity. Continue reading AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Mike Shinoda

Filed under: Art Center, Artists, Asian American Artists, Awesome Dudes, Busta Rhymes, Californiasians, Depeche Mode, East West Players, East West Players 44th Anniversary, Eric Nakamura, Fort Minor, Giant Robot, Illustrasian, JANM, Japanese American National Museum, Japanese-Americans, Linkin Park, Metric, Mike Shinoda, Musicians, Record Producers, Scholarships, Solo Exhibits, Visionaries, X-Ecutioners

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Liu “The Invisible Man” Bolin

"Individual rights often disappear amid the roaring sound of the government's will."

Name: Liu Bolin

Age: 38

Hails from: Beijing, China

Occupation: Visual Artist

Known for: Appearing to disappear. China Daily just did a feature on Liu, a Chinese performance artist who camouflages himself into everyday surroundings for photographs using an awe-inspiring combination of paint and patience. Liu has created over 80 “invisible” works since 2006 and has been featured in museums across Europe and the US–one of the few modern Chinese artists to be recognized by the worldwide art market.

Continue reading AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Liu “The Invisible Man” Bolin

Filed under: Artists, Awesome, Beijing, China, Chinese Artists, Chinese Government, Enclaves, Expression, Liu Bolin, Performance Art, Rebels, The Chinese Government, The Invisible Man, Visual Artists

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Maya Lin

Name: Maya Lin

Age: 50

Hails from: NYC

Occupation: Artist, Architect

Known for: Making visual impact. Early success. Lasting Impressions.

Lin was among the 19 artists honored by President Obama on Thursday with the National Medal of Arts. The minimalist artist, who grew up amidst mostly white folks in Ohio and “didn’t realize [she] was Chinese” until her twenties, also designed the Museum of Chinese in America, which opened in NYC last September.

But what’s next for Lin? “What’s Missing?“–her new multimedia exhibit depicting our planet in peril, which will debut at MOCA on Earth Day, April 22. The accompanying site will also Continue reading AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Maya Lin

Filed under: Architects, Artists, Brilliant Ladies, Chinese-Americans, Earth--We Have A Problem, Legends, Maya Lin, MOCA, Multimedia, Museum of Chinese In America, National Medal of Arts, President Barack Obama, The Art World, Vietnam Memorial, Visual Art, What's Missing?

BABEWATCH: Yiying Lu

Name: Yiying Lu

Hails from: Sydney, Australia

Occupation: Artist and Graphic Designer

Why She’s a Babe: All you Twitter users are already familiar with Yiying’s iconic logo, the Fail Whale, an adorable creature buoyed by birds that pops up whenever Twitter gets overloaded with traffic, which is a lot, lately. What you may not know is that Yiying is as cute as her creation. Or that she doesn’t earn revenue from the perpetual use of her design, apart from the Fail Whale gift items available on Zazzle. Which seems kinda messed up–though legal–especially since Twitter is the fastest-growing social media platform in the sea. Just sayin’.

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Filed under: Artists, Australians, Australiasians, Failing Isn't Asian, Graphic Designers, Icons, Twitter, Twitter Fail Whale, Yiying Lu

And Speaking of Appetite Suppressants…

My friend Chris, a brilliant comfort food chef (he once served a magnificent nine dinner courses of bacon–a life-changing, so-worth-it event that my arteries may never forgive me for) told me about a very special bread chef from Thailand this morning.

I was so intrigued by the gastronomic innovasian that I wrote a poem to describe my reaction:

This Thailand Bread
Looks like people so dead
Mostly cabezas,
A treat that does faze us

Is that a heart?
Baker says that it’s art
But I’d rather see canvas
Than floured forearms and bare ass

It’s awfully gruesome
Like friendship with Gavin Newsom,
Like chlamydia prick
The scene makes me sick

Still, the baker, he sifts
Making these unique gifts
So that folks that bring bread
Can give wonderful head.

Here’s what I’m talkin’ about, Willis:

Uh, yuck. I’m so un-hungry now I could be an aspiring model. Jesus.

[via Inventor Spot]

Thank you x2, Chris!!

Filed under: Artists, Bacon, Bad Poetry, Baking, Carbs, Chefs, Comfort Food, Diets, Gavin Newsom, Gross, Head Bread, Organs, Thailand, Weird Thai Behavior

BABEWATCH: Kacey Wong

Name: Kacey Wong

Hails from: Hong Kong

Occupation: Visual Artist

Why He’s A Babe: Besides rocking cool-geek chic as naturally as black hair, Wong applies poetic impressions of Hong Kong to very quirky, easy-on-the-eyes “experiments.”

Recently, Wong created a wheeled homeless shelter–including a bed and a desk–that unfolds from the shape of a robot (see photo, above). He says: “My question is: what if the homeless shelter is beautiful, to the point where it becomes a public artwork on the street?”

A four-eyed do-gooder with great intentions and an even better aesthetic? If that ain’t hot, we don’t know what is.

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Filed under: Artists, China, Four-Eyes, Geeks, Homeless Shelters, Hong Kong, Hot and Goofy, Innovation, Inspirasians, Kacey Wong, Robots, Spectacles

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Tofer Chin

Name: Christofer “Tofer™” Chin

Occupation: Artist

Known for: Inciting a street epidemic of googly-eyes (with his incomparable logo), showing his paintings and hand-painted eggs in galleries across the globe, authoring two photography books–Finger Bang! and Vacation Standards (new!)–for Rojo’s Spanish imprint, and in general ejaculating a little piss, sex, and fun onto the stiff walls of the fine art world.

For you Angelenos, Tofer debuts his latest show, “Double Dip,” in Culver City’s Cerasoli Gallery on March 14th at 6pm.

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Filed under: Artists, Books, Cerasoli Gallery, Christofer Chin, Eggs, Finger Bang, Great Sex, Hot Asian Men, Paintings, Photographers, Piss, Tofer Chin, Tofer™, Vacation Standards

BIRTHDAY CELEBRASIAN!

Happy Birthday to genius auteur Ang Lee, who turns 54 today! You are a special man with an incredible vision and balls of steel. Have a smokin’ year.

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Filed under: Ang Lee, Artists, Auteurs, Balls of Steel, Birthdays, Dope Directors, Geniuses, Vision

ROCK OF ASIAN: Kid Koala

Few tickle vinyl with such brilliant fervor as our favorite Canadiasian deejay Kid Koala, whose turntable-told stories fascinate us, and soft-spoken illustrative aesthetic somehow warms our icy cold hearts. Kids are cute, koalas even cuter– we hate to say this about the man, but he is CUTE with all capital letters. CUTE CUTE CUTE.

Check out Koala’s latest project, Your Mom’s Favorite DJ, out on Ninja Tune Records now.

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Filed under: Artists, Beats, Canadiasians, Cute Things, DJs, Kid Koala, Sweet Boys Are Rare, We Are the Music Makers We Are the Dreamers of Dreams

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Lynda Barry

Name: Lynda Barry

Occupation: Cartoonist and author

Known for: One very lovely Filipina blood quarter, a dark-yet-elementary illustrasian technique, an arsenal of published books, famously slamming her ex Ira Glass in a comic story: “Head Lice and My Worst Boyfriend” (something Little Miss Bradshaw should have done to Mr. Big well before the SATC feature film).

Barry’s new book, What It Is, which explains her methodology of creating stories and drawings, is newly available for purchase. Save some gas money and buy it online.

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Bless you, Jasmine.

Filed under: Artists, Beautiful Filipina Women, Cartoonists, Exes Suck, Ira Glass, Lynda Barry, Race Mixing is Cool, Sex and The City, What It Is

ROCK OF ASIAN: Dokkebi Q

Forget psychedelics: The mind-fizzing tracks of Dokkebi Q–a UK electro-dub-punk outfit led by fierce performance artist Kiki Hitomi–make me feel like I’m passed out in a lazy dance club, having an anxiety dream that’s quickly turning into a sultry fantasy. If you enjoy such sensasians, rock some Dokkebi Q tonight. And if you don’t, spend some time gazing in awe at Hitomi’s smoking hotness (uh, see above) instead.

Word on the street is that the Q will be making an appearance at SXSW, so in preparasian, feel free to take a listen here.

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Filed under: Anxiety, Artists, Beautiful Japanese Women, Dokkebi Q, ElectroFun, Kiki Hitomi, Ladies Who Rock, Smoking Hotness