Invisible No More: AAPI Women and Non-Binary People Speak Out About Fetishization, Harassment, and Finding Love – an art collaboration between photographer Cindy Trinh & actor Christine Fang.
Christine and Cindy sat down with 16 AAPI women and non-binary people and asked them to share whatever was on their mind. Based on each person’s sharing, Christine wrote unique monologues that captured the essence of each participant’s intention and 15 AAPI actors were invited to record voiceover of the monologues. The final videos combined photos taken by Cindy with voiceover and captions for web accessibility edited by Christine.
The goal for this art project is to give space to AAPI women and non-binary people in the wake of the Atlanta mass shooting that left six Asian women murdered by the hands of a white man who fetishized them. Through this project, Christine and Cindy have been graciously reminded that despite the violence that Asian women face, they have stayed strong with resilience and hope for the future, deserving of love and success.
Media coverage: NBC News
WHAT MEMORIES KEEP YOU STUCK IN THE PAST?
Performed in Los Angeles and in London, this solo show was created in association with East West Players, the first professional Asian American theater in the U.S. and lovingly sponsored by Amy Hill, a pioneer in solo performance.
Reviews:
"The show's strengths lie in Christine's unique personality and bravery... Her humour was playful and energetic, reaching out to the far corners of the space. She held nothing back on stage, engaging with the text and committing fully to the wide range of emotions her character experienced. Christine is very clearly a talented actor. She performed memories and impressions with gusto and humour. Another strength of the piece was its deft and interesting use of different languages. Christine switched from English to French to German to Mandarin seamlessly. Despite only speaking two of those languages, I was able to follow what she was saying perfectly." - A Young(ish) Perspective
"Fang skilfully navigates intense emotional stories, offering a raw, relatable portrayal that would immediately resonate." - Seen Anything Lately
In an effort to explore more mediums, Christine is currently working on a motion graphics video essay exploring themes of family, returning home and identity, born from an episode of word vomit post-trip to her homeland after a 20 year absence.
A little taste from Return to Shanghai (working title):
The plane descends as I slide the window shield up, revealing a sprawling metropolis I don’t recognize. It’s been exactly twenty years since I made this trip, this return to my birthplace. Sentiments I’ve been receiving for the past few weeks echo in my head. “Wow, that’s a long time.” “How are you feeling?” “You must be excited!” “It’s not a big deal,” I told them all. But as my ears pop with every altitude drop, I feel a lump forming in my throat and my eyes welling up. I quickly blink the tears away, until there are just too many to contain and I throw my shades on. I’m thankful for masks and sunglasses as tears start pouring uncontrollably and snot follows shortly thereafter. Pull yourself together. It’s not a big deal.
时间过得真快。
More soon.