Photography, Performativity, and Immigration Re-Imagined in the Self-Portraits of Tseng Kwong Chi, Nikki S

Upending the Melting Pot: Photography, Performativity, and Immigration Re-Imagined in the Self-Portraits of Tseng Kwong Chi, Nikki S. Lee, and Annu Palakunnathu Matthew By Copyright 2016 Ellen Cordero Raimond Submitted to the graduate degree program in Art History and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Chairperson John Pultz ________________________________ David C. Cateforis ________________________________ Sherry D. Fowler ________________________________ Kelly H. Chong ________________________________ Ludwin E. Molina Date Defended: 28 March 2016 The Dissertation Committee for Ellen Cordero Raimond certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Upending the Melting Pot: Photography, Performativity, and Immigration Re-Imagined in the Self-Portraits of Tseng Kwong Chi, Nikki S. Lee, and Annu Palakunnathu Matthew ________________________________ Chairperson John Pultz Date approved: 28 March 2016 ii Abstract Tseng Kwong Chi, Nikki S. Lee, and Annu Palakunnathu Matthew each employ our associations with photography, performativity, and self-portraiture to compel us to re-examine our views of immigrants and immigration and bring them up-to-date. Originally created with predominantly white European newcomers in mind, traditional assimilative narratives have little in common with the experience of immigrants of color for whom “blending in” with “white mainstream America” is not an option. Through self-portraiture, then, Tseng, Lee, and Matthew significantly confront the issue of the “raced body” directly, such that their work reveals as much about their adoptive country’s attitudes towards each artist’s perceived group—Chinese, Korean, and Southeast Asian—as the individuals themselves. In approaching their imagery as case studies of the contemporary immigrant experience, this dissertation argues that Tseng’s East Meets West (1979-89), Lee’s Projects (1997-2001), and Matthew’s An Indian from India (2001- 07) share affinities with trends in contemporary literature in that the three artists’ self-portraits, like the writings of their author counterparts make a claim for the immigrant’s rightful place within the U.S. The first chapter contextualizes the three artists’ series by providing an overview of the history of Asian immigration in the United States. Each of the subsequent chapters explores one of the photographic series of interest, beginning with Tseng’s East Meets West; this chapter delves into the intersectionality of identity, by looking at how the artist cleverly employs Western stereotypes of the “inscrutable Chinese” to promote a worldview in which is is regarded as an artist first, gay Asian man second. Amongst Lee’s larger photographic series, her Schoolgirls and Young Japanese (East Village) Projects have been paid little scholarly attention. By addressing this lacuna in the third chapter, this dissertation claims that the the two iii “subprojects” play a key role in understanding Lee’s Projects as a whole. The fourth and final chapter looks to Matthew’s An Indian From India as providing the most “personal” glimpse into the immigrant experience by noting her use of audiences’ associations with nineteenth-century portraiture of Native Americans to affirm her South Asian Indian identity within the U.S. iv Acknowledgements Reflecting upon this document, the adage that “it takes a village” comes to mind in that the same may be applied to completing a dissertation. To my advisor, John Pultz, thank you for reading my innumerable drafts—admittedly, some of them very rough. Thank you for helping me to improve as a writer. I am indebted, also, to the insightful feedback provided by the rest of my committee: David Cateforis, Sherry Fowler, Kelly Chong, and Ludwin Molina. My thanks to the Kress Foundation of Art History for supporting my receipt of the KU Summer Research Fellowship and the Eldredge, Stokstad, Li Art History Travel Award. I am grateful to the New York galleries—Leslie Tonkanow Artists + Projects, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., and Paul Kasmin for fielding my inquiries and allowing me to view Nikki S. Lee’s and Tseng Kwong Chi’s photographs and videos in person. My deep thanks to Esa Epstein at Sepia Eye for making Annu Palakunnathu Matthew’s works so accessible to my eager eyes and careful hands, and to Annu: my sincere thanks for taking the time to address my long list of questions so fully, email by email. My thanks, also, to Muna Tseng, Kwong Chi’s sister, who took the time to speak with me before and after taking me through a personal tour of Amy Brandt’s unforgettable exhibition, “Performing for the Camera” at NYU’s Grey Art Gallery. I would be remiss to not acknowledge the important role that my friends and colleagues at first the Spencer Museum of Art and now the Office of First-Year Experience—both at the University of Kansas—have played in supporting and encouraging me while dissertating. To my current supervisor, Howard Graham, for being a sympathetic ear. Eternal thanks also to the relationships that have provided me strength and guidance over the years—from Benet—Jen, Jen, and Jason—and Loyola—Erin, Tracey, Jinx, and Lynn. More immediate thanks to Kate Meyer, Celka Straughn, and Sarah Crawford-Parker—my inspirations, and to the study buddies v who have sat right beside me as I toiled on this document over the years: Denise Giannino, Jen Friess, Eunyoung Park, Yegee Kwon, and Kristan Hanson. Finally, I thank my parents for always believing in me, even when I didn’t quite know what I was doing. Thank you also to my in-laws, Margaret and Paul Raimond, for their support and encouragement. To my partner Richard, brother Weiser, sister-in-law Lacey, and brother-in- law Andrew for forcing my hand by pursuing and completing advanced degrees—you’re my heroes. I have no words for how much you, Richard, have helped me in achieving my dream of completing this, the last of my doctoral requirements. Since Japan, you have been my partner in all things. Thank you. And, lastly, to my darling girl, my Peanut: this dissertation is for you. vi Table of Contents Chapter 1: The Old Pieties of Immigration No Longer Hold ................................................... 1 Temporary Visitors .................................................................................................................................6 Stars, Stripes, & Immigration ..............................................................................................................23 An Asian Betsy Ross? .........................................................................................................................29 American Enough. ...............................................................................................................................35 Before & After. ...................................................................................................................................39 Chapter 2: Filling-in-the-Blanks of Tseng Kwong Chi’s East Meets West ........................... 45 “Permanent Visitor” .............................................................................................................................50 “Unofficial” or “Ambiguous” Ambassador ........................................................................................58 “SlutForArt” ..........................................................................................................................................66 1980s Art/ Club Scene. .......................................................................................................................75 Tourist ....................................................................................................................................................81 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................................90 Chapter 3: Nikki S. Lee: “The Korean Project” ...................................................................... 92 Early Life & Artistic Development ......................................................................................................97 Performing Cultural Hybridity ..........................................................................................................108 Communicating the Outsider’s Perspective: From Konnichiwa to Anyang .................................118 Appropriating the Group Snapshot ...................................................................................................133 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................143 Chapter 4: Annu Palakunnathu Matthew: An Indian from India in America .................. 145 “It’s personal” ......................................................................................................................................151 The North American Indian Meets The People of India .................................................................157 Appropriating the Photographic Past ...............................................................................................168 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................184 Chapter 5: Two Photographs ..................................................................................................

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