EXPLOITS

Today I need to vent. Sorry, nothing about paintings here. Thank you for your indulgence.

I am incensed about what happened to me the last couple of days, but perhaps I am more infuriated by how people "PRETEND" their "INTENT", and hide their personal agenda under the buzz word "HUMANITY"

The founder of Coloredpencils was calling for artworks for Midland county clinic ( clinic that serves refugees and immigrants of Oregon) to buy. This founder needed digital images of 3 art works, priced very attractively as the Clinic had only limited funds to procure art works. These images should be accompanied by the artist's bio, photo, price and size.

I submitted my works as per request and received the following e-mail. The founder needed my ethnic background and family history. Went on to say that the works will be displayed in clinics that served mostly immigrants/refugees community and that "WE" must make connection somehow here.

I can understand the desire to have certain genre of work to appeal to a specific audience, but I do not understand the need for me to reveal my family history. So my answer was that I am Asian and I do not share my family history with strangers. I further stated that art itself carries a voice, which transcends all racial barriers. Art is a medium where the artist can bare his/her soul. Any attempts to pigeon hole an artist on racial grounds is not acceptable. I therefore would not be part of this propaganda and withdrew my bid for the Midland Clinic.

For this I received the following response:

"by letting newcomers know a little of you we showed them that it wasn't bad to have to immigrate here.......We want to show them that many of us, our grandparents, and parents are adjusting and doing well. We want patience ( SIC) from afar to feel at home and inspired by many whom(SIC) arrived and thrived. We handpicked the most talent (SIC) artists and we used art that familiar(SIC) from home by our own people (not white American who try to do our native art) to heal patiences' (SIC) hearts while the doctors care for their bodies. Thank you for submitting your amazing art work. We regret that you no longer wish to be part of this humanity work."

How noble a mission ! So these refugees must look at their own people's arts to feel at home.
Should we have arts from Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Philippines, Russia, etc etc to shore up the Clinic? I certainly did not know that selling art works to these clinics is considered " humanity work."

As an immigrant myself, I loathe the idea of these condescending attitudes. This new shore is about new opportunities, new surroundings and an opportunity to acquire new knowledge. Whereas I shall seek my own comforts and familiarity I'll do it on my own terms. I especially do not need these faux do-gooders to help me, all the while fulfilling their own agenda, camouflaging their own shortcomings. These are your closet racists; snakes in the grass.

An interesting side note, the solicitation was facilitated by an Asian Art Association for which I am a member . Incidentally, we have several "White Americans" in our club. Had any of these "White Americans" submitted their works, would that be an automatic rejection?  Think about the implications!