Cross-cultural, cross-institutional collaborative art project: finding family stories

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Content CROSS-CULTURAL, CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORA TIVE ART PROJECT: FINDING F AMILY STORIES by Soo Jin Lyuh A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC, ROSKI SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF PUBLIC ART STUDIES May 2007 Copyright 2007 Soo Jin Lyuh ii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to all the people who have helped me during my time as a student at USC. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my Thesis Committee, Jorge Pardo, Zipporah Lax, and Caryl Levy for their precious guidance, comments, suggestions, and encouragement. I would also like to thank Dean Ruth Weisberg for her endless support. Thank you to my lovely PAS classmates with whom I shared sadness and happiness for two years. A special thank you to all of the people who were willing to take their time out to interview with me: Yujin Lim, Kenneth Klein, Kay Song, Sojin Kim, Clement Hanami, David Yamamoto, and Mark Greenfield. My deepest thank you to my family, always supporting me back in Korea. iv Table of Contents Dedication ................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements................................................................................................... iii List of Tables............................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ........................................................................................................... vii Abstract ..................................................................................................................... viii Introduction............................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One. Finding Family Stories (Year 1): ........................................................ 3 JANM + KAM (1995-1996) Chapter Two. Finding Family Stories (Year 2):........................................................ 37 JANM + Plaza de la Raza + The Watts Towers Arts Center (1997) Chapter Three. Finding Family Stories (Year 3):...................................................... 44 JANM + The Skirball Cultural Center + The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (1998) Chapter Four. Finding Family Stories (Second Phase):............................................ 47 JANM + The Chinese American Museum + Self Help Graphics & Art + The California African American Museum (2000-2003) Chapter Five. Conclusion.......................................................................................... 53 v Bibliography.............................................................................................................. 60 Appendix: Proposal for a Cross-Cultural Collaborative ........................................... 64 Exhibition between The Korean American Museum & The California African American Museum vi List of Tables Table 1. Japanese Population in Los Angeles County, California............................. 6 Table 2. Korean Population in Los Angeles County, California ............................... 8 vii List of Figures Figure 1. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 1) brochure, 1995 .................. 3 Figure 2. Map of Koreatown, 2000........................................................................... 11 Figure 3. The Japanese American National Museum, 15 Feb. 2007......................... 13 Figure 4. The Korean American Museum, 15 Feb. 2007.......................................... 16 Figure 5. Michael Cho, still from Another America, 1995 ....................................... 29 Figure 6. Karen Kimura, Kome (Four Generations of Rice), 1995 .......................... 31 Figure 7. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 2) brochure, 1996 .................. 37 Figure 8. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 3) brochure, 1998 .................. 44 Figure 9. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Second Phase) brochure, 2003 ...... 47 Figure 10. Dae Seung Seo, 06/03/1935, from the series of My Old Ladies, 2003 ... 74 Figure 11. Chong Gon Byun, Bach Sonatas in G & D Major, 1995......................... 75 Figure 12. Sumita Kim, Generatrix, 2003................................................................. 76 Figure 13. Viola Burley Leak, Field Trilogy, 1985................................................... 78 Figure 14. Carrie Mae Weems, For Your Names You Took Hope & Humble,.........79 from the series From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried, 1995 Figure 15. Willie Robert Middlebrook, Untitled,......................................................80 from the series Portrait of My People, 1990 viii Abstract In this thesis, I examine Finding Family Stories, a cross-cultural, cross- institutional collaborative art project between various museums in the Los Angeles area from 1995 to 2003. As ethnic-specific institutions, the Japanese American National Museum and the Korean American Museum collaborated during the first year of the project, exhibiting artworks by Korean Americans and Japanese Americans at both venues concurrently. Through this cultural exchange, Korean Americans and Japanese Americans, as well as other ethnic communities, could learn the similarities and differences between the two cultures within the context of the multicultural society of Los Angeles. My thesis emphasizes the need for more multicultural and cross-cultural collaborative projects amongst community-based cultural institutions in Los Angeles. I conclude with a proposal for a collaborative project between the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum as a way towards addressing long-standing tensions between these two groups since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. 1 Introduction In this thesis, I examine the cross-cultural collaborative art project, Finding Family Stories, which was initiated by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in 1995 and which continued until 2003. Finding Family Stories was originally conceived as a three-year project in which the Japanese American National Museum was to collaborate with several other cultural institutions in Los Angeles County. During year one, the collaboration was with the Korean American Museum (KAM); during year two, with Plaza de la Raza and the Watts Towers Arts Center; and during the third year, with the Skirball Cultural Center and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Because of its popularity, JANM reprised Finding Family Stories in 2003 partnering with the Chinese American Museum, Self Help Graphics & Art, and the California African American Museum. Finding Family Stories productively illustrates why art collaborations between community-based cultural institutions are particularly important in a multicultural city like Los Angeles. During each year of the project's run, JANM and partnering institutions worked closely together to develop the project, collaboratively inviting artists from various ethnic communities, creating an art 2 exhibition that existed concurrently at each partnering venue, and developing new public and educational programs in association with the exhibit. Through this cultural exchange, the participating project staff and audiences learned of the similarities and differences between the diverse cultures represented in the exhibits. My thesis emphasizes the need for more of these kinds of multicultural and cross- cultural collaborative projects in Los Angeles. I illustrate how, as community- based institutions, museums can play a leadership role within each community, fostering mutual understanding, while engaging community members in the creative process. I will also present a proposal for a collaborative art project between the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum to address the long seated tensions that have existed between the two ethnic groups since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. 3 Chapter One. Finding Family Stories (Year 1): JANM + KAM (1995-1996) Figure 1. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 1) brochure, 1995 Source: The Japanese American National Museum. Korea and Japan are neighboring countries whose cultures are similar in many respects. However, the two nations have been in bitter conflict because of Japan’s conquest of Korea from 1910 to 1945. After World War II, in 1948, Korea was officially divided into two countries: North Korea, allied with the Soviet Union, and South Korea, allied with the United 4 States. The newly formed country of North Korea, known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is ruled by Communists who instituted tight controls excluding outsiders and forbidding citizens to emigrate. Thus, most Korean immigrants to the United States after 1948 are from South Korea, the Republic of Korea (RoK). 1 Korean Americans and Japanese Americans have different immigration histories and consequently different cultural histories and identities. The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and the Korean American Museum (KAM) share something in common in terms of their missions, as both these institutions have made efforts to represent the culture and history of their respective ethnic communities. People who visit JANM and KAM can recognize the fine differences between the Japanese and Korean cultures, as represented through their exhibitions and public programs following the mission statement. The common mission of these two museums to represent the culture and heritage of their countries intersected fruitfully during the first year of the cross-cultural collaborative project Finding Family Stories. 1 American Immigration, vol. 7, (Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 1999) 36. 5 Japanese American Immigration History In 1869, the first group of Japanese to immigrate to the United States consisted of 27 Japanese known collectively as the "Wakamatsu Colony." They settled down in California, produced silk and various crops for their livelihood. Following this, the next major wave of Japanese immigration was to Hawaii in 1884, as a result of a request by Hawaiian plantation owners for Japanese labor. By 1900, approximately 60,000 Japanese had immigrated to Hawaii, constituting approximately forty percent of the Hawaiian population. 2 More Japanese immigrants began to move to the West Coast of the United States, especially California. Most of them started as farmers in the agricultural fields, picking crops with the hopes of one day acquiring their own farms. By 1909, approximately 30,000 Japanese immigrants were employed in agriculture in California, while other Japanese immigrants took jobs at the food canning factories or logging and mining industries. 3 In larger metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Japanese immigrants conducted businesses in laundries, grocery stores and small restaurants. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, out of the total population of 2 American Immigration, vol. 7, 3-4. 3 American Immigration, vol. 7, 6. 6 9,519,338 in Los Angeles County, the number of Japanese Americans is 111,349, which is a little more than one percent of the total population. 4 General Characteristics Japanese Total Population Total population 111,349 9,519,338 Male 51,910 4,704,105 Female 59,439 4,815,233 Median age (years) 44 32 Under 5 years 3,416 737,631 18 years and over 97,807 6,851,362 65 years and over 23,821 926,673 Table 1. Japanese Population in Los Angeles County, California Source: U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census 2000 14 Dec. 2006 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html>. There are four terms used to describe generational advance and duration of time in the United States for contemporary Japanese Americans: Issei, Nisei, Sansei, 4 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census 2000, 14 Dec. 2006 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html>. 7 and Yonsei. Issei are the first generation born in Japan. Nisei are the children of the Issei, born and raised in the United States as American citizens. The Sansei are the third generation making up the majority of Japanese Americans today, having been immersed in American culture. Yonsei are the fourth generation, the most recent generation of Japanese Americans. Often the term Nisei is used to describe all Japanese Americans. 5 Today, Japanese Americans continue to work hard to achieve success in American society. Japanese Americans have assimilated into mainstream American culture easier and faster than many other non-white ethnic groups. 6 Yet, many Japanese Americans still maintain some of the traditional aspects of their culture, including celebrating Lunar New Year’s Day. Korean American Immigration History Korean Americans are one of the most recent immigrant groups in the United States. The population of Korean Americans has grown significantly within a short period. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the total population of Korean 5 Richard T. Schaefer, Racial and Ethnic Groups, 8th ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000) 365. 6 American Immigration, vol. 7, 10. 8 Americans was 186,350 out of the total population of 9,519,338 in Los Angeles County. 7 The population of Korean Americans in 2000 is about two percent of the total population in Los Angeles, larger than that of Japanese Americans. General Characteristics Korean Total Population Total population 186,350 9,519,338 Male 88,135 4,704,105 Female 98,215 4,815,233 Median age (years) 36 32 Under 5 years 8,943 737,631 18 years and over 146,069 6,851,362 65 years and over 17,486 926,673 Table 2. Korean Population in Los Angeles County, California Source: U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census 2000 14 Dec. 2006 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html>. 7 United States Census 2000, 14 Dec. 2006 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html>. 9 The current Korean American population is the result of three waves of immigration. The first wave began in 1903 when a group of Koreans moved to Hawaii as plantation workers. Korean migrations were sparse during the Japanese colonial rule over Korea between 1910 and 1945. Only a few women, so called “picture brides,” were allowed to emigrate in order to join their future husbands. The second wave of Korean immigration occurred between 1951 and 1964, during and after the Korean War. During this period, 14,000 immigrants, mostly war orphans or wives of American servicemen, came to the United States. The third immigration wave was set off by the 1965 Immigration Act. 8 After the passing of the Immigration Act, immigration to America became much easier for Koreans because the legislation eliminated proportional discrimination in immigration based on national origin. Between 1961 and 1965, the period right before the passage of the Immigration Act, only 7 out of every 1,000 immigrants were Koreans. After the passage of the act, between 1965 and 1969, Koreans accounted for 38 out of every 8 The Immigration and Nationality Act amendments of 1965 was an elimination of the national origin quotas that had been in the United States for long time. 10 1,000 immigrants in the United States. 9 During the 1980s, Koreans were the third largest immigrant group in the United States, following Mexicans and Filipinos. The Korean Americans who followed their parents to America as children are called the Ilchomose, or “1.5 generation.” The Ilchomose remain bilingual and bicultural in the Korean American community. Whereas their parents predominantly speak Korean, the Ilchomose are able to speak and write English. The largest Korean inner-city in the United States, so called, “Koreatown” is located just west of downtown Los Angeles, where currently more than 150,000 Korean Americans live. Koreans in California have been traditionally self- employed because of language and cultural barriers. They opened small businesses in inner-city neighborhoods such as restaurants, grocery stores, carpentry, and tailor shops. In 1990, Korean Americans ranked among the highest ethnic groups in terms of self-employment rates in the United States. 10 9 Schaefer 344. 10 “Koreans,” American Immigration Cultures (Simon & Schuster Macmillan, 1997): Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 6 Dec. 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>. 11 Figure 2. Map of Koreatown, 2000 Source: Korean American Coalition Los Angeles, Census Information Center (KACLA-CIC) in partnership with the Center for Korean American and Korean Studies at CSLA <http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/census/ktmap1.pdf>. Japanese American National Museum (JANM) Mission of JANM The mission of JANM is to preserve and share the experiences of Japanese Americans not only with the Japanese American community but also with other ethnic communities: 12 We share the story of Japanese Americans because we honor our nation’s diversity. We believe in the importance of remembering our history to better guard against the prejudice that threatens liberty and equality in a democratic society. We strive as a world-class museum to provide a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. We promote continual exploration of the meaning and value of ethnicity in our country through programs that preserve individual dignity, strengthen our communities, and increase respect among all people. We believe that our work will transform lives, create a more just America and, ultimately, a better world. 11 History of JANM On April 30, 1992, JANM opened its doors at the 65,000 square foot facility on First Street in Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles. Yet, the opening of the museum did not go as planned because of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots the preceding night. A small scale event was held on the original opening date, and then, ten days later, a formal public opening was held again. The 1992 Riots reminded the JANM leadership that the museum should not solely serve the Japanese community, but should strive to educate and embrace other ethnic groups, functioning as a bridge between cultures. 11 “Museum Information,” Japanese American National Museum 20 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/about>. 13 Figure 3. The Japanese American National Museum, 15 Feb. 2007. Source: Soo Jin Lyuh JANM’s Past Exhibitions As noted in its mission statement, JANM strives to present the Japanese American experience and culture within both a national and an international frame. Common Ground is a permanent exhibition containing historical objects, documents, and photographs, representing 130 years of Japanese American history in the United States. The View From Within (1992), American’s Concentration Camps (1994- 1995), Dear Miss Breed (1997), and Whispered Silences (1997) were exhibitions 14 especially focused on the episodes and experiences of Japanese Americans during internment in the World War II Concentration Camps located in the western United States. JANM’s Public Programs & Projects In 1994, JANM sponsored Family Expo: Sharing the Japanese American Legacy, which brought more than 20,000 visitors to the Los Angeles Convention Center during the three day event. The Family Expo featured community information booths, arts and craft booths, a fashion show, jazz performances, and exhibitions on Japanese American history. As a community-based institution, JANM has valued collaborative projects involving community members and other similar community-based institutions. The REgenerations Project (1997) was a representative collaborative project that directly engaged community members in the creative process, interviewing and recording the voices of Japanese Americans who struggled to resettle after the World War II incarceration. 15 Korean American Museum (KAM) Mission of KAM The mission of the Korean American Museum is to foster understanding and appreciation of American history and culture by preserving and interpreting the unique cultural heritage of Korean Americans: The Korean American community has established the Korean American Museum to interpret and preserve its history, culture, and achievements; to examine and discuss issues currently facing the community; and to explore new and innovative ways to communicate the Korean American experience to other American communities. The Korean American Museum is dedicated not only to increasing our understanding of the Korean American experience, but also to fostering creative approaches to advancing Korean American culture….The Korean American Museum tells the Korean American story. It weaves this story into the complex and colorful fabric of America’s cultural life. In doing so, the Korean American Museum helps define what it means to be Korean American. 12 History of KAM Founded in 1991, KAM was the first museum devoted to the Korean American community. Initially, KAM started as a historical society, but in January 1993, it was incorporated as a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. 13 In 12 Charlotte Hildebrand, ed. Finding Family Stories (Los Angeles: The Japanese American National Museum, 1998) 98. 13 A Decade of Leadership 2005 catalogue (Korean American Museum, 2005). 16 1999, The Koreatown Organizations Association (KOA) was formed and KAM, as one of the organizations representing KOA, relocated to the fourth floor of the KOA office building, which remains the current and permanent location of KAM as of 2007. In addition to KAM, KOA includes the Korean American Coalition, the Korean American Family Service Center, the Korean Youth & Community Center (KYCC), and the Korean Health Education, Information and Research Center. Figure 4. The Korean American Museum (located on the fourth floor of the KOA office building), 15 Feb. 2007. Source: Soo Jin Lyuh 17 KAM’s Past Exhibitions KAM had been trying to define Korean American culture and what it means to be a Korean immigrant in the United States. From 1995 to 2006, KAM hosted a total of seventeen exhibitions, primarily focusing on Korean art and Korean American history, culture, achievements, and current issues. Scene’97 (1997) displayed a wide variety of contemporary artworks, including photographs, paintings, videos, and installations by California-based Korean American artists. Kimchee Xtravaganza (1997) was an exhibition focusing on the representative Korean food – Kimchee - and its role in the art and culture of Korean American society. KAM’s permanent exhibition is LA Koreatown: Celebration of Continuity and Change. It was originally installed in 2004 as a celebration of the centennial anniversary of Korean immigration to the United States. Later, LA Koreatown was reinstalled as a permanent exhibit in 2005 because of its popularity and importance to the Korean American community. This exhibit traces the immigration history of Korean Americans and the development of Koreatown in Los Angeles from 1904 to 2004. 18 KAM’s Public Programs & Projects In addition to the exhibitions, KAM launched a community outreach program, KAM/CARES (Korean American Museum/Community Arts Resources and Educational Services) in 1997 to provide valuable Korean American educational resources to students. The KAM/CARES program engaged students from Berendo Middle School, University of California, Irvine, University of Southern California, and the Forshay Learning Center in collaborative visual art projects. Through this experience, the students had the chance to learn about the role of the arts as a tool for communicating with others and for understanding diverse cultures. Project Background: Historic Conflicts between Korea and Japan Historic tensions between Korea and Japan remain a critical issue today. In the 1890s, Japan invaded and occupied Korea. Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule and Koreans were severely oppressed and exploited. Koreans were forced to use only the Japanese language, worship the Japanese emperor, and adopt Japanese names. The Japanese controlled most of Korea’s land, food and other economic resources. During World War II, Japanese army abducted 19 and imprisoned approximately 200,000 Korean women, exploiting them as sexual slaves. 14 Since World War II, there has been a dispute over two rocky islets, called, Tokdo in South Korea, and Takeshima in Japan. Both South Korea and Japan claim ownership of these islets. For the time being, the islets are a part of Korean territory, but Japan argues that they are an integral part of Japanese territory due to their geographical location in the middle of the sea between the countries and the corresponding economic benefits provided by a lucrative fishing industry. More than 60 years have passed since Korea was controlled by Japan, and there are still anti-Japanese sentiments that prevail in Korea, because of the dark memories of subjugation in the past, and because of the lack of an official apology from the Japanese government. 14 An Exhibition: Comfort Women brochure (Korean American Museum, 1995). 20 Project Goals for Finding Family Stories JANM conceptualized a three-year arts partnership project in 1995 to foster dialogue among different ethnic groups in the Los Angeles district. The following are the four project goals of the three-year Finding Family Stories: 1) To create and maintain partnerships among community-based art/history/culture organizations and to strengthen the relationships between these organizations and the communities we serve 2) To provide expertise and resources, community support, and input into the creation of exhibitions and educational museum programming 3) To give voice and professional experience to diverse cultural perspectives through the works of emerging artists 4) To promote greater public awareness and appreciation of our nation’s ethnic and cultural diversity 15 Guided by these goals, JANM and KAM desired to address the historic conflicts between the Korean and Japanese cultures during the first year of the Finding Family Stories project. This collaboration enabled participating staff to understand how each museum had developed as a cultural institution. They realized that each institution interacted with its ethnic communities in its own unique 15 Hildebrand 114. 21 way, and the different strategies incorporating the culture and history of each community into their own projects inspired the staff to learn from each other. Another goal of the first year of Finding Family Stories was to make the general American public understand that the images of Asian Americans are not monolithic, and cannot be restricted to one interpretation that fits all Asian cultures; each Asian group has its own individual characteristics that clearly differentiate one group from another. The differences among Asians can still be seen as an enigma, with many Americans expressing a lack of knowledge in this regard. Sometimes, many Americans put all Asians as well as Asian Americans in a single category because of the apparent similarities in the physical appearance or other superficial traits. Finding Family Stories helped shatter some of these misconceptions. Year 1: Process Process was a crucial part of Finding Family Stories, including selecting partnering institutions and artists, forming a project team, managing the budget, and preparing for the art exhibition. Irene Y. Hiro, the Executive Director and President of JANM at that time said, “The collaboration between our two organizations was as 22 important as the resulting exhibition.” 16 Finding Family Stories was developed over a long period of time with discussions based on mutual understanding and trust among arts professionals, artists, board members, and staff from the different cultural institutions. Year 1: Selecting the Partnering Institutions JANM selected KAM as well as other partnering institutions in the following years through a carefully articulated research and review process. First, the JANM staff collected information on several cultural institutions in the Los Angeles area and reviewed the collected materials, seeking those institutions whose mission and overall objectives fit with those of JANM. Next, the Finding Family Stories Advisory Council 17 provided feedback on the selection process to JANM. JANM then contacted the selected cultural institutions and briefly explained the overall concept of the Finding Family Stories. If the cultural institution showed an interest in the project, JANM staff visited the cultural institution and met with the 16 Korean American Museum Newsletter, KAMera Jan. 1996, 2nd issue, 4. 17 Finding Family Stories Advisory Council was composed of fifteen professionals in the arts field. The Council members met twice a year to discuss the various components of the project, incorporating their experiences and knowledge to improve the project. 23 director and staff to further discuss the project. Once the cultural institution agreed to be a partner, JANM organized a Finding Family Stories project team including key staff members from both JANM and the partnering institution. The outstanding aspect of the project was that the participating institutions prepared a private guided tour of their institutions for the project team members. The goal of the private tour was to provide a chance for the team members to become familiar with the facilities and physical sites of the partnering institutions. These tours greatly facilitated the development of key components of the project. Year 1: Project Team Under the guidance of Claudia Sobral, Project Coordinator and Clement Hanami, Exhibitions Manager of JANM, project staff from JANM and KAM collaborated closely during each decision-making step, from determining the content of the marketing materials to planning the opening reception. 24 Year 1: Funding/Budget Administration The first year of Finding Family Stories was funded mostly by the James Irvine Foundation, while budgets for brochures and public programs were partially supported by the Nathan Cummings Foundation. John M. Orders, Managing Program Officer of the James Irvine Foundation, commented on why they decided to support Finding Family Stories: This project, Finding Family Stories, represents precisely the type of multi- organizational activity that the Irvine Foundation feels contributes to and builds community bridges. If our respective cultural stories have no way of being told across ethnic lines, the result is isolation, frustration and misunderstanding. When genuine art allows us to express and interpret individual and local history, the results are transforming. To recognize, to acknowledge, and to make new objects and interpretations enables us to look at time as a continuum, or as a circle, rather than a series of disrupted moments condemning us to repetitive unproductivity. Finding Family Stories incorporates the best of our hopes for the future. 18 JANM was the organization that received the grants from the James Irvine Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and was responsible for administrating the overall grant budget. To acknowledge the equal right of the partnering institution, JANM provided an institutional honorarium at the beginning 18 Japanese American National Museum Quarterly, vol. 11, no. 3, winter 1996, 8. 25 of the collaboration for the overhead expenses of the Korean American Museum, to cover expenses such as office supplies and postage. The budget for project component expenses, including artists’ fees, exhibition fabrication and installation, and public programming fees were allocated equally between the two institutions. Year 1: Artist Selection Process Year one of Finding Family Stories featured artwork by eight contemporary Korean American and Japanese American artists. Five artists were selected by the KAM while the other three were selected by JANM. Both KAM and JANM chose contemporary artists, from the local Korean and Japanese ethnic communities, who tend to employ themes of family histories and issues of cultural identity in their artworks. Potential participants were asked to submit photographic slides and other relevant materials to the institutions. The project team reviewed the submitted material carefully and collaboratively decided which artists would take part in the project. Diversity of gender, of generation, and of artistic media and style were the main criteria used to select the artists whose various perspectives on family history formed the core of Finding Family Stories. 26 Year 1: Exhibition Work by the eight artists was divided into two groups. One group consisted of work by the five Korean artists from KAM, while the other group consisted of work by the three Japanese artists from JANM. These artworks were displayed concurrently at both venues from September 15, 1995 to January 9, 1996. Displaying the exhibition at two venues at the same time allowed the audience to appreciate these artworks within two different contexts. KAM initially wanted to exhibit at its venue works by Korean American artists only. The museum wanted to stay focused on its goal of building credibility within the Korean American community, since it was, at the time, a relatively new community-based cultural institution. For Finding Family Stories, JANM exhibited at its venue works by both Japanese American and Korean American artists. After seeing JANM’s half of the exhibition, the director of KAM changed her mind and decided to include artworks by Japanese American artists as well. Myung Lee, the KAM director contacted Clement Hanami, JANM’s exhibition designer and asked him if there were any Japanese American artworks that could be exhibited at the KAM site. Hanami contacted the participating Japanese American artists and they 27 agreed to provide some of their artworks for exhibition at KAM. This anecdote demonstrates the open-minded and flexible attitude adopted by the project team. With a common goal of making the exhibit as good as it could be, the project team members shared ideas freely, sometimes compromising, but always collaborating in an organic way. In Finding Family Stories, the Korean American and Japanese American artists employed various artistic media to depict their family stories within the context of their ethnic backgrounds. Both sets of artists tried to define their own identities by looking deeply into their individual histories and their relationships with their families. Amalia Mesa-Bains says that “many of the working–class people of color have not always had access to a formal education; yet learning is passed from generation to generation in other way. It is from that cultural memory that much of the work of contemporary artists of color springs.” 19 Clearly, the parents and grandparents of these artists have affected who they are, what they are, and how they live in many ways. 19 Amalia Mesa-Bains, “The Real Multiculturalism: A Struggle for Authority and Power,” Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift (Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004) 103. 28 For Korean American artists, artwork centered on self-identity was much less popular than landscape or abstract painting until around the time of the 1992 Riots in Los Angeles. After this time, the Korean American community as a whole, including many Korean American artists, realized how critical it was to understand one's own identity as a Korean American and how such an identity interfaces with other ethnic communities within the greater multi-ethnic Los Angeles society. Year 1: Artwork In 1995, Michael Cho created a documentary, Another America, in response to the social unrest that erupted on April 29, 1992 in Los Angeles. This film depicts the inner-city lives of Korean Americans and African Americans as well as Cho's own family tragedy. 20 In addition to this documentary film, Cho included, for his portion of the Finding Family Stories exhibit, still photographs, news footage, and interviews with his family and with African American business people in his neighborhood. Cho wanted the exhibit audience to experience the multi-layered 20 Michael Cho’s uncle was shot to death by an African American in Detroit. 29 aspects of the social unrest of 1992 and to ponder the relationship between Korean Americans and African Americans. Cho stated: I want to inform people of all ethnicities who are open and willing to learn something new and help them understand the issues that affect both the African American and Korean American communities. I want to get across the idea that we are interconnected in some way. I feel that the media creates fear within people, making them afraid of each other and creating barriers. Hopefully, this work will open people up, although I don't have any illusions that this is going to change the world. Personally, the work itself fulfills my desire to address these issues. 21 Figure 5. Michael Cho, still from Another America, 1995. Color video, 56 minutes. Source: Finding Family Stories Web site, 26 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/exhibits/ffs/gallery/>. 21 Finding Family Stories Web site, 26 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/exhibits/ffs/gallery/>. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 30 While Michael Cho used the 1992 Riots and his own family tragedy as themes in his artwork, Karen Kimura centered her work on Japanese food culture in a piece entitled Kome (Four Generations of Rice). Kimura, a Sansei artist, felt an urgency to start documenting her family stories: I started thinking about where we are going in the future, and what I was finding was that there weren't that many stories or things that were documented things about where my grandparents were from in Japan, historical things that were never written down anywhere so there are a lot of holes and gaps in our history, our family history. So, as our family was growing, I wanted to document the people who are around now so that we have something for the future. 22 Kimura focused on “rice”, a part of everyday life for many Japanese Americans. Inspired by the way in which rice has been transformed throughout the generations by the pressures of evolving cooking styles, Kimura started talking to different generations of her family about rice, including her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and nieces. Kimura then took pictures of her relatives and coupled the photos with each person’s stories and memories concerning rice. Using these photographs and quotes, Kimura created a folded-paper game called “cootie catchers”. The game was designed so that the players would learn 22 Finding Family Stories Web site, 26 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/exhibits/ffs/gallery/>. 31 about four generations of Japanese American family, food, and culture. Using rice as a metaphor for the family tree and as a symbol of Japanese American culture, Kimura combined her family history with her artistic creativity in a unique way. Figure 6. Karen Kimura, Kome (Four Generations of Rice), 1995. Folded offset printed paper with photographs and text, dimensions variable. Source: Finding Family Stories Web site, 26 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/exhibits/ffs/gallery/>. Even though each artist involved in Finding Family Stories told different family stories and used different artistic media and styles, the common trait linking these Korean American and Japanese American artists is that both groups were not afraid to share their private family stories through the mode of public art. Bringing 32 something private to the public can be powerful. Everyone has a family story to tell, even though every family's history is different. People can relate their own family stories to other families’ stories in one way or another. Another trait that these groups of artists shared is that both sets of artists focused on their family histories rendered within the context of the social, historical, and cultural aspects of their respective ethnic communities. The Korean American and Japanese American artists alike revealed for a public audience the stories of Asian immigrants living in the United States. Telling stories about immigrant families and their traditional cultures enabled Finding Family Stories to endow its audience with a better understanding of the nature of the Korean American and Japanese American communities. Year 1: Public Programs As an extension of the exhibit, KAM and JANM collaboratively developed several other kinds of joint public and educational programs, such as Artists Workshops, Artists Talks, and educational programs for children. 33 Finding Family Stories Artists Workshops were designed to allow the public to participate in creating artworks with the assistance of professional artists. Each workshop consisted of two identical sessions taking place at the two museums on two different days. For example, the Water Color Collage workshop was led by one of the Finding Family Stories artists, Julie Sim-Edwards, on November 11, 1995 at KAM, and also on November 12, 1995 at JANM. Karen Kimura’s Traditional Bookbinding and Family Albums workshop was held at KAM on December 9, 1995, and at JANM on December 10, 1995. Through the Artists Workshops, the participants were able to learn special techniques used by the Finding Family Stories artists in their artworks. Moreover, KAM and JANM's sharing of artists and public programs signified an important step toward mutual understanding through cultural exchange. Finding Family Stories Artists Talks were also held at both museums. These sessions consisted of three artists from the Korean American and Japanese American communities participating in a moderated discussion panel. Through the Artists Talks sessions, the audience could hear artists discuss their work and their motivations, and learn about the cultural identities underlying their artworks. 34 Year one of the Finding Family Stories collaborative project was examined as a case study for organizational collaboration by the students at the Museum Studies Program of the University of Southern California. Under the guidance of Professor Selma Holo, a two day seminar was created specifically to study this project. The students were provided with the background information of the Finding Family Stories project, and made aware of the significance of the partnership between the two museums. Professor Holo asked the students to develop their own projects in the spirit of Finding Family Stories. Students then formed several teams and started to compile each other's family stories. Once these stories were documented, the students developed plans for educational projects that would take place at cultural institutions, museums, and community organizations. One of the teams created a project in which people were asked to bring their personal belongings from home as a way to spark a discussion concerning the personal stories contained within objects and the cultural contexts implicit within such objects. Another team created a Web page that allowed the members to interact with each other in cyberspace. Each team member documented important events in their own lives, posting these life stories on the Web page, accessible to the 35 public and to other members of the team. Inspired by the members’ stories, the public also posted their own life stories. Year 1: Results After the conclusion of the Finding Family Stories exhibition, a de-briefing meeting was held to discuss and evaluate each component of the project, including the effectiveness of the collaborative process and the outcomes of the exhibitions and affiliated public programs. The project team members from both KAM and JANM agreed that Finding Family Stories had helped both museums learn from each other how the other cultural institution had been developed. As a result of Finding Family Stories, these two museums were also able to broaden their audience base beyond a specific ethnic group. Finding Family Stories was not simply an art exhibition or a public program dedicated to the universal theme of family stories. It was also designed to increase interaction and dialogue between two distinct ethnic communities. The goal of its educational programs was to engage the greater public in learning about family 36 histories from diverse communities. Myung Lee, the Executive Director of KAM at the time stated: The project created a dialogue between our communities which helped to further mutual understanding and respect for our similarities and our differences. We hope visitors of all backgrounds will gain an appreciation for the richness of diversity within our multicultural society as demonstrated by these talented artists who were inspired by something common to all of us-our family roots. 23 The eight artists of Finding Family Stories helped define their respective cultural communities for a receptive public. The people who came to see this exhibit were not allowed to be just spectators. They were encouraged to participate actively in the interpretation of each artwork, using the knowledge of their own family stories to understand and relate to the variety of family stories presented by these Korean American and Japanese American artists. 23 KAMera, Jan. 1996, 2nd issue, 4. 37 Chapter Two. Finding Family Stories (Year 2): JANM + Plaza de la Raza + The Watts Towers Arts Center (1997) Figure 7. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 2) brochure, 1996 Source: The Japanese American National Museum, Plaza de la Raza, and The Watts Towers Arts Center. The second year of Finding Family Stories was similar to the first year, in that the goals of the project, its funding sources, budget administration, and overall concept and format, remained the same. Nonetheless, there were several significant changes and improvements evident in year two. 38 In the second year of the project, JANM began to collaborate with two Los Angeles-based arts organizations, the Watts Towers Arts Center and Plaza de la Raza. The Watts Towers Arts Center, well-known for the monumental towers created by Simon Rodia, boasts a diverse collection of ethnic musical instruments and hosts various arts programs for youth and adults. The annual Drum Festival is also organized by The Watts Tower Arts Center. Plaza de la Raza is an arts organization dedicated to the Latino community. It hosts various cultural events and offers after- school classes in the performing and visual arts. With JANM increasing its number of partnering institutions from one (the Korean American Museum) to two (Plaza de la Raza and the Watts Towers Arts Center), more diversity was added to the Finding Family Stories project in the second year. However, the overall number of participating artists decreased from eight to six. While five Korean American artists and three Japanese American artists were involved in the first year of the exhibit, during the second year six artists were chosen from three different ethnic communities (Japanese, Latino, and African American) affiliated with three different museums. 39 The participating artists in the second year were selected through a collaborative process involving all three partnering institutions. Each institution identified three to four artists who employed themes of family stories and ethnic identity in their artworks. The Finding Family Stories project team members, representing three organizations, selected six artists total from three ethnic communities, two artists from each community. All six artists were asked to submit existing artworks, which were required to incorporate the subject of family and community. In addition, they were asked to create new artworks for the Finding Family Stories exhibition. During the first year of the exhibit, the catalogue blurbs for the participating artists and artworks were written by the two Finding Family Stories curators from KAM and JANM who were directly involved in the project. Yet, in the second year, JANM and its partners invited Luis Alfaro, a writer, poet, performer, and theater director, to provide an essay, using his keen understanding of home, family, and community so that spectators could see an outsider’s perspective on the subject. Other writers, such as Tomas Benitez, Kristine M. Kim, and Leonard Simon, were also invited to write about the individual artists involved in the project. 40 This three-way collaboration was exhibited from October 27, 1997 to January 4, 1997. At JANM, artwork by three artists (Charles Dickson, Yolanda Gonzalez, and David Alan Yamamoto) was exhibited. Charles Dickson explored the elements of female form and the ancient cultures of Africa and Mexico in Ancestral Tree, while Yolanda Gonzalez created Alma de mi Corazon, Para mi Mama (The Soul of my Heart, For My Mother), a series of portraits of several artists in her family, including her mother whom she admired the most. 24 In Landscapes and Memories, David Alan Yamamoto offered viewers photographs and text reflecting his own experience as well as his father’s and other internees’ personal memories at Manzanar, a World War II Japanese American concentration camp. 25 The exhibition at Plaza de la Raza was organized in a similar way, showcasing artwork by another group of three artists. In Philadelphia, 1943, Judy Chan presented her painful memories in a World War II Japanese American concentration camp located at Poston, Arizona. Kori Newkirk communicated the struggle of his ancestors and family as African Americans in his work, Swings in the 24 Finding Family Stories Web site <http://www.janm.org/ffs>. 25 Finding Family Stories brochure (Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum,1996) 21-23. 41 Family Tree.... 26 Miguel Angel Reyes' portraits expressed a diverse set of faces, each inspired by his memory of the individuals he encountered during the journey from his hometown, Colima, Mexico to Los Angeles. 27 Unlike JANM and Plaza de la Raza, the Watts Towers Arts Center exhibited all six artists’ works at the same time. Overall, during the second year of Finding Family Stories, the public was able to appreciate artworks from three different communities at three different locations. Year 2: Outreach The second year of Finding Family Stories led to the creation of a pre-visit packet for school teachers. The purpose of creating such a packet was to allow teachers the opportunity to prepare for a field trip ahead of time. The packet included curriculum materials which encouraged teachers to let their students tell their family stories through art activities in the classroom. The packet also included an overall description of Finding Family Stories, a general background on each participating institution, the mission statement and programs of each participating 26 Finding Family Stories Web site <http://www.janm.org/ffs>. 27 Finding Family Stories brochure (Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum,1996) 19-21. 42 institution, artists’ biographies, information on school group visits, and a Finding Family Stories brochure. Another educational program was designed by the project team members in order to deepen students' exploration of family stories: a video documentary project entitled Home: Reflections on Family and Community. Each organization selected one college-aged intern from the Japanese American, African American, and Latino communities, respectively. The three interns selected from each community worked as a team in a comprehensive process from conception to the final product of a video documentary. Training sessions were offered to the interns so that they could learn oral history techniques, videography, and film editing. Under the guidance of the project staff, the team of interns also created interview questionnaires centered around issues of family, ethnic identity, homeland, and immigration. The interns then interviewed people from each ethnic community, using the interview questionnaires. The final product—a one-hour video documentary—was exhibited at each arts organization in conjunction with the overall Finding Family Stories exhibition. This video project was innovative in that it achieved two goals at the same time: it engaged college students in educational 43 pursuits and it involved local neighborhood people in community-building and gaining a better understanding of contemporary life through their personal stories. The project goal of engaging community youth in the creative process was also attained through a photography workshop and accompanying exhibition. JANM held a two-session photography workshop led by David Alan Yamamoto, a Finding Family Stories artist. During this two-session photography workshop, the participating youth could learn the basic techniques of photography and the working methods of professional photographers. The students received disposable cameras and were asked to take pictures of their neighborhood, documenting various community elements such as people, places, and objects. The final products produced by these youth were exhibited at the Kidspace Museum, Pasadena. Visitors to the photo exhibition could appreciate these pieces representing different neighborhoods seen through the innocent eyes of the youth. 44 Chapter Three. Finding Family Stories (Year 3): JANM + The Skirball Cultural Center + The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (1998) Figure 8. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Year 3) brochure, 1998 Source: The Japanese American National Museum, The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and The Skirball Cultural Center. The third year of Finding Family Stories was similar to the second year of the project. JANM collaborated with two Southern California-based cultural institutions in year three: the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the 45 Skirball Cultural Center. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History serves as Santa Barbara's only planetarium and observatory focusing on local history and the environment. Interestingly, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is not an “ethnic” cultural institution, like other affiliated institutions from previous years. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, however, was well-suited for the third year of Finding Family Stories in that it has one of the largest Chumash Indian collections in the United States. The Skirball Cultural Center, on the other hand, is a cultural institution especially designed to showcase Jewish American culture. It provides a wide range of Jewish related exhibitions, lectures, performances, and other public and educational programs for youth and adults. Six artists participated in the third year of Finding Family Stories. The selection process for participating artists remained the same as in the second year. Two artists were selected from the Japanese American community, two artists from the Jewish American community, and two artists from the California Native American community. The variety of the participating artists’ cultural backgrounds gave the audiences a chance to listen to family stories from an astonishing array of different California cultural communities. 46 As in the second year, a video project, this time entitled Reflections, was developed by three interns from the participating organizations. The final product of a one hour video documentary was exhibited at each venue in conjunction with the artwork for Finding Family Stories. According to Claudia Sobral, the project director of Finding Family Stories, a significant outcome of this three-year project was the way in which the partnering institutions began to take ownership of the project. Staff, interns, and volunteers started to use the word "we" when they referred to all the people involved in Finding Family Stories. Clearly it had become immaterial which specific institution each person had originally come from. 47 Chapter Four. Finding Family Stories (Second Phase): JANM + The Chinese American Museum + Self Help Graphics & Art + The California African American Museum (2000-2003) Figure 9. Cover of the Finding Family Stories (Second Phase) brochure, 2003 Source: The Japanese American National Museum, The Chinese American Museum, Self Help Graphics & Art, and The California African American Museum. The original plan of Finding Family Stories as a three-year art partnership project (1995-1998) evolved due to the project's popularity and viability. 28 Thus, as 28 Akemi Kikumura-Yano, Lane Ryo Hirabayashi, and James A. Hirabayashi, Common Ground: the Japanese American National Museum and the Culture of Collaborations (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005) 124. 48 a continuation of the original three-year project, Finding Family Stories persisted from 2000 to 2003 as a second phase project. For the initial three years of Finding Family Stories, JANM received grants from the James Irvine Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation, but for the second phase, which began in 2000, JANM was supported by grants from a wide range of civil and private organizations, including the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, California Arts Council, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Weingart Foundation. The second phase of Finding Family Stories was the most comprehensive project in that it was an accumulation of the previous three years (1995-1998). The number of partnering institutions had increased from two to three, which added more diversity to the content of the project. JANM’s three partnering institutions during this second phase were the California African American Museum, the Chinese American Museum, and Self-Help Graphics & Art. These four organizations shared much in common in that their mission statements all state a desire not only to preserve, interpret, and present the history and culture of an ethnic community 49 (Japanese American, African American, Chinese American, and Chicano) but also to embrace other ethnic communities within the diverse American heritage. 29 These common objectives bound each of the organizations together in a cross-cultural partnership that took shape as phase two of Finding Family Stories. The initial planning and preparation for the second phase of Finding Family Stories, which unfolded in 2003, began three years earlier in 2000. During the first meeting with the phase two project partners in 2000, all of the participating institutions contributed important innovations. They agreed on the new idea of allowing an open call to artists in the Los Angeles area. They also decided that artists should be involved in the entire process of the project, from the initial stage of conceptualizing, to the intermediate stage of exhibition development, to the final stage of creating artworks appropriate to the context of the project. Through a rigorous review process, eight artists from various ethnic backgrounds were identified by the project staff. Unlike previous years of Finding Family Stories, the ethnic distribution of the artists was not equal, although the gender ratio was equal, 29 Finding Family Stories brochure (Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 2003). 50 with four female artists selected and four male artists. The equal gender ratio made the audiences more sensitive to the diverse viewpoints from different gender groups. These eight artists were invited to participate in the organizing process, with a status equal to any other project team members or staff. In addition to the artists, board members from each organization were invited to participate in the organizing process, so that common goals and a vision for the project could be achieved in a more equitable way. The purpose of selecting artists through open call and of engaging the artists, as well as board members, in the development process was to create a more meaningful exhibition through intensified collaboration and application of a democratic ideology reflecting all voices involved in the project. During the three year preparation period from 2000 to 2003, the artists had sufficient time to learn about the goals and the overall concept of the project. Their artworks were inspired by the ongoing discussions and roundtable meetings with other project team members. Conversely, staff or board members involved in the project could learn artistic, creative aspects from the participating artists through the mechanism of the collaborative process. Emphasizing the importance of cross- cultural exchange between different groups, the partnering board members 51 developed a common statement of purpose: “We work together to inspire the public to value diversity, nurture creativity, honor our histories, engage in dialogue, and collaborate to build strong communities within our urban environment.” 30 The culmination of the second phase of Finding Family Stories was the art exhibition presented in 2003. The eight participating artists’ new and existing artworks were exhibited concurrently at four different venues between March and July 2003, with slightly different exhibition dates depending on the institutions. The theme of these works was not restricted only to family stories, but was broadened to "what we are, who we are, where we are from, and where we live now." The exhibition was quite different from other historically-based museum exhibitions. It was an art exhibition providing individual artists with the opportunity to show their creative styles based on their own beliefs and personal histories. The free spirit and open-ended themes of the individual artists’ works allowed the audiences to begin a contemplation of themselves, their families, communities, and cultural roots, and fostered dialogue amongst disparate community members. 30 Finding Family Stories Web site <http://www.janm.org/ffs>. 52 During the project's second phase, an official Finding Family Stories Web site (http://www.janm.org/ffs) was developed as a section of JANM to enable the public to have easier access to background information and the artworks of the Finding Family Stories project. If the public did not have a chance to experience the first phase of Finding Family Stories, the Web site could be easily checked for images of the artworks, along with artists’ biography, and related essays on each exhibition. 53 Chapter Five. Conclusion Cross-cultural, cross-institutional collaboration is not easy to achieve. Claudia Sobral, Project Director of Finding Family Stories, states, “Collaboration is no simple task. While ambiguity allows for multiple interpretations and perspectives, in reality it often causes confusion and anxiety.” 31 Because of differences in ethnic and institutional backgrounds, it is almost inevitable that partners will face discord and tensions in the process. In addition, it can take a long time for all partners involved to form a consensus. Patience, commitment, flexibility, and negotiation are a must for a successful cross-cultural collaboration. 32 Even though there are many difficulties involved in collaboration, why is a cross-cultural partnership project similar to Finding Family Stories needed in a multi-cultural society? Here are the four factors that made Finding Family Stories successful. 31 Finding Family Stories brochure (Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 2003) 10. 32 Maria-Rosario Jackson, “Coming to the Center of Community Life,” Mastering Civic Engagement: A Challenge to Museums (American Association of Museums, 2002) 34. 54 1) Ongoing Communication and Dialogue Ongoing communications and meetings between partnering institutions were the key elements that made the project’s evolution possible. Every project staff member was involved in decision-making steps throughout the process, from deciding on the content of marketing materials to selecting the specific date for the exhibition's opening and reception. During the artist selection process, project staff from each partnering institution reviewed artists’ slides and presentation materials and decided which artists were appropriate for the Finding Family Stories project. At the end of each year, project staff from each institution also gathered and discussed results from the project, including which components of the project worked and which did not work. If some strategies used in that year’s project were not effective, then project staff suggested alternative ways to improve the components of the project. Some institutions are reluctant to work with other institutions because of the necessity of incorporating foreign ideas. But JANM and its partnering institutions were responsive to each other's opinions. They worked together, gaining common ground and adopting a common mission. Sharing opinions and responses regarding 55 the project helped build strong relationships between project team members. Using notes from the de-briefing meetings from the previous year, JANM could improve and implement Finding Family Stories the following year. In this way, the Finding Family Stories project evolved continuously from its genesis in 1995 to its conclusion in 2003. 2) Outreach to the Community through Public Programs Finding Family Stories directly engaged community members through Artists Workshops, Artists Talks, and educational outreach such as the curriculum material compiled for school teachers. Artists Workshops were designed to encourage the public to participate in the creation of artworks with help from professional artists. The participants were taught special artistic techniques that the professional artists themselves employed for their own exhibited works. Artists Talks helped the audience gain a deeper understanding of the background information and cultural meanings of artworks by letting the artists’ voices be heard. A two-day seminar put on by the Museum Studies Program of the University of Southern California encouraged students to use Finding Family Stories project as 56 an educational model and to create their own Finding Family Stories project. A pre-visit packet was created for school teachers in order to facilitate preparation for field trips. This packet included curriculum materials which encouraged activities in which students tell their family stories through classroom art activities. The video documentary project engaged college-aged interns from partnering organizations and taught them how to create video documentaries. The interns made interview questionnaires and interviewed community members. The video project was valuable in achieving two goals at the same time by engaging college students in educational objectives and also involving neighborhood people in civic participation and cultural activities. 3) Diversity of the Project Finding Family Stories is a project pursuing multiculturalism, the contemporary ideal goal of many multi-ethnic cities, including Los Angeles. 33 Multiculturalism is not premised on the removal or assimilation of minority characteristics. It does not intend for the minority to be subsumed by the majority. 33 Hildebrand 10. 57 The meaning and intent of the ideals of multiculturalism imply a coexistence of subordinate cultures with the dominant culture in a society that demonstrates mutual respect for one another’s differences and that tolerates the right of minority groups to express their own cultures freely. 34 In this way, diversity becomes a source of strength, helping promote unity through acknowledgement of the differences between cultures. JANM invited several cultural institutions from different ethnic backgrounds for each year of the Finding Family Stories project. The participating institutions were able to present the culture and heritage of their own ethnic community through art. The artists, who hailed from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds, had diverse viewpoints and experiences revolving around the theme of family stories. At any given venue, the audience had a chance to see artworks by six to eight artists from two to four different institutions. Engaging numerous artists and institutions for one project was an effective way to attain a multiculturalism that reflected multiple voices, leading to a better understanding of the cultures and history of various ethnic groups within Los Angeles. Finding common ground in the 34 Schaefer 30. 58 universality of family stories, the artworks made visitors from different ethnic communities feel closer and more connected to each other. Collaborating with multiple institutions also allowed the participating institutions to learn new strategies. 4) Innovative Art Exhibit The innovativeness of Finding Family Stories was the way in which it shattered preconceptions about what museums usually do. There were no barriers regarding genre or style in the overall conception of the exhibition. People who came to see the Finding Family Stories exhibits were shocked to find contemporary artworks in museums more known for history exhibits. Instead of focusing on the presentation of historical facts, however, Finding Family Stories focused on each artist’s creativity and personal vision. 35 The artists were encouraged to explore the themes of culture, history, ethnic heritage, self-identity, and family. The flexibility in the art themes stimulated the visitor’s imagination and enabled each visitor to contemplate freely, reflecting on their own experiences. 35 John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking, Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning (Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2000) 225. 59 The physical venues also were indicative of an innovative vision. At one point, Finding Family Stories exhibition was held at four different cultural institutions at the same time. Visiting only one institution would not have allowed the audience to imagine what the exhibition was really about, the process of its creation, and what the objectives were. People who came to see the exhibition at one venue were obliged to go visit another partnering institution in order to grasp the full concept of the Finding Family Stories project. Seeing Japanese artists’ works at Plaza de la Raza and African American artists’ work at JANM gave visitors the opportunity to think about the nature of cross-cultural and cross-institutional collaboration. No barriers separated ethnic or cultural groups. Finding Family Stories was a free, open-minded, democratic place where anyone could come and share their family and community stories and respect different cultures. The project brought together artists, ethnic-specific organizations, and diverse ethnic communities in the Los Angeles area. “Sharing” has the power of bringing everyone together. 60 Bibliography A Decade of Leadership 2005 catalogue. Los Angeles: Korean American Museum, 2005. American Immigration. vol. 7, Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 1999. An Exhibition: Comfort Women brochure. Los Angeles: Korean American Museum, 1995. Art Institute of Chicago. African Americans in Art: selections from the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago: The Art Institute, 1999. Dreams & Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian International Gallery, 2003. “Exhibition Proposal Guidelines.” Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). 28 Feb. 2007. <http://www.sites.si.edu/about/proposals2.htm>. Falk, John H. and Lynn D. Dierking. Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2000. “FFS in the Classroom.” Finding Family Stories Web site <http://www.janm.org/exhibits/ffs/education.html>. Finding Family Stories Web site <http://www.janm.org/ffs>. Finding Family Stories brochure. Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 1995. Finding Family Stories brochure. Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 1996. 61 Finding Family Stories brochure. Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 1998. Finding Family Stories brochure. Los Angeles: Japanese American National Museum, 2003. Greenfield, Mark. Personal Interview. 31 Jan. 2007. Green Light: Twenty Young Korean Artists in New York. New York, NY: Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Service, 2004. “Guidelines for Exhibition Proposals.” Experimental Art Foundation. 28 Feb. 2007 <http://www.eaf.asn.au/guid.html>. Hall, Robert L. Gathered Visions: selected works by African American women artists. Washington, D.C.: Anacostia Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1992. Hanami, Clement. Personal Interview. 1 Dec. 2006. Hildebrand, Charlotte, ed. Finding Family Stories. Los Angeles: The Japanese American National Museum, 1998. Jackson, Maria-Rosario. “Coming to the Center of Community Life.” Mastering Civic Engagement: A Challenge to Museums. American Association of Museums, 2002. Japanese American National Museum Quarterly. vol. 11, no. 3, winter 1996. Japanese American National Museum Web site <www.janm.org>. “KAM Mission Statement.” Korean American Museum 20 Dec. 2006 <http://www.kamuseum.org/about/base.htm>. 62 Kikumura-Yano, Akemi, Lane Ryo Hirabayashi, and James A. Hirabayashi. Common Ground: the Japanese American National Museum and the Culture of Collaborations. Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005. Kim, Elaine H. “Home is Where the Han is.” Asian American Studies: a Reader. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2000. Kim, Sojin. Personal Interview. 1 Nov. 2006. Klein, Kenneth. Personal Interview. 24 Oct. 2006. “Korean Americans.” Dictionary of American History. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1996: Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 6 Dec. 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>. “Koreans.” American Immigration Cultures. Simon & Schuster Macmillian, 1997: Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 6 Dec. 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>. Korean American Museum Newsletter, KAMera Jan. 1996, 2nd issue. Korean American Museum Web site <www.kamuseum.org>. “Koreatown Map, 2000.” Korean American Coalition Los Angeles, Census Information Center (KACLA-CIC) in partnership with the Center for Korean American and Korean Studies at CSLA <http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/census/ktmap1.pdf>. Kurin, Richard. “The New Study and Curation of Culture.” The Politics of Culture: Policy Perspectives for Individuals, Institutions, and Communities. The Center for Arts and Culture: The New Press, NY , 2000. 63 Lim, Yujin. Personal Interview. 10 Oct. 2006. Mesa-Bains, Amalia. “The Real Multiculturalism: A Struggle for Authority and Power.” Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift . Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004. “Museum Information.” Japanese American National Museum 20 Dec. 2006 <http://www.janm.org/about>. Schaefer, Richard T. Racial and Ethnic Groups. 8 th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice hall, 2000. Song, Kay. Personal Interview. 26 Oct. 2006. Spitz, Jennifer Amdur and Margaret Thom, ed. Urban Network: Museums Embracing Communities. Chicago: Field Museum, 2003. “Temporary Exhibition Procedures.” San Jose Museum of Art 28 Feb. 2007 <http://www.sjmusart.org/content/exhibitions/proposal>. “The Ransom Center Exhibition Manual.” the Harry Ransom Center 28 Feb. 2007 <http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/about/conservation/resources/manual>. U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census 2000 14 Dec. 2006 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html>. Yamamoto, David. Personal Interview. 29 Nov. 2006. 64 Appendix: Proposal for a Cross-Cultural Collaborative Exhibition between The Korean American Museum & The California African American Museum For this proposal, I will utilize the most successful elements of JANM’s Finding Family Stories and develop a similar cross-cultural collaborative exhibition for two community-based cultural institutions, the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum. The two museums have had no prior collaborative projects. The intent of this proposal is to inspire other community- based institutions and museums to discover ways in which they can collaborate and interact with other organizations to serve their common objectives. Proposed Title Art, Culture, and Identity: Two Cultures in Search of Understanding Proposed Commissioning Agency The Korean American Museum (KAM) 65 Proposed Partnering Institution The California African American Museum (CAAM) Proposed Project Overview Art, Culture, and Identity: Two Cultures in Search of Understanding is a cross-cultural collaborative art exhibition, which will explore contemporary artwork of Korean Americans and African Americans, particularly analyzing the relationship between culture and identity. This is not a typical art exhibit showing artwork created by Korean Americans and African Americans. It is focused rather on the whole cross-cultural collaborative process from conceptualization to implementation of the exhibit and public programs. Art, Culture, and Identity values cultural diversity as a source of strength and examines how specific cultural backgrounds affect the identity and artwork of each artist. Through a collaborative process, KAM and CAAM will address the conflicts that have existed between Korean Americans and African Americans since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The exhibit will encourage the two ethnic groups to understand 66 each other’s similarities and differences through the language of visual art. Art, Culture, and Identity is premised on the belief that ethnic and racial groups can gain a better understanding of the rich cultural diversity in the Southern California region and enrich their own cultural knowledge and creativity through this type of collaborative art project. Background of the Partnering Institution (CAAM) The California African American Museum first began operation in 1981 at a temporary location inside the California Science Center. In July 1984, it was formally established at its current venue in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. CAAM holds a wide range of traditional and contemporary artworks by African Americans. Focusing on the visual arts, CAAM has been committed to providing diverse art exhibitions and educational programs focused on the African American community in the Los Angeles area. 67 Relationship between Korean Americans and African Americans During the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, friction between Korean Americans and African Americans drew national and international attention. During the 1980s and 1990s, racial tensions between Korean immigrant merchants and African American neighbors had been steadily building up. In the poorer neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Korean Americans had taken over the majority of local grocery, liquor, and gasoline station businesses, which were previously owned mostly by African Americans. The African American community resented the proliferation of Korean-owned businesses in black neighborhoods. Due to cultural differences, the African American customers often perceived these Korean American business owners as being rude and arrogant towards black people. During the 1980s and 1990s, there was an alarming rise in the number of Korean American merchants murdered by African Americans. During the month of April 1986, four Korean American merchants were shot to death in African American neighborhoods in South Central Los Angeles. 36 The 1991 shooting of an African American girl, Latasha Harlins, by a Korean American grocer, Soon Ja Du, 36 “Korean Americans,” Dictionary of American History (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1996): Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 6 Dec. 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>. 68 in a dispute over a payment in a Los Angeles liquor store exacerbated the already tense relations between these two ethnic groups. 37 This conflict exploded on April 29, 1992 in South Central Los Angeles. Looting African Americans began targeting retailers in South Central Los Angeles, especially stores owned by Koreans. Approximately 2,280 Korean businesses were destroyed and approximately 400 million dollars were needed to repair the physical damage. 38 Since 1992, relations have improved between Korean Americans and African Americans, but progress still needs to be made. Proposed Advisory Committee The Advisory Committee for Art, Culture, and Identity will play various roles, including providing advice and feedback regarding the artist selection process, and the development of the art exhibition and affiliated public programs. KAM and CAAM will select six arts-related professionals from their respective communities to serve on the Advisory Committee. Candidates may include professors in studio art, 37 Elaine H. Kim, “Home is Where the Han is,” Asian American Studies: a Reader (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2000) 285. 38 “Korean Americans,” Dictionary of American History, 6 Dec. 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>. 69 art history, Korean American Studies, and African American Studies; a former or current director of the Korean Cultural Center; and a former or current director of the African American Cultural Center. The Advisory Committee members will meet once every month to discuss logistics related to exhibits and public programming. Target Audience The African American and Korean American communities as well as other ethnic communities mainly in the Southern California region Proposed Dates April 2009 to August 2009 Proposed Venue The exhibition will be held in Gallery II at the California African American Museum. The Korean American Museum is limited to only one exhibition gallery, and LA Koreatown is currently on permanent display in the gallery. 70 Proposed Goals for the Participating Museums 1) Facilitating and maintaining partnerships between the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum 2) Attracting a more diverse audience by addressing the urgent need for different communities to understand each other’s art and culture 3) Sharing information, strategies, and effective practices with the partnering institution through a collaborative working process 4) Increasing awareness of the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum in the community Proposed Goals for the Public 1) Fostering dialogue and unity between the two different ethnic communities in Southern California 2) Providing an opportunity for youth to participate in the creative process through the implementation of public programs 3) Promoting a public understanding of the rich cultural diversity in the United States 4) Prompting visitors to ask themselves about their own cultural identities as a reaction to the exhibited artwork 71 Proposed Artist Selection Process The process of selecting artists to exhibit in Art, Culture, and Identity will involve a combination of nominations and direct selection by both the project staff and the Advisory Committee members. KAM and CAAM staff will provide their own lists of recommended artists, and invite the artists to submit slides and other submittal materials. After reviewing the submitted materials, the project staff and the Advisory Committee will select the final list of six artists, all of whom should be from Southern California (three will address the Korean American identity and the other three will express the African American identity in their works). The finalists will be informed that they have been selected for this project. Proposed Timeline for Art, Culture, and Identity April 2008: Art, Culture, and Identity project team (KAM & CAAM project staff and Advisory Committee) formed April 2008 - April 2009: Project team (KAM & CAAM staff and the Advisory Committee) meetings to discuss the overall project, including artist selection, artworks, exhibition, public programming, and promotion (As 72 Finding Family Stories’ successful elements were ongoing communications and regular meetings between the partnering institutions, Art, Culture, and Identity will also have several project team meetings during this period.) May 2008: Artists submit slides and other submittal materials for consideration May 2008 – June 2008: Review artists’ submittals Select and notify artists February 2009: Artists submit their artworks for the exhibit February 2009 - April 2009: Advertisement and promotion plan roll out April 2009: Artwork installation Exhibition opening April 2009 - August 2009: Exhibition and ongoing public programs August 2009: Exhibition closing Proposed Exhibition If the museums are agreeable, the exhibition can be held from April 2009 to August 2009 at CAAM. Each artist will exhibit three artworks: one of them shall 73 be a new work created specifically for the Art, Culture, and Identity exhibit and the other two artworks shall be either existing artwork or new artwork. The artworks can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional and can encompass a variety of media including sculptures, paintings, drawings, photography, digital, multimedia, and video documentaries. Three-dimensional and two-dimensional artworks will be arranged in spatially interesting ways with the input of museum curatorial staff, depending on the theme and materials used in the works. Artwork dimensions and weight will take into account existing gallery constraints. At the entrance of the exhibition gallery, visitors will receive exhibition brochures, calendars of events, membership applications, and educational art activities packets. Proposed Artwork Art, Culture, and Identity will showcase eighteen pieces of visual art of three contemporary Korean American artists and three contemporary African American artists. Artworks will focus on the issues of cultural identity and will express how each culture affected the identity of each artist. Whether the artists use paper or bronze as their artistic media, whether the work is politically neutral or radical, the 74 artists will share a common concern with cultural identity in their work. The following are examples of some possible participating artists and their artwork. Actual artist selection, as previously noted, will be the responsibility of the museum project staff and the Advisory Committee. Examples of Works that Address Korean American Identity Figure 10. Dae Seung Seo, 06/03/1935, from the series of My Old Ladies, 2003. Duratrans on lightbox, 20” × 16” × 4.5” Source: Green Light: Twenty Young Korean Artists in New York (New York, NY: Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Service, 2004) 39. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 75 The artist, Dae Seung Seo says of his artwork: I began taking funeral portraits while working as a volunteer photographer at the Korean American senior center in Flushing, Queens. In Korean culture, formally posed funeral portraits are used in mourning rituals and as mementos…My work reflects my wish to put the souls and memories of these women into their images. This project has become more than a straightforward or documentary record of these senior women. It also represents my emotional interpretation of these women, based on the deep and powerful feelings I have in their presence. 39 Figure 11. Chong Gon Byun, Bach Sonatas in G & D Major, 1995. Oil on cello, 53” × 16 ½” × 7” Source: Dreams & Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian International Gallery, 2003) 23. 39 Green Light: Twenty Young Korean Artists in New York (New York, NY: Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Service, 2004) 38. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 76 In Bach Sonatas in G & D Major, we can see the combination of the Eastern culture (the painted image of a traditional Korean Buddha) and the Western culture (using a cello as a medium), but there is also the coexistence of the past (the discarded, old cello) and the present (the painted image of the astronauts). The artist, Chong Gon Byun states: Throughout Korea’s history, it has been customary for one generation to pass along ancestral objects to the next. Even an object that is no longer useful has a unique history and a story to tell. The passage of time gives it social, cultural, political, and cultural significance-which might or might not correctly reflect the past. Pinpointing this aspect has become central to my work. 40 40 Dreams & Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian International Gallery, 2003) 22. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 77 Figure 12. Sumita Kim, Generatrix, 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 60” × 40” Source: Dreams & Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian International Gallery, 2003) 51. In Generatrix, viewers can feel a strong sense of anguish and gravity through the dark tone of the coloration and the crouching posture of the subject. Sumita Kim says: Immigration certainly was a rite of passage that marked a physical and cultural transformation of my existence…My paintings are reflections of memories, desires, and emotions that have been within me even before I was born. My canvases are nets thrown into the sea of the subconscious. Through the act of painting, I try to embrace the foundation of my existence. 41 41 Dreams & Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art, 50. 78 Examples of Works that Address African American Identity Figure 13. Viola Burley Leak, Field Trilogy, 1985. Cotton, chintz, yarn, and metallic thread Source: Robert L. Hall, Gathered Visions: selected works by African American women artists (Washington, D.C.: Anacostia Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1992) 12. In this sewn fabric work, Field Trilogy, Viola Burley Leak expresses African American history and survival and the strength and persistence of African American traditions. Cotton pickers are brought to life in this work, a sculpture that employs the deliberate placement of a black woman flanked by two of smaller size. 42 42 Robert L. Hall, Gathered Visions: selected works by African American women artists (Washington, D.C.: Anacostia Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1992) 13. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 79 Figure 14. Carrie Mae Weems, For Your Names You Took Hope & Humble, from the series From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried, 1995. Chromogenic color print, overlaid with text sandblasted in glass, 23 ½” × 19 ½” Source: Art Institute of Chicago. African Americans in Art: selections from the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: The Art Institute, 1999) 118. In this piece, Carrie Mae Weems depicts anonymous African American individuals. Their gestures and formal clothing convey a sense of solemnity and silence. The accompanying text (“For Your Names You Took/Hope & Humble”) along with the image of four African American males, possesses an air of irony: African Americans were forced - sometimes violently, as suggested by the red tone Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 80 of the photograph - to assume the virtuous but self-effacing attitudes of “hope” and “humble” in order to survive the oppression they experienced. 43 Figure 15. Willie Robert Middlebrook, Untitled, from the series Portrait of My People, 1990. Gelatin silver print with chemical manipulations, 54” × 96” Source: Art Institute of Chicago. African Americans in Art: selections from the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: The Art Institute, 1999) 122. This work shows us the face of an African American woman. Except her eyes, viewers cannot tell much about the subject’s clothing, hairstyle, or skin color. This obscurity prevents viewers from harboring the stereotype that all African 43 Art Institute of Chicago. African Americans in Art: selections from the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: The Art Institute, 1999) 119. Copyrighted image ; for more information, contact the thesis author. 81 Americans look alike and also makes viewers feel the sense of loss, grief, and compassion the work exudes. 44 Proposed Public Programs In addition to the exhibition, KAM and CAAM will outreach to the community through various kinds of public programs. Museum members, as well as the general public, will have a chance to attend on opening night. Music and dance will be performed by local Korean American and African American troupes. Performances will be in thematic kinship with the overall exhibit concept. Presentations and speeches by dignitaries, funders, museum representatives, artists, and others will be part of the opening festivities. Artists workshops, artists talks, and creative art activities for children, and guided tours at CAAM and KAM will be scheduled. Furthermore, CAAM and KAM will coordinate a temporary online exhibition on their Web sites, presenting children’s artworks related to the concept of the Art, Culture, and Identity exhibition. Children will create artworks, reflecting their ethnic roots and heritage. CAAM and 44 Art Institute of Chicago.122-123. 82 KAM staff will present the images of the children’s works on their Web sites, and new artworks will be shown every other week. Proposed Budget KAM will submit a grant proposal for the Art, Culture, and Identity exhibition to several organizations, including the California Arts Council, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs as well as the National Endowment for the Arts. As the fiscal receiver, KAM will manage the entire budget for the project. CAAM will be asked to submit a detailed list of budget categories (i.e. artists’ fees, exhibition installation, overhead expenses, public programming fees, staff salary, etc.) to KAM, and then KAM will pay the fees according to the submitted budget and contractual agreement. Proposed Promotions & Advertisements CAAM and KAM will utilize multiple promotional strategies to promote the Art, Culture, and Identity exhibition, including press releases, printed materials, and Web site. Press packets will be produced for distribution to local newspapers, 83 journals, magazines, and local and regional media outlets. Distribution will include selected non-English language media sources. Printed materials, such as program brochures, posters, and postcards, will be used to promote the exhibition and related public programs. Web sites for the exhibit will be created as sub-sections on the CAAM and KAM Web sites to provide information on the project, including the overall concept of the project, images of the artworks, artists’ biographies, the schedule of public and educational programs, and also to receive public feedback. The KAM Web site will have a direct link to the CAAM Web site and the CAAM Web site will have a direct link to the KAM Web site. Proposed Video & Photo Documentation The exhibition and affiliated public programs will be documented via video and photo. Documentation can be useful for future fundraising. Professional documentation expenses will be included in the grant requests. 84 Proposed Evaluation Survey forms for evaluation will be placed at or in proximity to the exhibition so that visitors can give feedback on the exhibit. These forms will also be distributed to attendees after each public program session. The evaluation forms will be posted on the CAAM and KAM Web sites. A post project de-briefing meeting, involving project staff, the Advisory Committee, and the participating artists, will be held to assess the effectiveness of the project based on event reports, attendance counts, and the evaluation forms. The entire process of the exhibit, from its origin to its conclusion, will be reviewed, as well as the efficacy of the collaborative process in achieving the desired outcomes. Finally, the Advisory Committee, staff, and artists will discuss the ways in which the project can be improved.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract In this thesis, I examine Finding Family Stories, a cross-cultural, cross-institutional collaborative art project between various museums in the Los Angeles area from 1995 to 2003. As ethnic-specific institutions, the Japanese American National Museum and the Korean American Museum collaborated during the first year of the project, exhibiting artworks by Korean Americans and Japanese Americans at both venues concurrently. Through this cultural exchange, Korean Americans and Japanese Americans, as well as other ethnic communities, could learn the similarities and differences between the two cultures within the context of the multicultural society of Los Angeles. My thesis emphasizes the need for more multicultural and cross-cultural collaborative projects amongst community-based cultural institutions in Los Angeles. I conclude with a proposal for a collaborative project between the Korean American Museum and the California African American Museum as a way towards addressing long-standing tensions between these two groups since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.

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