Get Real on the Reel

Senior Capstone

Speaking to the lack of Asian-American visibility in Hollywood, as a young, Asian American woman, it’s difficult to relate to the mainstream media (ex. Hollywood) that perpetuates the Asian stereotypes ranging from dragon lady martial artists to geeks and perpetual foreigners.

In my senior capstone project, I wanted to inform others about the continuing pattern of whitewashing in Hollywood and shed light on the impact that misrepresentation and underrepresentation can have on an individual. My installation piece presented infographics on Hollywood statistics and offered an interactive way for the viewer to be ‘represented’ while looking at his/her reflection in a mirror that placed them in a movie poster setting. Participants were also given the opportunity to draw on blank character cards to create their own diverse characters.

Another portion of my installation utilized lenticular cards that created a sense of ‘reveal’. With underrepresentation in Hollywood only beginning to come forward as a major issue, the reveal of the cards relate to the hidden problem of the invisibility of minorities.