On May 10, 2014, over 500 people captured more than 2,000 moments through a collection of photos and films for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. The result, after curation, is today’s opening of A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America 2014.
Statement of Appreciation from Guest Curator Eddie Wong
When the idea of doing “A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America” percolated in my head, I knew deep down that the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center would be the ideal home for this online exhibit. Although it is a small and relatively new institution, its spirit is large and it embraces the mission to blaze new paths in interpreting the American experience through the lens of Asian Pacific America wholeheartedly.
I want to thank Smithsonian APAC and Curator Adriel Luis for growing this project from idea to reality. As you can see, the scope of the project is extensive, and we could not have achieved this without the generosity of all the photographers and videographers donated hours of work to help create this global portrait of APA life.
As someone who has worked in the APA cultural field for decades, I’m gratified to see that the spirit of cooperation burns brightly among our community and arts organizations. When the call went out to help publicize the project, many organizations stepped forward willingly and several went even further by sponsoring photography workshops and events to further build a sense of community among the artists who would band together on May 10, 2014.
I hope that viewers will not only see the commonality among our diverse APA lives but also appreciate the potential of our united communities. As we launch this exhibit on July 4, we assert our place in the U.S. and offer to it all our beauty, wishes, hopes and dreams.
