The article reviews "Legacies: Asian American Art Movements in New York City," an exhibition at 80WSE in New York, curated by Howie Chen, Jayne Cole Southard, and christina ong, running from September 11 to December 20, 2024. Billed as the first institutional survey of Asian American artists in New York City, the show features 90 artists and spans the period from 1969 to 2001, centering on three key organizations: Godzilla: Asian American Art Network, the Basement Workshop, and the Asian American Arts Centre. The exhibition highlights how many of these artists did not solely make work about their race, complicating the link between identity and art, and includes lesser-known pieces such as David Diao's 1974 painting "Odd Man Out" and a provocative 1985 photograph by Hanh Thi Pham.
This exhibition matters because it fills a significant gap in art history by formally recognizing the contributions of Asian American artists who were marginalized by mainstream institutions. By staging the show at a small university-affiliated space rather than a major museum, it underscores the vital role of smaller institutions in advancing underrepresented narratives. The show also challenges simplistic readings of identity-based art, offering a nuanced view of how artists navigated race, protest, and aesthetics. A special mention is given to "Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica" at the Art Institute of Chicago, which similarly surveys Pan-Africanism across continents and decades.