The Audacity to be Asian in Rural America: we owe you no apologies by Nancy XiáoRong Valentine

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Artist Statement

The Audacity to be Asian in Rural America: we owe you no apologies is a series of 12 watercolor and Chinese ink scroll paintings on rice paper that visually tells the story of the Hao family’s Chinese American immigrant experience in rural west central Minnesota.

This series of works was created as a deeply personal reflective exploration and development of understanding of my family’s immigrant experiences through my artistry. As well as a form of representation, or a showcased reminder, to rural community members that people of Asian descent do, indeed, live, work, play, dwell, occupy and visit rural regions – and are deserving of the same human dignity and honor in their authentic existance as their non-Asian neighbors.

I’m well aware, and will honestly admit, that this series could never speak on behalf of all, or even most of, Asian American Pacific Island community members in rural spaces. But what I’m also well aware of is how few stories I’ve encountered that even make mention of Asian Americans living in rural spaces. “Asian” and “Rural” are two identities that intersect and foster a unique experience, but that experience is not new.

Through the use of water sourced from Long Lake (Otter Tail County, MN), traditional Chinese artist supplies and featuring the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, I invite you to take a glimpse into the lives of the Hao family: my mother (ox), grandmother (dog), grandfather (pig) and myself (monkey). Each scroll painting tells a different story about my family through my contemporary impressionistic illustrations of each zodiac animal’s traditionally reputed attributes, symbolism, expressive brush strokes and color choice.

Through sharing these paintings and lived-experiences, I hope that rural community members, especially white folks, will realize and begin to further acknowledge that Asian people do, and will continue to, exist in rural spaces. I also hope that Asian people will feel encouraged and empowered to have the “audacity” to continue existing in rural spaces more fully, authentically and unapologetically.

Thank you for making the time to see this exhibit, engage with my artwork, listen to my family’s story and honor their lives with the dignity they have always been deserving of.

The Audacity to be Asian in Rural America: we owe you no apologies is a part of Artists Respond: Equitable Rural Futures, a project of Springboard for the Arts supported by the Blandin Foundation.