|
By Anya Shukla Specializing in intricate line work, gorgeous oil-on-canvas pieces, and eye-catching murals, Esmeralda Vasquez is a multidisciplinary artist who often incorporates symbolism and minimalism into her work. Vasquez grew up in Yakima, Washington, and now lives in Seattle, where she has recently begun breaking into the art scene: she had her first art show in February and works as a teaching artist for Urban ArtWorks, a local nonprofit that helps youth create public art.
0 Comments
 Alka Joshi uses her writing to showcase a lesser-known side of India. Photo credit: Garry Bailey. By Anya Shukla In 2020, Alka Joshi—at 62 years old—published her debut novel, “The Henna Artist.” Set in 1950s India, her book caught the world’s attention, becoming a bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick. Joshi currently has several projects in the works: she received a Netflix deal for a TV adaptation of “The Henna Artist,” published her second book, “The Secret Keeper of Jaipur,” to acclaim in 2021, and is researching a third. That being said, Joshi’s path to this success has been circuitous. She spent the majority of her career in advertising and public relations before getting her MFA in 2008, then took 10 years to perfect her first novel. I spoke with Joshi to learn how her career path impacted her writing and what her first book meant to her.
 "My art comes from and explores the truth: the ugly truth and the beauty of truth as well," says Lash O'Cain. By Anya Shukla Lash O’Cain is drawn to artwork that questions contemporary culture. The 20-year-old press operator is primarily a writer—she creates poetry, songs, short stories, and screenplays— and plans to pursue film at college in the future. Yet despite the diversity of disciplines, O’Cain’s pieces have a clear focus on our shared humanity, her personal identity, and the ways in which the two intersect.
 "Hip-hop is such a beautiful outlet for expression," says rapper Aurelio Valdez-Barajas. (Photo credit by Kaysha on Unsplash.) By Anya Shukla Aurelio Valdez-Barajas values meaningful artistry. The Seattle-born rapper incorporates his passion for social justice with his music career: Valdez-Barajas’ verses are steeped in Mexican and Mexican American history. Even as he expands his skillset to include directing and education, Valdez-Barajas continues to use his artistic talents to make an impact.
 Actor, producer, director, and so much more, Sara Porkalob. Photo credit: Justin Huertas. By Anya Shukla Over the past few years, Sara Porkalob’s name has become synonymous with the Seattle theater scene. Porkalob, it seems, has done it all. She co-founded and wrote intersectional arts criticism for an online publication, DeConstruct; acted and sang in "DRAGON CYCLE," her critically-acclaimed trilogy of solo shows; used art to address issues of racial equity through the City of Seattle; and will soon be performing on Broadway in the 2021 revival of “1776.” Yet despite its varied mediums, Porkalob’s work always intersects with her personal mission of activism: empowering, uplifting, and sharing resources and power with BIPOC communities.
By Anya Shukla Lauren Ko is one of Instagram’s most famous pie designers, with a feed covered in eye-catching fruit slices, wavy strips of all-butter dough, and mouthwatering funfetti Oreo crusts. She started her pie account in 2017—growing her following to more than 418,000 people over the past three years—and recently published a book, "Pieometry." Although she never dreamed that she would become a full-time baker, Lauren’s success is well-deserved: her colorful, geometric pies elevate her medium from a dessert to an art form.
By Aaron Zhang and Stellan Min Min Jin Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of "Free Food For Millionaires" and "Pachinko." Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Queens, New York, Ms. Lee studied at the Bronx High School of Science and at Yale University. On March 17, Ms. Lee graciously met with Stellan Min and Aaron Zhang over Zoom to talk about literature, identity, and history. Q: How did immigrating and growing up in Queens, New York inspire you? What was your experience attending elite institutions like Yale and the Bronx High School of Science? A: I loved growing up in Queens, and I love the Bronx High School of Science, not because I'm a science student, but because I know that it's possible for people of different backgrounds to live in peace, to form a community. If I grew up in a monoracial environment, it would just be imagination. I think that I have a stronger vantage point because of my experiences of heterogeneity and diversity and inclusiveness. It's not perfect, but it's possible. And that gives me an enormous amount of strength about the things that I argue about.
By NhiVan Tran and Hallie Xu Recently, Sia’s movie “Music” incited heavy criticism due to the film’s problematic portrayal of autism. This controversy brings up the underlying issue of prejudice and representation in arts and entertainment. We were fortunate to sit down with Naomi André to discuss this lingering trend in the art industry. André’s speech was a blend of vivid personal experiences and lessons from operas, all framed by her research around representation of race and gender in artistic settings. André currently works with the Seattle Opera as the inaugural Scholar in Residence. In the opera community, racial issues pertain to both the material they perform and the representation in cast. André first began her diversity work for the Seattle Opera as a panelist for the operas “Porgy and Bess'' and “Carmen,” eventually leading her to a consulting role with the company. While both of these works contain art that is highly regarded and appreciated, they contain racial negative stereotypes that needed to be addressed, raising the question “how do you bring a story like [Porgy and Bess], and introduce both the white and the non-Black, and the Black communities to this?” This was where André first stepped in and what she continues to advise on today.
 London's Royal Opera House, where Angel Blue performed as Violetta in the opera "La Traviata." By Aaron Zhang and Anya Shukla Angel Blue is an operatic soprano who has performed lead roles and solos at the Los Angeles Opera, the Frankfurt Opera, and the Berlin Philharmonic, among others. She has played characters such as Violetta in "La Traviata," Musetta and Mimi in "La Bohème," and Tosca in "Tosca." We spoke with her to learn more about her artistic journey.
 Evan Williams, composer, conductor, and professor at Rhodes College. Photo Credit: SnoStudios Photography. By Anya Shukla Evan Williams lives and breathes music. Along with teaching composition and music technology at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, he composes, conducts, and performs for venues and performances all around the country. Williams’ music, inspired by minimalism and neo-romanticism, incorporates atonal noise, improvisation, and electronic techniques, such as techno and EDM, to create boundary-pushing work. I spoke with Williams to learn more about his artistic journey and thoughts on racial equity.
|
Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed