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Published on July 04, 2024
Glendale's ReflectSpace Gallery Debuts "(Be)Longing", A Dive into Asian Diasporic Art and IdentitySource: Nick Lancer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ReflectSpace Gallery, tucked inside Glendale Central Library, is making some noise this summer by introducing (Be)Longing: Asian Diasporic Crossings, a compelling exploration of the narratives that shape the Asian diasporic experience, according to the City Of Glendale. Launching July 20 and running through September 22, the exhibition brings together a cadre of seven Asian artists whose works spark conversations around identity, borders, and the personal histories that collide with the broader scope of geopolitical movements.

Driven by the threads that weave through the existence of those rooted in multiple cultures, artists Annette Miae Kim and Kyong Boon Oh, themselves tethered to both South and North Korean lineages, turn a critical eye on diasporic histories. Using maps and sculptures to ask piercing questions about belonging, they are not merely placed as artists within the show but as interrogators of their narratives. Their work is accompanied by a slew of no less intriguing artists hailing from Korea and China, such as Sun Siran and Xia Yan, who've brought their journeys to life through newly commissioned video work, as per the City Of Glendale.

Curated by Monica Hye Yeon Jun along with Ara & Anahid Oshagan, (Be)Longing does more than just present artwork. It disrupts, asking viewers to confront their preconceptions of community, landscape, and origin. The opening reception, gearing up to be as much a cultural touchstone as the exhibit itself, is slated for July 27, offering a window into the hearts and minds of these seven visionaries.