What are you? It's a question commonly heard by people with multiracial backgrounds - and it's the question being explored in a new photography exhibition at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre.
Kip Fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa opens at the centre on Sept. 13 and runs until Jan. 4.
The term "hapa" is a Hawaiian word meaning "half" or "portion" - which was originally a derogatory way of referring to people who were half-Hawaiian and half-Caucasian, but is now used throughout North America as an identifier of pride for people who are of partial Asian or Pacific Islander ancestry.
Fulbeck is an artist, photographer, spoken word performer and filmmaker who has been making films and art about hapa identity since 1990.
He began photographing the multiracial individuals seen in this exhibition in 2001.
The photos are all taken in a minimalist style - from the collarbone up, without clothing or adornment - and play on the official photographs taken for driver's licences, passports and the like.
The subjects are of various ages, genders and backgrounds, and each person responds in their own handwriting to the question, "What are you?"
A press release notes that the idea for the exhibit came from Fulbeck's desire to see more people like himself, "other people who couldn't answer the 'check one box only' question honestly."
"Identity is a personal process and I'm adamant that it should be a personal decision, not one made by a community, a government or others," Fulbeck said.
The centre is also hosting a symposium with Fulbeck as the keynote speaker, on Saturday, Sept. 27.
The symposium, which is designed to honour the Nikkei identity, includes a variety of panelists and dialogue and runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
That same evening, the Nikkei Centre, in partnership with the Hapa-palooza Festival, holds the hip HAPA hooray! Awards honouring Fulbeck, Fred Wah and Ann Makosinski. The awards ceremony runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
For more information, check out www.centre.nikkeiplace.org or www.facebook.com/NNMCC, or call 604-777-7000.
