Updates and New Design on IDAAS Public Art Commission

Floor plan of project, orange area indicates location of art work

Project Design

INSIGHTS by Yong Soon Min

The title refers to the operations of the site as well as the content. The project involves the interactions between two surfaces that are part of the IDAAS center. The first that viewers encounter is the window that is located next to the entrance. The other surface is the wall that is located adjacent to the entrance and can be seen through the window.

When viewers look at the WINDOW, they will see colorful circles that are composed of words. Upon closer inspection, they will notice that the circular texts are also sentences that they can follow from one end to the other. Each circle is a full sentence; smaller circles – shorter sentences, larger – longer sentences. These sentences will be made of self-adhesive vinyl lettering that will be attached to the window. The type size will be about 50 pts which is easily legible.

The WALL will be painted black and decorated with circular patterns of differently sized mirrors and CDs (iridescent side of the discs). Depending on their vantage point, viewers standing in front of the wall can see various reflections on the mirror, including the colored text of the window (in the right orientation. That is to say, the text can be read properly when standing outside the IDAAS room looking in and also reflected on the mirrors.).

The window texts are a collection of insights or inspirational saying that we live by. I’ve listed a sampling of these expressions below. Some specifically address Asian American issues and experience, some are by authors of other ethnicities, others are lyrics from songs, and others are fortune cookie sayings.

I invite students, faculty and staff of IDAAS to contribute to this project. Your selection of inspirational words should ideally be one sentence long, not to exceed three. We are seeking proverbs or sayings that are thought-provoking with wit and relevance. The more succinct and pithy the expression, the better. These words can be taken from various sources, although those that pertain to Asian American concerns will be especially appreciated. Please be sure to note the author of the saying. A legend that identifies the authors or originators of the sayings will be displayed near the project. This is an opportunity to share with the public insights that are particularly inspirational and meaningful to you.

All suggestions for quotes should be submitted to Ming-Yuen S. Ma via email by Friday, September 4. Final selection of quotes will be done by the artist and Prof Ma.

Send quotes to: ming-yuen_ma@pitzer.edu

Sample of “Insights”

Dissonance is our way of life in America, we are something apart, yet an integral part. –Duke Ellington

Language is also a place of struggle – Bell Hooks

Within our society, there are hierarchies of need because there have been hierarchies of oppression. –Martha P. Cotera

We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives. –Toni Morrison

Migration is the story of my body.—Victor Herandez Cruz

As a Vietnamese refugee who became an American writer, I can tell you that you matter, that your sadness matters, the story of how you survived and triumphed matters. For every story that belongs to you, in time, belongs to America. –Andrew Lam

History has determined our lives, and we must work hard for what we believe to be the right thing, life is something we borrow and must give back when the time comes – Carlos Bulosan

I am a poor man from a poor country, so I have to be entertaining every second. –Nam Jun Paik

Anecdotes,/The poor man’s history.—Rita Dove

America is filled with people whose histories have deep and complicated roots. Their stories give us alternative views to the grand narrative of Western European progress, modernization, and enlightenment. Often, they directly contradict the fiction the United States tells about itself as a nation as benevolent abroad and inclusive at home. –-Elaine Kim

All History is current; all injustice continues on some level, somewhere in the world. – Alice Walker

Keep speaking — it is real. You have a voice. –Chang-rae Lee

Why does BC stand for Before Christ? Why is it not Before Confucius? — Joe Fong

I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for paradoxes. –Maxine Hong Kingston

The bridge of their Enterprise, however, may now have a Klingon on board as the symbol of galactic coexistence, but at least a third of the population of our world and certainly the twenty-fourth century was absent. There were no Asians on their bridge. –George Takei

Freud is Filipino –-Sarita See

I don’t think there will ever be a time when people will stop wanting to bring about change. –Yuri Kochiyama

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. –Audre Lorde

It was hard for me to do All American Girl because a lot of people didn’t even understand the concept of Asian-American. I was on a morning show, and the host said, ‘Awright, Margaret, we’re changing over to an ABC affiliate! So why don’t you tell our viewers “in your native language” that we’re making that transition?’ So I looked at the camera and said, ‘Um, they’re changing over to an ABC affiliate.’ -–Margaret Cho

When I was 7, I got my first job working in [a] garment factory, and I learned firsthand why they called the place a ‘sweatshop,’ … I like to say I was taught in public school, but I was educated in a sweatshop. –John Liu

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.–Bruce Lee

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.–Dalai Lama

Don’t gain the world and loose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold. — Bob Marley

Innocence is drowned in anarchy. The best lack conviction given time to think, and the worst are full of passion without mercy. – Joni Mitchell
Gotta start teaching the children that they can be just what they want to be, there’s much more to life than poverty. — 2 Pac

When the world is on your shoulder, got to straighten up your act and boogie down. — Michael Jackson

All in all is all we all are. –- Nirvana

Love is real, real is love, love is feeling, feeling love. — John Lennon

The space age is running out of distance. –- Beck

I gave you a wrist-watch, baby, and you wouldn’t even give me the time of day. — Patti Smith

I make your whole thang twang. –- Funkadelic

Touch, touch, touch, touch me love, I’m shaking inside. –-Yoko Ono

If you want the rainbow you must put up with the rain. –- fortune cookie

Harder the floor, higher the ping-pong ball bounces. –- fortune cookie

A scholar’s ink lasts longer than a martyr’s blood. –- fortune cookie

You are better off not knowing how sausages and laws are made. -– fortune cookie

He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever. –- fortune cookie