Abstract
This heavily illustrated paper explores the discourse of cultural displacement and sexual identity of the immigrant Asian gay male. Positioned as the ethnic-minority, the masculinity of the Asian gay male is often challenged and questioned by the gay community in New Zealand, hegemonized by euro-centric notions of idealised masculinity and sexual desirability. Viewed through the personal lens of this practitioner researcher, this paper is underscored by notions of belonging, gay male masculinity and of the ‘Other’ by referring to gay bear art and the manner it could serve as an agent for representation. In this regard, the paper considers the works of Fritscher (2005), Wright and De Cecco (1997), Moskowitz, Turrubiates, Lozano and Hajek (2013), Han (2015), and, Lin (2014). Popularised by artists like Tom of Finland, Domino, and DadeUrsus, gay bear art utilises certain visual tropes to denote masculinity and belonging. Historically, this art genre emphasised euro-centric features, and Asian artists such as Tagame and Jiraiya, whose work are enmeshed in non-euro attitudes, have recently gained prominence in the gay bear sub-culture. By referring to examples of gay male art, the paper discusses the differences to the illustration influenced by Asian and western cultural perspectives. In doing so, the paper seeks to punctuate the manner in how the Asian gay male might be able to negotiate his ‘otherness’ by drawing upon this artistic practice. To conclude, the practitioner researcher reflects on his own lived experience and practice within this genre and the community it serves.
Presenters
Don Yew Li ChooiSenior Lecturer, Media Design, Media Design School, Auckland, New Zealand
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Gay, Art, Bear, Lived Experience, Identity, Belonging, Self-Orientalism, Otherness
