Astria Suparak: Asian futures, without Asians

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Astria Suparak:, “Asian futures, without Asians,” 2022

Image from “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999)

Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art is pleased to announce the Canadian premiere of Asian futures, without Asians, a new virtual multimedia presentation by artist and curator Astria Suparak. 

This version of the live performance/lecture is commissioned by Centre A and organized by Henry Heng Lu.

Online Event

Saturday, April 9, 2022, 2 – 3:30 PM PDT via Zoom

Asian futures, without Asians asks: “What does it mean when so many white filmmakers envision futures inflected by Asian culture, but devoid of actual Asian people?”

Part critical analysis, part reflective essay and sprinkled throughout with humour, justified anger, and informative morsels, this one-hour illustrated lecture examines nearly 60 years of American science fiction cinema through the lens of Asian appropriation and whitewashing.

Using a wide interpretation of “Asian” to reflect current and historical geopolitical trends and self-definitions (inclusive of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, North Africa, and the Pacific Islands — the latter two of which are not Asia), this research-creation project examines how Asian cultures have been mixed and matched, contrasted against, and conflated with each other, often creating a fungible “Asianness” in futuristic sci-fi. 

The quick-paced performance lecture is interspersed with images and clips from dozens of futuristic movies and TV shows, as Suparak delivers anecdotes, trivia, and historical documents (including photographs, ads, and cultural artifacts) from the histories of film, art, architecture, design, fashion, food, and martial arts. Suparak discusses the implications of not only borrowing heavily from Asian cultures, but decontextualizing and misrepresenting them, while excluding Asian contributors.

The recording of the lecture will be available for viewing at Centre A as part of The Living Room from Wednesday, April 27 to Saturday, April 30, 2022, during gallery hours. Contact info@centrea.org to request any accessibility needs.