Anne Anlin Cheng Livres

Titled „Masquerades: Drawn to Metamorphosis“, the 18th edition of MOMENTA Biennale de l’image presents twenty-three artists whose projects activate processes of transformation, mimicry, and mutation. Its goal is to shed light on the dynamics of visibility and invisibility defining the relationships between self and other, between humans and their environment, whether that environment is vegetal, animal, or technological. This publication assembles the descriptions of the exhibitions, an essay by Anne Anlin Cheng on the metamorphic potential of “skin consciousness,” an original portfolio of photographs by Chris Curreri, and an essay by curator Ji-Yoon Han that reflects on the notion of the image through the prism of the Biennale’s theme.

Exploring the intricate dynamics of race, gender, and identity, this book offers a poignant examination of the Asian American experience through personal and political lenses. It delves into the lives of Chinese mothers and daughters, addressing themes of ambition, nationality, and the struggle for identity. Blending memoir with cultural criticism, the author reflects on her roles as a teacher, immigrant, cancer patient, and mother, capturing the complexities of grief, love, and resilience amid everyday challenges.

Ornamentalism offers one of the first sustained and original theories of Asiatic femininity. Examining ornamentality, in lieu of Orientalism, as a way to understand the representation, circulation, and ontology of Asiatic femininity, this study extends our vocabulary about the woman of color beyond the usual platitudes about objectification.