book entitled “Laughing at Yellow Peril Fever”. Her comic panel, “Mai has occasionally considered carrying her Citizenship Card in place of her Driver's License”, is drawn from her own experience. Truong states, “Applying for welfare and having to fill out three differ- - ent forms that basically all are trying to prove to officials that | truly am a Canadian citizen, and therefore deserve welfare, is discrimina- tory. They would require everyone to fill those forms because it would be too obvious that they are discriminating against people who aren't from Canada. The essential message is you're not Caucasian, you’re not born here, you don’t deserve our help.” This, she feels, is one clear example of xenophobia in Van- couver and in general, Canada. Truong's attitude seems to be that if you’re not screaming and ranting and raving, you're part of the problem. “| think | am definitely angry first and foremost at people who only care about their own lives. We’re all too interconnected in the world to not be responsible for people's suf- fering. (...) | like being angry because it reaf- firms to me that | still care, that even though I'm jaded and cynical and any time something atrocious happens | say ‘Oh yeah that’s bound to happen’, | can still feel passion for these issues.” Truong’s kind of anger might occasionally be valuable for inspiring personal and social change. But anger can end up breeding vio- lence and counter-violence rather than foster- ing dialogue, awareness and positive action. In film and video, my chosen means of cre- ative expression, | seek to foster dialogue. And along with that, | am determined not to take on the strategies of racism, which means constantly asking myself whether I’m convey- ing hateful, disrespectful, or irresponsible messages. The upshot of the situation is that Canadian society has given me effective tools to deconstruct the status quo — and my high degree of assimilation into Canadian culture is, ironically, one of my most effective tools for such deconstruction. I’m as white as can be and much more acceptable than someone who speaks English with ‘an accent. | can make film and videos that infiltrate the system. My short-lived adolescent strategy of renaming myself with a mainstream English first name has been taken much further by Emily Carr Institute photography instructor Chick Rice. Rice says, “| wanted to be an artist and | suspected that my name, Grace Ng, would be a real setback for me”. Renaming herself was Rice’s strategy to avoid being marginalized or ignored alto- gether in the fine art world. She found that the act of renaming oneself opened up addi- tional possibilities for subversion and social critique. Two hours of reflection were all she need to come up with the first name “Chick”, by which she reclaims control over a sexist label. And “Rice”, for all its Irish resonance, plays on the fact that “to call someone a ‘ricer’ is a real insult for any Asian or anyone who has yellow skin and slanted eyes.” As her last name, it gives a subtle nod to Grace Ng‘s Asian heritage. Rice reports that her naming strategy has been quite successful. Indeed for 22 years art critics and gallery curators have taken for granted that Chick Rice is a white man. “And it has surprised many people when they finally meet me - their eyes widen, their jaws drop and they say, ‘ you're a visual pun. Chick — girl, Rice — Oriental.’ Yes | am.” smiles “I envied all the blonde girls and boys with their Farrah Fawcett hairstyles.” Chick. “[The pseudonym] has been a passport to many places.” What emerges from these stories is that there are many paths to take in confronting the obstacles put up by racist behaviours and racist attitudes. What seems to be shared by myself and the three other artists interviewed for this article is that on an important level we all want something we cannot have: to be white . And we strive for this at the expense of something that is crucial to our well-being — our Asianness as a personal and cultural her- itage. M's non-committal and confused behav- Welfare Form #1: a) Where were you Welfare Form #2: born? a) Who sponsored b) Are you a you over to Canadian Citizen? Canada? b) Are you a t Canadian Citizen? a) Are you really a Canadian Citizen? Mai has ocassionally considered carrying her Citizenship Card in place of her Driver's License. Excerpt from Laughing at Yellow Peril Fever by B.H. Truong (e-mail: geoff@otter.biochem.ubc.ca) photograph by Chick Rice March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 13 by Ling Chiu with assistance from Erin Gunther The Race Card iour might be a direct consequence of wanti- ng to be treated as just another white guy, when he cannot ever be white. He seems rootless, homeless, and without clear direc- tion. Truong’s anger gives her energy to keep going, but at what cost to developing other strategies that include dialogue and recon- cilation? Chick Rice’s strategy gives her self-respect and inclusion, but also a critical edge that acknowledges the distance between her her- itage and the Caucasian aesthetics she prefers to work with. When there is an Asian sensibil- ity in her work, it tends to be subtle. For this reason it flows into her overall voice and vision rather than remaining as a separate compartment. Truong, by contrast, seems very much to speak from within a compartment, at least some of which is of her own making. | know my own experiences best, of course, and what a heavy emotional toll there has been in trying to adapt to the race-based criteria and expectations of the society in which | live, learn and express myself. | feel guilty about not realizing sooner the value of being Asian and celebrating it. The truth is, | have a lot of work to do to reclaim my Asian identity. Right now, the extent of my Asianness is how | look. And at other times, | notice that my writing and speaking abilities in the language | use con- stantly — English - seem to be compromised by a language | hardly use — Cantonese. lam at home in Canadian society, but not completely because | have roots elsewhere that continue to give me a sense of who | am and what | need to do in life. And maybe that’s the frustration and the good fortune of being Canadian. <@ book entitled “Laughing at Yellow Perl Fever Her comic panel, “Mai has occasionally considered cartying her Citizenship Card in place of her Driver’ License*, is drawn from her own experience, Truong states, “Applying for welfare and having to fill out three sifer ent forms that basically all are trying to prove 10 officials that | truly am a Canadian cizen, land therefore deserve welfare, is dicrimina: tory. They would require everyone tofillthose forms because it would be too obvious that they are discriminating against people who aren't from Canada, The essential message is You're not Caucasian, you're not born here, You don't deserve our help." This, she feels, is fone clear example of xenophobia in Van ‘ouver and in general, Canada, Truong'sattitude seems to be thatifyou're not screaming and ranting and raving, you're part of the problem, I think’ | am definitely angry first and foremost at people who only care about their cowin lives. We're ll too interconnected in the ‘world to-not be responsible for people's suf fering. (.) 1 lke being angry because it reat firms to me tha stil care, that even though I'm jaded and cynical and any time something atrocious happens | say Oh yeah that’s bound to happen’ can stl feel passion for these Truong’ kind of anger might occasionally be valuable for inspiring personal and social change, But anger can end up breeding vio lence and countervilence rather than foster ing dialogue, awareness and positive action, In film and video, my chosen means of cre: ative expresion, 1 seek to foster dalogue. ‘And along with that, am determined not to take on the strategies of racism, which means constantly asking myself whether 'm convey. ing hateful, disrespectful, or iresponsible messages. The upshot of the situation is that ‘Canadian society has given me effective tools to deconstruct the status quo ~ and my high degree of assimilation into Canadian culture 1s, ironically, one of my most effective tools for such deconstruction. 'm as white as can be ‘and much more acceptable than someone ‘who speaks English with an accent. | can make film and videos that infiltrate the system. My shortlived adolescent strategy of renaming myself with a mainstream English first name has been taken much further by Emily Care Institute photography instructor Chick Rice. Rice says, “I wanted to be an artist and 1 suspected that my name, Grace NG, ‘would be a real setback for me” Renaming herself was Rice’ strategy to avoid being marginalized ot ignoted alto Gether in the fine art world. She found that the act of renaming oneself opened up add tional possibilities for subversion and socal critique. Two hours of reflection were all she reed to come up with the first name "Chick" by which she reclaims control over a sexist Iabel. And Rie", for all its Irish resonance, plays on the fact that “to call someone a ice’ is area insult for any Asian or anyone wiho has yellow skin and slanted eyes.” Ashe Tast name, it gives a subtle nod to Grace Ng's Asian heritage ‘eports that her naming strategy has been quite successful. Indeed for 22 years art crits and gallery curators have taken for Granted that Chick Rice isa white man, ‘And it has surprised many people when they finally meet me - thei eyes widen, their javs drop and they say‘ you'e a visual pun. Chick = gi, Rice Oriental Yes am,” smiles “1 envied all the blonde girls and boys with their Farrah Fawcett hairstyles.” Chick. “[The pseudonym] has been a passport tomany places.” \What emerges from these stories is that there are many paths to take in confronting the obstacles put up by racist behaviours and racist attitudes, ‘What seems to be shared by myself and the three other artists interviewed for this arte is that on an important level we al ‘want something we cannot have: tobe white ’And we strive for this at the expense of Something that i crucial to our wellbeing ~ ur Asianness asa personal and cultural her itage. 'M's non-committal and confused behav: Welfare Form #1 a) Where were you Welfare Form #2: born? a) Who sponsored b) Are you a you over to Canadian Citizen? Canada? b) Are you a rk Canadian Citizen? a Wetfare Form #3: a) Are you really a Canadian Citizen? March 1997 / janet of the Arts 13 by Ling Chiu with assistance from Erin Gunther The Race Cant jour might be a direct consequence of want fg to be treated as just another white guy, when he cannot ever be white. He seems rootless, homeless, and without clear direc tion, Truong’s anger gives her energy to keep ‘going, but at what cost to developing other Strategies that include dialogue and recon lation? Chick Rice’ strategy gives her self-respect ‘and inclusion, but also a critical edge that ‘acknowledges the distance between her her itage and the Caucasian aesthetics she prefers ‘to work with. When there isan Asian sensibi ity in her work, it tends to be subtle. For this reason it flows into her overall voice and Vision rather than remaining as a separate ‘compartment. Truong, by contrast, seems very much to speak from within a compartment, at least some of whichis of her own making, 1 know my own experiences best, of course, and what a heavy emotional tll there has been in trying to adapt to the race-based itera and expectations of the society in Which | lve, learn and express myself. | feel ‘Quilty about not realizing sooner the value of Being Asian and celebrating it The truth is, "have a lot of work to do to reclaim my Asian identity, Right now, the extent of my Asianness is how | look. And at ‘other times, | notice that my writing and Speaking abilities in the language ! use con: stantly ~ English ~seem to be compromised by 2 language I hardly use ~ Cantonese Tam at home in Canadian society, but not completely because | have roots elsewhere ‘that continue to give me a sense of who am land what | ned to doin life ‘And maybe that's the frustration and the ‘900d fortune of being Canadian. Mai has ocassionally considered carrying her Citizenship Card in place of her Driver's License.