We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenie Gao and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jenie, how do you think about risk?
I have built a successful business as a full-time artist, as a woman of color, second generation Taiwanese-Chinese American, and daughter of working class immigrants, in an arts industry that is structurally designed to rely on unpaid and underpaid labor. I am the outlier statistic.
There are two big risks that I regularly contend with. The first is that I am a primary breadwinner in my household, in a field that is notoriously difficult to succeed in. The second is that I am outspoken about issues facing marginalized artists and exploitations of the arts industry, while enduring the harms of the current system myself.
I often say that marginalized artists carry the dual labor of having to be excellent at our work while also advocating for our right to exist. Maybe that’s what unsettles the status quo about us—if we’re performing THIS well while spending half our energy fighting inequity, how much would the world change if we could perform at our full capacities?
Too often, people who are comfortable with the current system use outliers to claim that this system is fine, that anyone can succeed through hard work despite all barriers. But the actual value of outliers is that they prove what’s possible, driving more people to challenge the status quo. It is easy for the current state to ignore or co-opt one “anomaly.” But when enough anomalies occur, the dominant system cannot ignore us, and at a certain point, anomalies can take over.
It’s risky to choose your ethics over comfort, to take a stance over remaining apolitical and “neutral.” But brave voices encourage other brave voices. Every day, more individuals overcome the fear of the risks they face alone and stand up for equity in their workplaces, schools, industries, and communities. This is how individual risk diminishes and movements grow.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I quit my last corporate job to start my arts business, I sought to prove that it is possible to become a full-time artist without relying on the same exploitations that have driven this industry for so long. For almost eight years now, I have run an anti-gentrification arts business.
What sets my artistic practice and business apart is my ability to uphold a code of ethics that connects the symbolic with systemic change. We are dealing with layers of challenges in the art world. BIPOC artists get pigeonholed into making work solely about identity, while white artists get to share their perspectives on a whole range of topics: environmentalism, politics, materiality, etc. Meanwhile, even as arts institutions supposedly celebrate diversity, none of the systems supporting the arts are held accountable to change. This is a big part of why I consult for cultural organizations and the public sector on ethics and equitable best practices. I’m after more than institutional critique—let’s go for institutional change.
I am forthcoming in emphasizing that my work comes from a specific, culturally informed perspective, to tackle larger, sociopolitical questions. For example, in my recent body of work, 米 (mǐ) uncooked rice, I approach data and disparities in the art world from the vantage point of a restaurant baby. My parents’ Chinese takeout restaurant was a formative life experience for me, so takeout tables become central in how viewers interact with data about the art world.
Furthermore, like an effective code switcher, I have been able to operate outside of the hierarchies of the art world. My disciplines encompass printmaking, public art, social practice, writing, and installation. I operate across commercial, academic, and communal spaces. I sell more expensive originals and more affordable prints. I don’t believe in the hierarchies of the art world, so I don’t live by them.
Of course this hasn’t been easy. When you resist the dominant narrative, you will face challenges and conflict. But it’s deeply worth it. If I am going to be a cultural author in a space where people like me have historically been excluded, then it will be challenging no matter what. I may as well embrace this challenge as an opportunity to drive change.
In the time that I’ve been a full-time artist, I have hired and mentored 24 paid interns and apprentices, among other arts professionals. I don’t take underpaid work simply to further my portfolio, because I know from experience how that undermines the value of artists’ labor and makes it especially hard for historically excluded artists to get a foothold in this field. I fight hard for protecting artists’ rights. Sometimes, that means I lose projects, and that’s okay. I am willing to endure the immediate, short-term losses so that in the long run, I can be proud of what I’ve gained and how I got there. The question I ask others and myself: how do we live like the future we want is already here?
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I recently moved to Vancouver, and am ready to explore this city with visiting friends!
Here’s an itinerary for the perfect day: We get breakfast at my favorite French patisserie, L’Atelier. My personal go-to is the pistachio chocolate croissant. We go for a walk along the sea wall in False Creek and spend some time in Hinge Park. Then we head to Chinatown to visit Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and maybe buy a new houseplant at Bamboo Village. We have many terrific options for lunch in Chinatown—Chinese BBQ? Dim sum? Ramen? Cambodian food? Maybe we get food from the hot bar at T&T Supermarket and go have a picnic in the park with a mountain view.
I always love it when friends from different parts of my life meet one another. So at some point we would meet up for dinner and drinks with the friends I’ve made in Vancouver. We could head to Gastown and have a meal at one of my new favorite places, Zoomak, for contemporary Korean fare. Nirvana, an Indian restaurant in Mount Pleasant, is another favorite of mine.
Throughout the week, we could take a ferry trip to North Vancouver, visit the Polygon Gallery, and get tamales and other treats at the Lonsdale Quay Market. Depending on the season, we could go for a hike in Lynn Canyon, which is in North Vancouver. Over the weekend, we could attend a drag show somewhere like Fox Cabaret or Eastside Warehouse. It rains a lot here, so “inside” days would be a good chance to visit the Vancouver Art Gallery and attend receptions at a variety of the local artist-run centres like Massy, Access, and grunt gallery. Any day when it’s clear would be an opportunity to visit the gardens around Bloedel Conservatory, Stanley Park, or the UBC Rose Garden. Also, water taxis across False Creek at night with all the city lights are quite fun. I just moved here—so I’m sure there’s a lot more that my friends and I could find out about together.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Nipinet is an artist and powerhouse activist. They are one of the co-founders of an Indigenous and queer-owned tattoo shop. Their shop is a safe space for BIPOC and queer community members. They are also an active organizer for Indigenous rights, community mutual aid, and water protectors.
Jamie Ho is a photographer whose work examines first and second-generation Chinese American experiences. Her recent video, GIF, and installation works are so smart and visually decadent.
Fatima Laster is an artist, curator, and founder of 5 Points Art Gallery. She focuses on elevating Black artists through her curatorial work. She is also a staunch activist against gentrification in her community.
Rhea Ewing just published their first graphic novel, Fine: A Comic About Gender. It’s a heartfelt documentary of how different people experience and express their genders, and is the kind of nuanced work we need.
What else can I say about my friends? They are multifaceted, courageous, generous people, working towards a more just and equitable world. There are so many more amazing people I could list who I am so fortunate to know. I love seeing all of them succeed with great audacity.
Website: jenie.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeniegao/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeniegao
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jeniesart
Other: Online store: https://jenie.studio/
Image Credits
Truzon Thao, docMyArt / Adam White, Stefan Gibson