Accidental Chinese Hipsters

Ever wonder what happened to Accidental Chinese Hipsters in its very extended, graduate-school-induced hiatus? Well, I’ve been taking this blog nonsense into the real world, and it’s just the best thing, let me tell you. Nearly a year ago I met the Finnish artist Riitta Ikoen in a Chinatown lunch hall over a plate of greasy char siu and rice, and we declared our aim to make art with Chinese American seniors. Thanks to a grant from SPARC and the LMCC, and to the generous help of the staff at the City Hall Senior Center, we are now doing just that in the format of a Wearable Art Class.

Collaborating with the art and life-loving seniors at City Hall is an incredibly rewarding extension of everything that I have learned from Accidental Chinese Hipsters, and I’m excited to share more of what we create in the future. For now, please browse around the Eyes as Big as Plates blog, which includes photos from each class as well as sweet documentation of Riitta’s ongoing photography project.

Photo copyright Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikoen.

Some of you may have noticed that I gave myself a little blog hiatus over the last month. There have been a few big changes in my life - I just started a graduate studies program - and thinking about those changes, which was actually much more stressful than experiencing those changes, temporarily made it difficult to approach writing for Accidental Chinese Hipsters. Well, this blue lady manifested yesterday as a way of saying, “You haven’t heard the last of me.”

Borrowing a phrase from OWS, she declares, “I am unstoppable!” She charges through the landscape like a warrior, fortified by pearl neck guard, sequin epaulets, and enemy fear-making hair pile, reminiscent of owl decoy. It is 1:45 in the afternoon on the Upper West Side of New York City. Somewhere, a ballgown is appropriate.

Thanks to my good friend Sarah M for taking this. Also brought to you by shiny hologram gift bags: welcome to the future of carrying things.

Happy Friday, everyone. Let’s enjoy life to the fullest in every moment because nothing is permanent in this violent, unpredictable world. Just don’t get a sunburn.

Tessa Chong sent me the above image with the explanation that she had seen and drawn the man from memory on a trip to Toronto. We got to talking, and the following interview and her interpretations of some other noted Accidental Chinese Hipsters ensued. You can see more of her work here.


ACH: How old are you and where are you living now?

TESSA CHONG: I am 27 and living in Amsterdam. But I’ve only just arrived here. Before that I was living in Sydney. And I spent most of my life in Melbourne.

ACH: You introduced yourself to me as a fellow “halfie.” Can you tell me a little bit about your family background?

TESSA CHONG: My mother was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. My dad is Chinese from Malaysia. He only really speaks Cantonese. I have two older siblings who now both have little quarter asian kids!

My parents met in the 70s when they were both living in London. The story goes, my mum and a friend were waiting in line to see the Godfather. My dad sidled up to my mum with his friend, and his opening line was “Are you girls American?” then he suggested they all go see a Chinese film instead because the queue was too long. Maybe my mum was charmed by my Dad’s directness, but as they say, the rest is history…

ACH: Do you mean that your dad hit on your mom without sharing her language? That’s impressive. I also have a Chinese dad and a Caucasian mom, which I think is a little rarer than the other way around. What language(s) does your family use to communicate?

TESSA CHONG: No, he spoke in English to her. He’s always had pretty good English. My family has only ever communicated in English.

ACH: Do you think you have experienced the traditional (stereotypical) strict Asian parenting? If so, how did you come to be an artist and world traveler?

TESSA CHONG: I didn’t experience any of that stereotypical Asian parenting. My dad has always been fairly easy-going. He didn’t care what we did with our lives, nor did he pressure us into going in a particular direction. Both my parents just supported us with whatever we wanted to do. We turned out ok! In fact, I think my recent adventures have been inspired in part by my parents’ travels.

ACH: What’s the reason you’re doing your blog, The Sketchorialist?

TESSA CHONG: I started it after I quit my most recent job (in advertising). I’ve always loved to draw, but suddenly I had a lot more time on my hands (as well as a lot more motivation). I like observing people on the street, and I think I have a pretty good visual memory,  so I thought why not start recording the people I observe. I find photography can be a bit intrusive sometimes, and I am too shy to go up to people and ask if I can take their photo. It also seemed like a good way to document my travels. I find drawing relaxing and it’s something I can really lose myself in.

ACH: That’s a very considerate, almost gentle, solution for making observational art in a digital world. How long after you see people do you draw them? Also, what do you think about the nature of the photos on this blog which have obviously been taken without the permission of the subject?

TESSA CHONG: I try and draw them that day, or at least within a day or so after seeing them. Sometimes I do take a sneaky photo which helps. But yeah, when the image is fresh in my mind I try and get a simple sketch down and then refine it. Sometimes if I only have vague recollections of a person I have to fill in the gaps with my imagination. I’m just personally too self-conscious to poke a camera at someone. I’m even self-conscious about my iphone camera.  I feel like a creep when I use it surreptitiously and then I start acting all weird because I am trying to hide the fact I’m taking a photo.

I think the photos on your blog are great. I don’t find it malicious or intrusive. Have you received many complaints about it? I can see how people would see it as poking fun, but to be honest I don’t think the (mostly) older Asian subjects would give a shit. If it was my dad in those, he’d find it amusing. But I would be curious to see their reaction if one of them was shown the website.

ACH: I’ve never actually received a complaint of that nature, but then again neither has anyone come forward after seeing themselves on the blog. I do feel a tiny bit vulnerable in that respect because I would hate to upset someone. My own dad has no idea that he’s been written about, adoringly but still perhaps not 100% above board, here.

ACH: How do you relate to other Chinese people when you are abroad?

TESSA CHONG: I feel like there is a common understanding.  There is definitely an immediate familiarity. Whenever I walk through any Chinatown in any city I feel weirdly at home. Other Chinese people are normally the ones that ask about my background. More so than the Anglo people. I think because they know I’m Chinese, but not fully and are curious.

ACH: Do you know a lot of other halfies?

TESSA CHONG: Yes I know quite a few around my age. I think that was the time when there was a lot more cross-cultural marriage. It’s an interesting combo and I love having both cultural influences in my life. My other “halfie” friends feel the same way.

Many thanks to Tessa for these lovely drawings and her thoughts.

Our second accidental Tibetan hipster. Be still my stolen heart.

Ben from Australia took this photo and recalls the following: “I ran across this kid when I stayed a night in a tent village of Tibetans 50km or so outside of Litang in China’s Sichuan Province. Despite the horse and yak poo covering the ground, this kid still managed to have style, parading around in his slick suit.”

“When I was little, I thought my parents looked super dorky in their aviators. Recently, when I went through their old pictures, I realized that my dad looked like he could just be one of my friends, picture taken with my hipstamatic iphone app (or instagram), holding his child.”

- Nancy Lao, who was crying at the time because her dad was dropping her off for a few hours with the g-parents at their home in Wuhan, China. She recalls that his trick to get her to stop involved throwing a toy car over the fence on his way out, a kind of shock and confuse tactic.

Happy Father’s Day, everyone!