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ARTICLES:
Arts & Culture
Between
the Lines By Mandy Willingham July 2002 Kip Fulbeck does not give easy answers. But then again, he's not asking easy questions. Considering his frequent topics of examination include race, gender, identity, relationships, and sex, it is difficult to ignore the potential for ensuing controversy. Yet it is this kind of charged dialogue that Fulbeck strives to create. Throughout the past decade, this award winning, Chinese-Caucasian performer, artist, professor and author has challenged people to consider the complexities of these subjects. He relies on a range of mediums and methods to engage and inflame his audiences, from video, spoken word performance and studio art, to his recent foray into full-length writing. The predominant focus of Fulbeck's art and work is on the stereotypes surrounding Asian, Caucasian and Hapa (Asian people of mixed ethnicity) cultures. In his first full-length published work, Paper Bullets: A Fictional Autobiography (University of Washington Press 2001), Fulbeck explores the effects of stereotypical depictions and perceptions of Asians, particularly those perpetuated by the American media. Through a series of hilarious, aggressive and poignant short stories, Fulbeck addresses such precarious topics as Asian fetishizing, Asian male masculinity, interracial dating, and bicultural families. He also expounds on a subject he knows best: Hapas. Throughout Paper Bullets, Fulbeck considers issues regarding Hapa identity, and the evolving role of Hapas within Asian and Caucasian culture. Following the publishing of Paper Bullets, Fulbeck continues in his innovative pursuits of personal and artistic expression. With the academic year coming to a recent close, Fulbeck, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara in the Asian American Studies and Art Studio, is currently focused on his latest project: a book of Hapa portraits accompanied by personal writings from the models. Fulbeck begins shooting the portraits for the book this July at the Hapa Issues Forum conference in San Francisco. He hopes to feature mixed Asians from every age and demographic group. Individuals interested in participating as models for this unique project are encouraged to check out Fulbeck's Web site, redsushi.com, for further details. In between this latest project, and other aspects of his busy schedule, Fulbeck took the time to answer some questions for EurasianNation. What was the impetus for writing Paper Bullets? I'm always trying to find new audiences for my work, and to keep moving as an artist, and not stay in a rut. As much as I love doing video and spoken word, I don't want to get painted into that definition or expected to do only that type of art making. It's like the check-a-box ethnicity question. "What kind of art do you do?" is asked with the expectation of a simple, categorical answer when it's much more complex. Plus, it's not a great climate for independent artists right now, and with corporate interests moving in even more, it's not going to get better any time soon. You have to keep innovative. It's ironic that I came of age as an artist pushing new media, subject and conceptual envelopes, and now I'm working with the most traditional mediums—books and painting. I think there's something really wonderful about the fundamentals. It seems ambitious to take on the complexities of race, gender and politics in a "fictional autobiography." Why did you choose this format for Paper Bullets? When I turned 35, I decided to consciously do some things that really scared me. I learned to ballroom dance, I played music live, and I tried to write without fear. All those things were terrifying to me. In writing, to really get at the core of how men behave toward and think about women in this country, I had to have the guts to not rely on portraying "me" in likable ways, which is our natural tendency to want to do. Too much discussion of controversial topics is polite. I'm not saying you get inflammatory to get inflammatory, but for any change to happen, issues have to be put out in real ways. I don't like my protagonist at times, but I like that I crafted him in that way. In some ways, it would be too easy to write a memoir—I could just hide behind things saying "Hey, it's just my life." I also thought it would be too easy to write pure fiction as well. Mixing fiction and fact was the riskiest, so that's what I did. In Paper Bullets you explore the complexities of interracial dating and relationships, particularly the politics of "choosing" your Caucasian/Asian side depending on whether your partner is Caucasian or Asian. Does this concept of choosing sides apply to other aspects of your life? If so, how? I think it does to some extent for any Hapa person. Personally, I choose not to embrace this type of thinking. But these issues certainly affect millions of people, and some of us never get past it. What do you enjoy about being Hapa? I don't really know how to answer that any more than I can answer what I like about being 37, or being a man. It's my life and I embrace it. I certainly wouldn't change it for anything. What are some of the more frustrating aspects of being Hapa? Nothing is frustrating about being Hapa. Ignorant people are what's frustrating. Any thoughts on common (mis)perceptions of Hapas—including those sometimes perpetuated within Hapa groups: exoticism, hybrid vigor?
In your experience, what are the differences in perception of Hapas/mixed Asians within and outside of the US? Naturally, there are fundamental differences. But because American media permeates the planet, there is actually a layer of common perception that runs across cultures. Describe the relationship between your artwork and the exploration of your own multiracial identity. There really isn't a difference. All my work is about being who I am, whether I consciously address that issue or not. Considering the personal nature of your work, how do you maintain boundaries between your personal and creative space? I insist on it, although sometimes this insisting stays inside my head. Often, I'll speak about a work and confessionally use the first person, when in reality I'm not divulging that much at all. It really depends on the venue, the work, and where I am at the moment. Plus, confession to strangers doesn't have much weight in my life. People close to me do. What do you hope people will gain from reading Paper Bullets, or viewing your artwork? I hope they leave a little more conscious. I hope they think a bit more about their actions and how they affect this world and other people around them, and that they choose at some point to no longer be a part of the problem—what ever that problem is. About
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