Continent to Commonwealth
Continent to Commonwealth: Asian/Asian American Kentucky
May 2023 – May 2024
The Kentucky Arts Council, in partnership with Asia Institute-Crane House and the Kentucky Chinese American Association, invited Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Kentuckians to share their visual art.
AAPI Experiences in the Commonwealth
Dozens of artists answered the call, with ethnic identities including Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian, Vietnamese and Karen, an ethnic group connected with the land now known as Myanmar, formerly Burma. A panel of Asian and Asian American cultural specialists selected artworks to include in this exhibit, which they named Continent to Commonwealth.
The purpose is to share AAPI experiences in the commonwealth today, and recognize the artistic expressions that Asian individuals, families and communities contribute to Kentucky’s cultural landscape.
“I find empowerment through being able to fully own, celebrate, and share my personal narrative through my art forms. Too often in today’s world, I find myself or my experiences becoming intertwined or overwhelmed with narratives and retellings that others choose for me. Through my art, I reclaim what is and always has been wholly mine.”
– Mahalia Xiaoqi, Jefferson County
Who are AAPI Kentuckians?
During the U.S. Census of 2020, 1.7 percent of Kentuckians identified as Asian alone. The total percentage of Kentuckians who identified as Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander, alone or in combination with another race/ethnicity was 2.4 percent. Kentucky’s total population is over 4.5 million, so that means that there are more than 108,000 Kentuckians with Asian and Pacific Islander identities.
The AAPI population includes a wealth of diversity, with so many languages, and national and regional identities. This art collection reflects some of the many connections between the world’s largest continent and our commonwealth. You are invited to explore the creativity of Asian Kentuckian artists of different ages, artistic backgrounds and cultures, and imagine how you connect with their works.
“I was the kid who mixed the crayons to get a more accurate portrayal of my skin tone. I still like to experiment with watercolor paint in creating different skin tones outside of the classic fair, medium, and dark. I want to focus on skin tones outside of what most Americans consider to be the ‘norm’ and I look for a beautiful and diverse range of skin tones to portray. My colors also tend to be on the more saturated side, even when I paint landscapes, because I believe that color is what makes our world interesting and fun.”
– Betsy Patel, Warren County
Exhibit Schedule
May 19-June 15, 2023
Kentucky State Capitol Rotunda
700 Capital Ave., Frankfort, Ky.
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern
June 16-July 31, 2023
Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger Branch
401 Kenton Lands Road, Erlanger, Ky.
Monday- Thursday: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday: 1-5 p.m. Eastern
Aug. 3-31, 2023
Russell County Public Library
535 N. Main St., Jamestown, Ky.
Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Eastern
Sept. 6-23, 2023
The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University
1444 Kentucky St., Bowling Green, Ky.
Wednesday- Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Central
Oct. 2-30, 2023
Glema Mahr Center
2000 College Drive, Madisonville, Ky.
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Central
November 2023
Pence-Chowning Art Gallery at Campbellsville University
205 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky.
December 2023
Laurel County Public Library
120 College Park Drive, London, Ky.
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.- 8p.m.
Saturday:
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday: 1-5 p.m. Eastern
Jan. 12-Feb. 23, 2024
The Living Arts & Science Center
362 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Lexington, Ky.
Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m Saturday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern
March 2024
Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau
206 S. 4th St., Murray, Ky.
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Central
April 3-27, 2024
Berea Arts Council
444 Chestnut St., Berea, Ky.
Wednesday-Friday: noon-5:30 p.m. Eastern and select Saturdays
May 8-June 2, 2024
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts
501 W. Main St., Louisville, Ky.
Friday, May 10: 10 a.m.-noon, 3-6 p.m. Saturday, May 11: 3-6 p.m. Monday, May 20: noon-2 p.m.
Friday, May 31: 5-7 p.m. Sunday, June 2: public reception and viewing, 3-5 p.m.
June 10-July 22, 2024
Paul Sawyier Public Library
319 Wapping St., Frankfort, Ky.
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, June 11: narrative stage with exhibit artists, 6 p.m.