Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf artists featured in new exhibition

On February 21, 2025, an exciting new art exhibition opened at the Washburn Arts Center on Gallaudet’s campus. “Rising Crane, Open Wing” features 18 different Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf artists from the D.C. Metro Area. Many of the artists are Gallaudet and Clerc Center alumni, students, or staff members.

The exhibition, running through April 4, is a landmark moment for Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf artists. Inside the gallery, you’ll find gorgeous landscapes, intriguing abstract art, fascinating photography, and more. The variety of artists and mediums is a testament to the richness of artistic talent in the Deaf Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

The opening night reception attracted over 100 visitors, far surpassing the expectations of the curators, local artists Kaori “Karry” Takeuchi, G-’12, and Paul Guo. The response to the exhibition has been so positive that they’ll host a second reception on Saturday, March 22, from 1 – 5 pm. Several of the artists featured in the show will attend the reception.

The seeds of “Rising Crane, Open Wing” were planted in recent years when Takeuchi saw the success of previous exhibitions at Washburn, including shows that featured Black Deaf artists and Latina/o/x artists.

“Why not Asian Deaf artists?”, Takeuchi thought. She believed that there were enough talented artists in the Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf communities for a show of their own.

Takeuchi knew that the project would be too much for one person, so she reached out to Guo, who saw the potential in the idea. Neither of them had experience hosting exhibitions, but they were motivated to show the world the ability of Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf artists.

Takeuchi and Guo are artists themselves. During her time as a graduate student at Gallaudet, Takeuchi developed a style that she called “ASL manga”, using the dynamic movement of Japanese manga to visualize American Sign Language movement in drawings. Guo creates his own comic-style art, often incorporating his Chinese heritage and his experiences as a Deaf person. Both of them know well the challenges that Asian and Pacific Islander Deaf artists can face. 

At first, they envisioned a show that featured creators from all over the nation. They soon realized just how many worthy Deaf Asian and Pacific Islanders lived in the D.C. area, and decided to make the show a spotlight for local talent. That also made it easier to collect the artwork.

While some of the artists were already accomplished, others had never publicly shown their art. “They were very humble,” Takeuchi says. “They didn’t feel like they belonged in an exhibition. I had to encourage them to participate.”

The featured artists aren’t just diverse in experience. They represent different ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities. Guo and Takeuchi were conscious of the fact that many projects advertised as “Asian” predominantly feature Chinese and Japanese people. They made an effort to recruit artists with ties to a variety of countries all over Asia.

While Takeuchi and Guo led the project, the end result was a community effort. The exhibition is sponsored by Global Deaf Muslim USA, the Metro South Asian Deaf Association (MSADA), and the Greater Washington Asian Deaf Association (GWADA). The three nonprofit organizations contributed vital funding and logistical support for the show.

Guo and Takeuchi are grateful for the community support. They hope that “Rising Crane, Open Wing” will inspire more community members to follow their artistic instincts.

“Don’t be shy about wanting to be an artist,” Guo says. “Asian Deaf artists sometimes feel invisible. They should be proud of themselves.”

Takeuchi added, “Everyone has a journey in life. It’s important to share it with the world.”

Artists featured in “Rising Crane, Open Wing”

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“Rising Crane, Open Wing” is on display from February 21 to April 4, 2025. You can see it at the Washburn Arts Center on the Gallaudet Campus, open 9 am-5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Gallaudet offers a BA degree track in Art and Media Design, as well as several related minors. Visit the Art and Media Design webpage to learn more.