Fumiko Futamura
Self-Portraits as Other People's Preconceptions

1. Name-brand Obsession
2. Perfect Bilingual
3. Yellow on the Outside, White on the Inside
4. Model Student
5. Supercool Rockin' roll Japan Superawesome!!
6. Cute Little Anime
7. Fragile China Doll
8. Asian Fetish

We all have our assumptions, expectations, stereotypes, and fantasies of those who look different than ourselves. It enables us to understand and connect with those who are seemingly alien to our "normal" existence. Whether blacks encountering whites, Mexicans encountering Ukrainians, atheists encountering Southern Baptists, or nerds encountering jocks, we all bring to the table preconceptions of the "other." Most of us are aware of the effects of hostile stereotyping: racial profiling, labeling all Muslims as terrorists, genocide, etc. However, we sometimes neglect to see the more subtle, yet deep effects, of our more "innocent misconceptions".

I was born in Tokyo, Japan and came to live in Louisville, Kentucky with my parents at the age of five. In this series of oil paintings, I reveal some of the assumptions, expectations, stereotypes, and fantasies I have encountered as a Japanese girl growing up in the United States. The first four paintings in my installation explore the assumptions and expectations Japanese people have imposed onto me, resulting in feeling unnecessary shame and frustration in my inability and sometimes lack of caring to live up to their unrealistic, preconceived expectations. The last four works explore the stereotypes and fantasies that non-Japanese people have projected onto me, causing resentment and anger for not getting the respect and dignity that I feel I deserve.