ACAW - Excerpts from post at MoMA by Beatrice Glow

Asian Contemporary Art Week (ACAW)
Oct 17, 2014 2:01PM
What Is Chino? Memories and Imaginaries of Asian Latin America 

 [...] several well-intentioned folks warned me of river pirates, reptilian predators, terrorist activity, drug trafficking, and other perils. Undeterred, I began mapping the escape route of the rumored coolies...I then followed the various Chinese migration waves toward the Andes and the Amazon River Basin, weaving together migratory landmarks while documenting oral histories from elders. En route I resurrected memories from cemeteries, guano mines on the Chincha Islands, coastal sugar and rice plantations, and railroads that led into the mountains, until finally, I arrived by canoe to El Chino, where no Chinese live."         

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2. Chino/na: A Folk-Etymological Wordplay

"If the collective imaginary was perceivable by the senses, it would probably be the lemony, floral notes of the Chinese perfume tree, whose elusive aroma comes and goes like an apparition. From this evocative scent, the New World was conceived, fertilized by rumors of an exotic and resource-rich Asia, motivating Europeans to set sail. Columbus’s mistaking the Americas for India destined them to become the imaginary grounds of Asia, which is evident when dissecting the folk etymology of the Spanish words chino, or china ... This word takes on innumerable significations, varying from one region to another and often reflecting historical realities as well as abstractions. An expression that sums it up is “cuento chino,” which translates as “Chinese story,” and is used to describe a convoluted lie, tall tale, or fable."

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All images courtesy of Beatrice Glow.

Asian Contemporary Art Week (ACAW)