Ann Arbor Times

The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) has announced the opening of "Strange You Never Knew," a solo exhibition by multimedia artist Jarod Lew. This exhibition, set to open on February 1, 2025, will explore themes of identity, family memory, and diaspora within the Asian American experience.

Lew's work in this exhibition aims to examine personal history and broader social contexts. The exhibition includes three portrait series that depict intimate scenes of family and community life. Additionally, it features a newly commissioned video installation that highlights broader social and economic issues.

One of the portrait series, "Please Take Off Your Shoes," portrays the diverse multi-generational Asian American community in southeast Michigan. Another series, "In Between You and Your Shadow," delves into Lew's relationship with his mother who resists being photographed. This series reveals a significant part of his family history: his mother was once engaged to Vincent Chin, whose murder in 1982 became a pivotal moment for Asian American civil rights. In "Mimicry," Lew's self-portraits are combined with found photographs to address cultural appropriation and racial stereotyping.

The video installation titled "The New Challengers Strike Back" consists of two videos creating a dialogue about Detroit’s historical economic challenges and cultural conflicts. One screen shows Detroit news footage from the 1980s while another presents an interactive game sequence from Super Street Fighter II.

Jennifer M. Friess, UMMA's Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs and Associate Curator of Photography, commented on Lew’s work: “Jarod Lew’s work surfaces the complex history of the Asian American experience in the Midwest with deep sensitivity.” She added that the exhibition offers insight into family relationships against wider societal forces.

"Jarod Lew: Strange You Never Knew" will be available for viewing at UMMA from February 1 through June 15, 2025.