Visual Arts
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Illustrations by Fin Lee
Fin Lee is a renowned queer Korean feminist creator whose clients include the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Lady Gaga's Grammy Awards, Planned Parenthood, Riot Girl Media, and others. They graduated from the Pacific Northwest College of Art with a BFA in Illustration in 2010 and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. You can view more of their work at lostboyillustrations.com or on their Instagram at @lostboyillustrations.
Fin Lee is a renowned queer Korean feminist creator whose clients include the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Lady Gaga's Grammy Awards, Planned Parenthood, Riot Girl Media, and others. They graduated from the Pacific Northwest College of Art with a BFA in Illustration in 2010 and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. You can view more of their work at lostboyillustrations.com or on their Instagram at @lostboyillustrations.
Tokyo
digital photography by Sterling Yun
Sterling Yun is a Boston-based photographer. He grew up in Bellevue, Washington, and currently studies architecture at Northeastern University. See his work at instagram.com/syunphoto.
Artist's Statement
Image 1
Looking down an alley in Ryogoku, Sumida, Tokyo. Ryogoku is a neighborhood in the eastern part of central Tokyo known for being the birthplace and home of sumo wrestling. Mostly residential and mixed-use, it has had to cope with Tokyo’s bustling population and recent influx of tourists. While this has added pressure to the famous transportation network connecting it with the rest of Tokyo, it has also added a new commercial aspect, with shops hawking local specialties and fresh fish under signs blazing bright in the night. Despite this commercialization, especially around the train station as shown here, Ryogoku manages to maintain a distinct atmosphere from other neighborhoods in Tokyo, and this unique differentiation is something that makes Tokyo stand out even from other East Asian megacities.
Image 2
A restaurant sits under train tracks passing through Ameyoko market in Ueno, Taito, Tokyo. Originally a black market for cheap goods, Ameyoko has evolved into a multipurpose district encompassing food, arcades, electronics, and shopping. Most goods sold there are legitimate and put up at list price, which brings up the question of how commercialization and tourism has gentrified local, formerly underground (at least metaphorically) places. When everything has an English menu and shops sell goods made by multinational corporations, does a local underground market retain its character?
digital photography by Sterling Yun
Sterling Yun is a Boston-based photographer. He grew up in Bellevue, Washington, and currently studies architecture at Northeastern University. See his work at instagram.com/syunphoto.
Artist's Statement
Image 1
Looking down an alley in Ryogoku, Sumida, Tokyo. Ryogoku is a neighborhood in the eastern part of central Tokyo known for being the birthplace and home of sumo wrestling. Mostly residential and mixed-use, it has had to cope with Tokyo’s bustling population and recent influx of tourists. While this has added pressure to the famous transportation network connecting it with the rest of Tokyo, it has also added a new commercial aspect, with shops hawking local specialties and fresh fish under signs blazing bright in the night. Despite this commercialization, especially around the train station as shown here, Ryogoku manages to maintain a distinct atmosphere from other neighborhoods in Tokyo, and this unique differentiation is something that makes Tokyo stand out even from other East Asian megacities.
Image 2
A restaurant sits under train tracks passing through Ameyoko market in Ueno, Taito, Tokyo. Originally a black market for cheap goods, Ameyoko has evolved into a multipurpose district encompassing food, arcades, electronics, and shopping. Most goods sold there are legitimate and put up at list price, which brings up the question of how commercialization and tourism has gentrified local, formerly underground (at least metaphorically) places. When everything has an English menu and shops sell goods made by multinational corporations, does a local underground market retain its character?
Dis-Connected
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Washing Rice
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On Purpose
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Unravel |
Arriving In Between
illustrations by Tori Hong
Tori Hong is a Minneapolis-based illustrator, zinester, and facilitator with roots in community organizing & (inter)personal healing/transformation. Their work centers queer and trans Asian Americans and the ways we relate to ourselves, the natural world, and each other. You can view more of their work at torihong.com.
Artist’s Statement
In “Arriving In Between," the artist explores the effects of PTSD and how they honor their relationships, body, and agency.
illustrations by Tori Hong
Tori Hong is a Minneapolis-based illustrator, zinester, and facilitator with roots in community organizing & (inter)personal healing/transformation. Their work centers queer and trans Asian Americans and the ways we relate to ourselves, the natural world, and each other. You can view more of their work at torihong.com.
Artist’s Statement
In “Arriving In Between," the artist explores the effects of PTSD and how they honor their relationships, body, and agency.
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But Everything Was Not Fine graphite illustration by Divinia Li Divina Li is a visual artist and law student. She is passionate about environment and energy policy, defending public institutions, and uplifting creatives. Her favorite artist is Paul Cézanne. Artist's Statement I created this piece during my gap year between my job and matriculating to law school. During that year, I assumed I would "find myself" and come out of the other side improved, in better mental health, with more skills. However, I found myself repeating bad habits, digging myself into a hole. I found myself having to justify to others why my gap year was worth it. In the end, instead of harsh truth that I still haven't "found myself" I would tell myself - and others, that I was doing just fine. |
Roots by Victoria Hsieh
(Featured on this issue's cover)
Victoria Hsieh is a current junior at Bellevue High School who is interested in the intersection of environmental studies, politics, and business. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and painting to raise awareness about mental health and other societal stigmas.
(Featured on this issue's cover)
Victoria Hsieh is a current junior at Bellevue High School who is interested in the intersection of environmental studies, politics, and business. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and painting to raise awareness about mental health and other societal stigmas.