A Closer Look at Echoes of Expectation: Identity and Stereotypes
A Digital Journey through Memories as an Outsider in Foreign Lands
Hello everyone,
As the Christie’s auction Bridging Worlds: Digital Art Beyond Borders continues, I wanted to take this opportunity to share the story behind my work, Echoes of Expectation. This piece is a personal exploration of identity and the experience of navigating life as a young Japanese woman in a foreign place. Through it, I hope to invite reflection on the complex themes of migration, belonging, and cultural identity.
Auction Details
Auction Dates: October 23-30, 2024
Estimate Price: 2-4 ETH
Auction Platform: 🔗 Christie’s 3.0
Auction Schedule: Bidding opens on October 23 at 10 AM EST and closes on October 30 at 10 AM EST. Please note, bids will close in increments of 10 minutes.
How to Participate in the Bid 🔨
Bidding starts at 0.05 ETH, and the artwork will be sold at the highest bid when the auction closes. There is no need to meet a minimum reserve price of 2 ETH.
To participate, simply log in to 🔗 Christie’s 3.0 and place your bid during the auction period.
Revisiting a Time of Cultural Adjustment ⏳
Echoes of Expectation is inspired by my time as a 17 year old exchange student in the American Mountain West, a rural town that became a mirror reflecting an entirely new version of myself. I was the only Japanese and Asian student in this close-knit community. Surrounded by kindness yet always aware of my own difference, I was a rare non-Christian, a person of color, and a young Japanese woman navigating the expectations of others. This experience forced me to consider who I was, both within my own culture and in the eyes of a Western audience.
In my art, I revisited these memories with a deep sense of gratitude but also a critical awareness of how stereotypes affected my self-image. The expectations placed upon me to fit certain molds the bubbly “Harajuku girl,” the stoic “dragon lady” highlighted both the visibility of my identity and the pressures it created. These roles were neither my choice nor my reality, but they became signposts in my journey of self-discovery.
The Shaping of Stereotypes and Self-Perception
Living abroad as a teenager meant that I was still forming my identity. I found myself unconsciously adapting behaviors to fit these expectations. At times, I performed roles that Western media often assigns to Japanese women, not just to blend in but to gain a sense of acceptance. There’s a subtle but powerful influence that stereotypes exert over how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us, and Echoes of Expectation reflects this nuanced interaction.
This work is also a reflection on how my own understanding of other cultures changed as I faced these biases. Growing up in Japan, I held unconscious biases toward different cultures. But my time in the U.S. exposed me to a broader perspective. This awareness was humbling, challenging my preconceptions while also affirming my desire to portray a more multifaceted Japanese identity in my work.
A New Perspective on Japanese Identity
After returning to Japan, I viewed my homeland through a lens altered by my experience abroad. It was almost as though I were seeing Japan for the first time, with both an insider's warmth and an outsider’s curiosity. This dual perspective has become foundational to my art, influencing the aesthetics I incorporate and the narratives I tell.
Working in digital art, I continue to challenge these stereotypes, using my own face as the model for many of my works. I aim to present an identity that goes beyond the narrow stereotypes associated with Japanese or Asian women. This artistic choice is a way of reclaiming my narrative while engaging in a medium that still feels like an “outsider” within traditional art spaces.
As I revisit these experiences, Migration and displacement are more than physical journeys; they are transformations that impact our sense of self. It is my hope that this work, while unique to my personal story, resonates on a broader level. Through this auction, proceeds will go toward UNHCR’s mission to support those whose journeys are marked by a forced loss of home, safety, and stability.
Thank you for supporting this piece and for joining me on this journey of reflection and self-discovery.
Warmly,
Emi Kusano ♡