Location
Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR
Year
2021
Lily Wai Brennan’s solo exhibition, Yellow Kid, debuted her “racial persona”, Yellow Kid, for the first time. Yellow Kid will become a continuous character in her performance and video works. Based off of her nickname growing up in a rural, predominantly white community as well as the infamous 1890’s comic character, Yellow Kid became an opportunity to empower one’s marginal identity by reclaiming these once hurtful phrases.
Yellow Kid, 2021. Installed at Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR.
The Stop Asian Hate movement that became popularized in early 2021 triggered these works into manifestation. Intrigued by the discomfort of being half-Chinese, being half-white, and overtly the feeling of not being “enough” of something is what drove this work into reality. Lily Wai Brennan’s performance Yellow Kid (Containment) borrows from adolescent behaviors and ritualistic yoga movements as a means to work through these sticky moments of reflection for the marginal body. This video performance is then accompanied by her 8-part photo series Yellow Kid (Devouring Self) which investigates the fetishizing of half-Asian people.
Yellow Kid (Containment), 2021. Installed at Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR.
Video Stills from Yellow Kid (Containment), 2021.
Yellow Kid, 2021. Installed at Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR.
Yellow Kid, 2021. Installed at Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR.
Yellow Kid (Devouring Self) Photo Series, 2021.
