There is a Chinese idiom “to eat bitterness 吃苦.” It means to endure hardship and accept suffering as a part of life. The ability to tolerate and overcome difficulties is seen as a virtue and a badge of honour, and to some it is a fundamental part of the Chinese character. With the spike in anti-Asian racism in 2020 and 2021, Refuse to eat our bitterness, 2021, protests and rejects this age-old attitude. Refuse to accept humiliation and abuse, Karen Tam’s art tells us. Refuse to accept hate. Refuse to be submissive. Spit out the bitterness.
Photography Practice & Inspiration
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Marquis of Lorne Arch, 1882, photographer unknown, Collection of the Nanaimo Museum (NAN_R5-1).
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Marquis of Lorne Arch, 1882, photographer unknown, Collection of the Nanaimo Museum (NAN_R5-1).
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Explore More
Online Exhibitions
Online ExhibitionsThrough the Lens of C.D. Hoy
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Curated by Faith Moosang
Autumn Tigers
An Exhibition by Karen Tam Celebrating Chinese Culture in British Columbia
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The 2024 Canadian Student Art inspiration Challenge
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