This colored pencil piece is a straitjacket inspired by traditional Asian clothing that illustrates the constraining nature of the model minority myth. The myth is a long-standing stereotype that broadly claims all Asians are successful, polite, and law-abiding model citizens who have overcome racism to achieve the American Dream.

This myth flattens the Asian experience, ignores the diversity within the various diasporas, and erases a long history of discrimination and exclusion. It has also been weaponized throughout American history up to today to pit the Asian community against other racial groups, particularly the Black community. The artwork captures the complicated and binding nature of the myth. This piece has been featured in my #100DAYSIANS exhibit exploring my Asian American identity at New York's Pearl River Mart in 2017, has been featured in Glamour, and has been used on posters at Harvard University to promote their Asian American Studies program.

Print will be packaged in a cello sleeve with a chipboard backing and will be signed on the back.

To view more of my work, please visit my website at www.felicia-liang.com and follow me on Instagram at @thefliang. All work copyrighted © by Felicia Liang.