The Department of Art and Art History at Eastern held its biannual Asian Studies Expo in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Art Gallery from Jan. 31 to Feb. 14. Coordinated by art Professor Soojin Kim, the exhibition is a celebration of Asian cultures and topics through a variety of artistic media.

“By hosting this event, I hope to cultivate a deeper cultural awareness and appreciation within Eastern,” said Kim. "With my expertise in digital arts and media design, I strive to enhance the event’s visual presentation and expand its reach. I also support the integration of artistic and academic perspectives by encouraging student involvement through creative showcases."

Senior art major Amanda Balinskas incorporated her childhood inspiration for her art journey, using the Japanese anime “Dragon Ball” as a stylistic basis for her manga based on the Chinese folktale “Journey to the West.” 

“I wanted to incorporate stylistic elements of the ‘Dragon Ball’ manga and tie it into the story of ‘Journey to the West’ to exemplify that connection,” Balinskas explained. “It was an incredible experience being able to learn so much about where these narratives came about, and I had so much fun illustrating my own interpretation of that story.”    

Junior English major Taryn Beisel contributed a class project to the exhibition: Beisel researched traditional Korean medicine and incorporated her botanical knowledge into watercolor painting. 

“I have always been fascinated with herbal medicine and was aware that many Asian countries had a rich history of using herbs to treat various ailments. … I learned a lot from researching the development of Korea's use of herbal medicine and how even with the advancements made in modern medicine, it's still practiced and ingrained into Korea's culture today,” Beisel explained. “The little watercolor paintings I made for my project were inspired by botanical art that's used for identifying plants.”

Eastern’s Asian Cultural Society contributed greatly to the exhibition’s development, notably hand-crafted paper lanterns from the 2024 mid-autumn festival. Senior art major Kelsey Ng, who also serves as the public relations officer on the club’s e-board, submitted the club’s featured poster to the expo along with an illustration. 

“For my illustrative piece, it is my rendition of a character from a show in a more realistic yet still stylized form,” Ng explained. “I believe that it affirms manga/manhua to be a versatile expression of visual art, rather than the traditional narrow definition in the West.”  

Ng continued: “For the club poster, it is a rather wide topic to cover, as ‘Asian’ (as a label) lumps many peoples and cultures together. The best way I determined to represent the club was to unite many important colors and some iconography to display the breadth of cultures that are explored in club meetings.” 

The expo highlights art Professor Lora Lee as the spotlighted faculty contributor. Her two pieces are part of a series she’s created in which folktales are “reimagined with a fresh style that blends traditional and modern techniques.” 

Lee explained: “Created using calligraphy brushes and ink on watercolor paper, the pieces are then scanned and digitally enhanced with vibrant colors and textures. Inspired by my cultural heritage, these works reflect my expertise in both traditional and digital media.”