Kip Fulbeck’s Hapa Project returns to Portland during AANHPI Heritage Month Updated Exhibition Explores Multiracial Asian American Identity

hapa.me: 15 years of the hapa project, a new exhibition by artist Kip Fulbeck, will open at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon on Sunday, May 21 and remain on view through August 13, 2023.

The installation pairs photographs from Fulbeck’s groundbreaking 2006 exhibition—titled kip fulbeck: part Asian, 100% hapa—with new portraits of the same individuals. The photographs are accompanied by each subject’s handwritten responses to the typically posed question, “What are you?” The word “hapa” is the Hawaiian transliteration of the English word “half.” Much of its current usage derives from the phrase hapa haole, meaning “half white.” The phrase was originally coined by Native Hawaiians to describe the children resulting from encounters between islanders and white settlers. In subsequent years, hapa (or Hapa) has come into popular usage away from the islands, most frequently embraced by multiracial Asian/Pacific Islander Americans. Fulbeck created The Hapa Project in 2001, traveling the country to photograph over 1,200 volunteers who identified as Hapa. The Hapa Project’s goals were to promote awareness and recognition of the millions of Hapas in the United States; to give voice to multiracial people and other previously ignored ethnic groups; to dispel myths around exoticism, hybrid superiority, and racial homogeneity; and to foster positive identity formation in multiracial children. In 2006, Fulbeck published his first photographic book and premiered kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa, the first museum exhibition to explicitly explore Hapa identity.

Harper: Japanese / Swedish / Norwegian / Irish / German / English. Photos by Kip Fulbeck.

Since then, the number of people in the U.S. who identify as more than one race has grown exponentially, with awareness of multiracial issues dramatically increasing alongside. Fulbeck addresses this progress with hapa.me. The original photographs and statements from the 2006 exhibition are paired with contemporary portraits of the same individuals and newly written statements, showing not only their physical changes over the years, but also their changes in perspective and outlook on the world. The stark, plain format of the photographs remains the same, allowing viewers to focus on each subjects’ distinctive features. In addition, hapa.me includes a new interactive section where viewers can join the community by having their portrait taken and writing their own personal statement. A 200- page, full-color catalog will be available for purchase in the museum store. Kip Fulbeck is a professor of art at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is the recipient of the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award. He has authored five books including Part Asian, 100% Hapa and Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids, and has exhibited his artwork in over 20 countries. Exhibition Events Artist Talk with Kip Fulbeck Sunday, May 21, 2-3pm 220 NW 2nd Ave, 8th Floor, Portland Resources Images and exhibition press information on Google Drive Japanese American Museum of Oregon exhibition page About the Japanese American Museum of Oregon The mission of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon is to preserve and honor the history and culture of Japanese Americans in the Pacific Northwest, educate the public about the Japanese American experience during WWII, and advocate for the protection of civil rights for all Americans. Formerly known as the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, our museum is a venue for culture and research as well as an invaluable resource for exploring Nikkei experiences and their role in Oregon’s multicultural community. Our permanent exhibit space highlights Issei immigration and early life in Oregon, Nihonmachi (Japantown), and the experience during World War II through Nikkei life today.

Museum Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 11am-3pm

Location: 411 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97232

Admission: Free for Friends of JAMO; $8 Adults; $6 Seniors; $5 Students; Free for Children 11 and under