“The Cardinal Club”, Highlights Asian American Artists

The Cardinal Club – Curated by Bella Kubo

October 8 – October 31

Exhibition Reception October 8th, 3pm – 9pm

THE ANDERSON and VCUarts are pleased to present The Cardinal Club, an exhibition curated by VCUarts MFA alum Bella Kubo highlighting other Asian artists that are current or past MFA students at VCU.

The exhibition opens to the public Friday, Oct. 8th, 12:00pm, and is on view through Oct. 31. A public reception will be held on October 8th, beginning at 3pm until 9pm.

Kubo’s Curatorial Statement:

“The Cardinal Club” is an exhibition This exhibition is inspired by 8mm footage my grandfather had taken of his semi-secret Japanese golf club in Detroit called, “The Cardinal Club”. My grandfather and his family relocated to Detroit after internment and the second world war. For safety and security he became an accountant, but had dreams of studying film and going to school for filmmaking. His video is now a rare, uninformative artifact that provides a small glimpse into my family history that I know very little of. I’m hoping to create a score for the film and create an immersive installation in one of the rooms with the footage. 

However, this project called for greater collaboration. Living in a country where deep xenophobia towards the AAPI community is amplified, it is most important to bring attention to the vantage points of these incredible artists. I am questioning my investigation and how that can pit in comparison to other Asian diasporas or individuals who have inherited robust narratives? How do these stories affect our sense of self? And more importantly, our ability to identify with each other? Drawing from unique narratives, this group of artists also reflect their stories in a vast array of mediums. 

“The Cardinal Club” is an exhibition highlighting Asian American artists that are current or past MFA students at VCU. Living in a country where deep xenophobia towards the AAPI community is amplified, it is most important to bring attention to the vantage points of these incredible artists. I am questioning my investigation and how that can pit in comparison to other Asian diasporas or individuals who have inherited robust narratives? How do these stories affect our sense of self? And more importantly, our ability to identify with each other?