Conceived during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and the accompanying rise in anti-Asian bigotry, Word of Mouth: Asian American Artists Sharing Recipes is an artists' cookbook featuring stories and artwork from twenty-four Asian American and Asian diaspora artists from across the United States, with contributions that range from Los Angeles-based performance artist Kristina Wong's "Recipe for Political Action" to New Orleans-based painter Francis Wong's family recipe for stir-fried Szechuan alligator. Word of Mouth was first published as an online exhibition through the Virtual Asian American Art Museum. This print version features an introduction by art historian Michelle Yee, expanded essays, and brand-new recipes. Each contribution is accompanied by an original illustration and enriched by the artist's reflections on how their cuisine has been impacted by histories of war, migration, relocation, labor, or mixing. A pandemic project turned illustrated cookbook, this unique collection disrupts genre expectations to celebrate how artists use food to nurture and sustain their diverse communities and artistic practices as well as to build connection during times of isolation, grief, and loss.
Laura Kina is a queer, disabled, mixed-race Okinawan American artist and educator whose work focuses on Asian American art and identity. Kina is a Vincent de Paul Professor at the Art School at DePaul University in Chicago and is the coeditor of War Baby / Love Child: Mixed Race Asian American Art and Queering Contemporary Asian American Art and the illustrator of Lee A. Tonouchi's award-winning children's book Okinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos. Jave Yoshimoto is a recipient of the 2015 Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant, recognition award from the Friends of United Nations in New York, and teaches painting compositions and professional practices at University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is a visual artist, competitive axe thrower and cat lover. His works represent the visual history of humanitarian struggles.
"Word of Mouth is a colorful feast of images and words--chockful of delicious stories and pictures of Asian American conviviality. More than a cookbook, it is a bountiful meal." --Martin F. Manalansan IV, Rutgers University-New Brunswick "Word of Mouth provides a rich tapestry of Asian American cuisine through the lens of personal stories and culinary traditions. This captivating book delves into the diverse flavors, cultural influences, and experiences that Asian Americans bring to the table." --Anita Mannur, American University "Laura Kina and Jave Yoshimoto foreground care, exchange, and the power of collectivity during the perilous time of COVID-19 and heightened anti-Asian violence in this truly beautiful publication. The illustrations in Word of Mouth are as individual and gorgeous as the work of these artists and their poignant messages on racism and the power of family, storytelling, and healing for our time." --Alexandra Chang, Rutgers University-Newark
