| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
SPECIAL FEATURE INDIE FILMS COMMENTARY INTERVIEWS RESOURCES BUSINESS INFO MEDIA INFO
|
It's OK to be Wrong and/or It's OK to be Hwang Presentations of idiosyncratic history pageants with a sense of humor and musicality A Creative Soul, Successful Playwright, Screenwriter and Librettist with All the Work He can Handle
AUTHENTICITY
VS. STEREOTYPES
Dictionary.Com's definition of "stereotype" is as follows:
US ASIANS: How
would you evaluate the creators of Miss Saigon, World of Susie Wong and
similar productions based on the story being authentic to them - despite
opinions that the premise are inaccurate and do you feel that this is exclusively
an Asian Pacific American issue?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: In both these cases, I am willing to accept that the creators are well-meaning and creating an authentic vision from their point of view. They have the right to create these works. We have the right to object and critique if they feel inauthentic to us. US ASIANS: Remembering your words that your constantly changing beliefs presently embraces Oscar Wilde's notion that "consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds" (as oppose to people such as Malcolm X or Gandhi) has become more significant to me as the years have gone by, what creative experiments/explorations/adventures do you have in your creative search for authenticity? DAVID HENRY HWANG: I think most, if not all, of my work is in some sense a creative experiment/exploration in search of authenticity. US ASIANS: From your perspective(s) and/or hopes, which one of your plays do you feel provides the means that provides the ability and/or motivation for the audience to have a glimpse of an authentic aspect(s) of Asian/Chinese American culture?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: I hope all of my plays that deal with Asian/Asian Pacific American subject matters give the audience a glimpse of my own authentic vision. US ASIANS: How do we promote healthy debate on authenticity and diversity that consists of informed people who are intellectually rigorous? DAVID HENRY HWANG: We should all express our opinions and views, whether we consider ourselves informed or not. A healthy exchange of views from all sides of the spectrum will itself promote intellectual rigor. Everything is permitted, short of violence. US ASIANS: Are you still haunted in your search of authenticity of who you are? DAVID HENRY HWANG: Identity remains an open question for me, though I'm probably less "haunted" by it than I used to be. US ASIANS: What factors help you successfully ride the very fine balance between the perpetuation of stereotypes and the following of the individual's will (creative muse) as artists that are able to do this for a living in 2005? DAVID HENRY HWANG: As artists, our work is subject to the reactions of others, whether their critiques be creative, socio/political, or personal. We should try to be as truthful as possible, so we understand the reasons for our choices, in order to defend them against inevitable criticism from one quarter or another.
US ASIANS:
In one's search to differentiate between Asian/Chinese and Chinese/Asian American culture through plays, films, books, etc. - they often turn into "Orientalia for the Intelligentsia." Does this type of work just confuse the audience (Asian and non-Asian) on what is actually Asian/Chinese, Asian/Chinese American and American?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: There is, in reality, a fair amount of overlap between these three categories, so in some sense that confusion simply reflects the truth. US ASIANS: How important is it for Asian/Asian American/American audiences to have a defined and accurate vision and/or presupposition of what is Asian/Chinese and Asian/Chinese American? DAVID HENRY HWANG: I feel this distinction is much less important, and in fact, less well-defined, than it was when I was younger. Sansei culture, for instance, was distinctly different from Japanese, as 5th-generation Chinese Americans were distinct from the world of China during the Cultural Revolution. Nowadays, the world is much smaller, American pop culture much more pervasive internationally, and CAs travel back and forth with more regularity.
US ASIANS: How does one effectively utilized the desire of being authentic within the film/theater/television world to produce great works of art that recognizes that there are many common cultural aspects but unfortunately produces productions such as Ms. Saigon, The World of Susie Wong, FOX TV's Bonzai, Sixteen Candles, Charlie Chan movies, television's Kung Fu, etc.? DAVID HENRY HWANG: Well, none of those works were created by Asians or Asian Pacific Americans.
US ASIANS:
Do you feel that the official "Asian-American Syndrome: when there's only one who's in the spotlight at a given time, everything we say is expected to represent the entire culture" has much improved in 2005?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: I think the number of Asian celebrities, who therefore end up serving as "cultural ambassadors," have proliferated in recent years. Interestingly, however, a growing number are Asian nationals rather than Americans per se. US ASIANS: Do you feel that criticisms of a creative piece of work (i.e. theater, television, films, music, etc.) become inherently more dangerous when they focus on a work of art's content as opposed to the aesthetics?
DAVID HENRY HWANG:
I don't think any of my work contradicts Frank's definitions of "real"
Chinese American writing. Frank labels it as "fake" primarily because
he didn't write it. US
ASIANS:
What literary and visionary qualities do you feel that Amy Tan ("Joy
Luck Club"), Maxine Hong Kingston ("The Woman Warrior") and yourself
have in common that would prompt Frank Chin to define this group of
writers as "fakes?"
DAVID HENRY HWANG:
The quality which annoys Frank about this group of writers is that
our work has been more commercially successful than his.
US
ASIANS:
What is your definition of "authentic" and/or "real" (in Frank Chin's
words) Chinese American writing and what is "fake" - along with your
opinion on the differences between your opinion(s) versus Frank Chins?
DAVID HENRY HWANG:
Frank seems to believe there is one definition of "authentic," his
own, and that all others are "fake." He also ostensibly believes
that root-culture traditional material needs to be utilized with
absolute felicity to the source material, rather like Khomeni objected
to Rushdie using Islamic source materials creatively in "The Satanic
Verses." The reality is, however, that just as different cultures
experience different realities, so do individuals within these cultures.
No one has a monopoly on authenticity, not even Frank Chin. US ASIANS: It has been stated that without any unique vision, style and/or attitude unique to the Asian/Asian Pacific American communities - as oppose to the Black and Hispanic communities, it will be hard for any artists of Asian descent to achieve tangible success in the U.S.? DAVID HENRY HWANG: The belief that APA (Asian Pacific American) communities are more culturally and/or experientially diverse than Black or Hispanic communities betrays a gross misunderstanding of these other groups.
US ASIANS:
Acknowledging your beliefs that ethnic isolationism also runs the risk of reinforcing a larger prejudice in society and recognizing that ethnic minorities are defined primarily by their race that leads to the ghettoization of writers, when do you feel that there is a level of authenticity and belief that writers can effectively write about other cultures - such as what has already been happening in the music industry?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: I think when writers feel comfortable interacting with and living among individuals of other cultures, they will feel comfortable writing about them. US ASIANS: Previously you had mentioned that class will be more important than race in terms of determining how people are classified in this society and what types of options they have, would you like to elaborate on this issue? DAVID HENRY HWANG: In the final analysis, race is an artificial construct of our nation and age, whereas class is real -- economic differences between people have always spawned significant consequences. US ASIANS: Do you feel that in the 21st century that there might be some more danger to this fear of isolationism, compared to the fear of racism - as compared to the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s? DAVID HENRY HWANG: Ultimately, assuming that civilization and technology continues on our current path, isolationism will no longer be a rational option.
US ASIANS:
Your actions and words give great credence that you place a high priority on one's ability to utilize the quality of critical thinking - could you expand on why you feel that is an important characteristic/ability for important/influential artists to have?
US ASIANS: For those who are interested, what would be your recommendation(s) on how one can nurture and utilize the ability of "critical thinking" to effectively communicate their respective vision/passions? DAVID HENRY HWANG: Engaging in frank exchanges of ideas with individuals who hold different points of view than one's own.
US ASIANS:
What aspects of your background provided the interest, talent and gifts to attain a level of skills to debate issues since your days on the San Gabriel High School debate team?
DAVID HENRY HWANG: I was apparently a very successful high school debater, and this training has ended up serving me well in the public appearance aspects of my current profession. US ASIANS: Could you share how this debating skill and/or talent provided an invaluable means to carefully investigate the various "points of views" in issues of culture, race, class and/or sex? DAVID HENRY HWANG: In competitive debate, you learn to argue all sides of an issue, which has probably helped me to write works in which characters of different viewpoints interact with one another.
Any questions regarding the content, contact Asian American Artistry |
