Year of the Tiger

For Winnipeg's Wall-to-Wall Mural Festival, artist Kyla Yin James' illustration was displayed on the side of the Sherbrook Inn in the West Broadway neighbourhood. This project was created as part of the CreateSpace Public Art Residency, a national program designed in consultation with advisors from coast to coast, to provide emerging Black, Indigenous and racialized artists with the skills, relationships and practical experience needed to take their public art practice to the next level.

Project Type: Temporary Exhibit

Artist: Kyla Yin James

Artist Statement: Year of the Tiger explores the place that anger holds in society, especially when displayed by those of marginalized genders. There is an oxymoron present in Western societies where marginalized people often only have their emotions taken seriously if expressed in an “acceptable” way. I wanted to explore the "tiger mom" stereotype because it stands in stark
contrast to other stereotypes of East Asians as submissive and obedient. When considered all together, they reveal a certain hypocrisy of how East Asians are seen both as docile and a threat depending on what serves present power structures the best. The symbolism in this piece pokes fun at these labels and asks the viewer how they are reading the maid and the tiger in the picture.

This project is part of the STEPS CreateSpace Public Art Residency and Wall-to-Wall Mural and Culture Festival 2022. The CreateSpace Residency is supported by the City of Toronto as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021 – 2022, TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment, Canada Council for the Arts, and Ontario Arts Council.