Jean-Michel Basquiat, Defacement, 1983

Jean-Michel Basquiat addressed police violence with his painting “Defacement.” He created the work after Michael Stewart died in police custody. The painting uses crowded forms to show tight harm and pressure. Viewers face the reality of racial injustice in New York City. Basquiat’s work shows how artists respond to events that shape public life. You see how he uses direct images to confront the issue instead of hiding it.

A Uzbek chapan is a traditional long, padded coat that is often worn over clothes for warmth and decoration. It has a long history in Central Asia, symbolizing hospitality and status, and is usually made from colorful fabrics with intricate patterns and embroidery. While going back to my home country for the summer i saw many of them in the markets and older people wearing them day to day, coming back home i learned that my grandfather actually owns an authentic one from when he immigrated here, learning that brought me closer to my roots and background, knowing that it will get passed down to me.

Betty Yu’s “Grandma Working at a Food Factory in Williamsburg Brooklyn” is a tribute to the often overlooked labor and resilience of Asian immigrant women in mid-20th century America. With the use of archival family photographs, the piece connects personal history with a larger theme of immigration, identity, and cultural memory. I believe it highlights the significant yet non-recognized contributions of Asian Americans who worked tirelessly in industries like food factories despite facing systemic discrimination. This artwork lets viewers think about the experiences and challenges that immigrants faced and how it was never talked about in history.