Friday, September 30, 2005

As Asian-Americans, I think we all have some degree of divided loyalties. America is our home, but the lands of our ancestors exert a powerful pull on us. So it is with six Chinese-Americans (who could be any ethnicity really). Hao Wu and Anna Wang understand this and have tried to tell this story in its visual form in Beijing or Bust. Set in the capital of China, we are introduced to Kaiser (who is credited with being the one of the founding members of Tang Dynasty--a rock group). Kaiser is torn between his American life and his feelings for China. In the end, he has chosen to start a family in Beijing. Likewise, Mimi and Ada--both artists (film and photography), are also torn between a life here and a life in China. Jeff and Bob have chosen the corporate/entrepreneurial lifestyle. They both point out the pros and cons of doing business with the most populated country in the world. Rania is a media artist who also straddles both worlds--are they Chinese or American? Or, are they Chinese-Americans? Mukul Khurana

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