Yellow

This digital art piece, titled “Yellow,” represents the idea of internalized racism within Asians and Asian-Americans in terms of beauty. Stereotyped for their slanted eyes, “yellow” skin, and flat noses, individuals become more aware of their differences compared to their caucasian counterparts. The number of double eyelid surgeries has dramatically increased as well as facial reconstructive works and an emphasis on emboldening facial features through makeup. By no means does having work done or makeup take away from their beauty, however, it has become a way to alter facial features representing the well-known features of white people. 

The standard of beauty is always changing, but it has continually been based on European facial features and light skin tone. Even as children, young boys and girls would often be seen to have crushes on their white classmates over other races. With the average age of children who use social media becoming younger, it largely impacts kids’ views on how they see attractiveness. With major companies often promoting products on light-skinned and Euro-centric featured models, this consequently led to many people of color altering their own sense of beauty to be construed towards the white-washed beauty standards. There is a loss of identity as well as individualism on how people tend to look at themselves. The desire to change the face, the body, the race, stems from the lack of representation of ethnic Asian beauty within society and in our homes. 

​Beauty is a subjective term, there should not be a representative race that becomes the ideal for all others. In this way, the digital piece utilizes the color yellow to highlight the beauty of Asians and place emphasis on who Asians are and not who they want to become. Within the mirror, a side-by-side comparison shows the alterations often seen in people. Both are beautiful and unique in their own way, yet by baring their true face they no longer have to integrate a foreign aspect into their lives. How often do we wish that we could look like a certain model or mold ourselves into a different way? By celebrating the Asian features passed down, it becomes a form of self-love as well as acceptance of Asian culture and beauty.