Asian Communities in Canada: Representations in Comics

Featuring artists of Asian heritage from across Canada

Jimmy Chan, Timelapse photo of Chinatown.

Asian Communities in Canada: Representations in Comics

May 8 – June 15, 2025
Curated by Yang Lim
Online Exhibition

Come explore a recently opened online exhibition: Asian Communities in Canada: Representations in Comics.

Produced by independent curator Yang Lim, this art exhibition showcases artists of Asian heritage in Canada who broaden the conversation around what it means to be Asian today. It features the compelling works of seven artists: Allan Matudio, Althea Balmes, Lorina Mapa, Naomi Fong, Stefano Jun, Vivian Zhou, and Xulin Wang.

Revealing the dynamic interplay of text and imagery within the comic medium, these artists’ works depict diverse representations of themselves and their respective communities, which convey the complexities of their lived experiences and cultural realities. The artists engage with different historical, cultural, and geographical contexts that highlight the complexities of heritage and self-representation.

Enjoy this free online exhibition from May 8 to June 15!

This exhibition has been assisted by the Province of Alberta through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, its arts funding agency.

Artist Q&A Event

Want to learn more about the artists? On Sunday, May 18, 2025, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Eastern Time, you will have an exciting opportunity to join a free live Artist Q&A and hear about their creative processes and artistic journeys. Register here to confirm your spot in this free event!

Vivian Zhou, Image from Atana and the Firebird (2023).

About the Artists

Althea Balmes (she/they) is an award-winning visual storyteller, arts educator, and UX designer whose work taps into migration, diaspora, as well as the ancestral, the sacred, and the intangible cultures of the Philippines.

Naomi Fong (she/her) is an illustrator, comic creator, and alumni of the Alberta University of the Arts. Her work is often autobiographical and draws upon everyday experiences, family folklore, and Chinese heritage.

Stefano Jun is a civil engineer and cartoonist who draws comics related to his life as a Korean immigrant. Jun’s heritage and life in Canada provide a unique insight into the search for self-identity and acceptance.

Lorina Mapa is a graduate of the Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. Her works draw upon her childhood in the Philippines and family experiences. She is also a comic book and manga letterer.

Allan Matudio is a multidisciplinary artist born to Filipino parents. His artistic practice focuses on Filipino-Canadian identity, migrant worker struggles, and pre-colonial Filipino art and mythology.

Xulin Wang (they/them) is an award-winning Canadian-Chinese illustrator, author, and comic journalist who creates stories shaped by personal experience and situated at the intersection of social justice and science.

Vivian Zhou is a Chinese Canadian cartoonist whose works connects with real world issues and her racial identity, covering topics such as the search for belonging, intersectionality, and immigrant experiences.

For more information about this exhibition:
Web: intersectionsinart.com/comic-representations
Email: northernartprojects@gmail.com

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