Exploring the theme of inscrutability, Vivian L. Huang examines how Asian and Asian American artists have transformed this stereotype into a powerful form of resistance against racism, sexism, and heteronormativity. By analyzing works from a range of artists in literature, visual culture, and performance art since 1965, Huang reveals how they utilize aesthetics like invisibility and silence to articulate Asian American experiences. This book challenges assimilation narratives, showcasing how these creators use sensory elements to affirm Asianness as a basis for social critique and artistic innovation.
Vivian L. Huang Books


Surface Relations
- 240 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Vivian L. Huang retheorizes the stereotype of inscrutability as a queer aesthetic strategy within contemporary Asian American cultural life.