Statement
Deeply affected by the surge in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans during the pandemic, I found myself reassessing my identity, my roots, and what it meant to be an Asian-Panamanian woman in the United States. I began to ponder deeply on what constituted my Chinese heritage. Was it simply my physical appearance? Was it the values instilled in me? Or perhaps the timeless traditions handed down through generations?
Bio
MaiYap is an award-winning Asian Latina multi-disciplinary artist and art instructor. Her work emphasizes social and environmental awareness. A master colorist with 25 years of experience, she paints in a variety of techniques, ranging from realistic brush-painted flowers to landscapes and abstracts done exclusively with palette knives. Her paintings bring attention to the state of our planet and are a call to action. Her latest conceptual projects explore her multi-cultural identity, emphasizing the power of family connections, discrimination towards Asian Americans, and reproductive justice. She is the founder and director of Palette Knife Artists of Miami. For 14 years, she taught multiple art courses at Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Among her most recent awards are first prize at Wynwood Biennial 2020, first prize at the NLAPW Biennial in Washington, DC, and finalist at the Norwegian Cruise Line & Nader Museum Award. In 2021, she was chosen as a juror for the prestigious Roberto Lewis national art contest in Panama. Her work is in permanent collections at The University of Miami, Florida International University, St. Thomas University, Museo de Arte El Salvador, and the Haegeumgang Museum in South Korea, among others. She has a degree in Advertising and Graphic Design from the University of Georgia. A native of Panamá, she works and resides with her family in Miami, Florida.
