Metropolitan Museum exhibition reinterprets Chinoiserie through feminist lens

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York showcases "Monstrous Beauty: A Feminist Revision of Chinoiserie," curated by Iris Moon. This exhibition explores European porcelain from the 16th to 18th centuries through a feminist lens, contrasting historical artifacts with modern pieces by Asian and Asian American artists. It critiques the traditional links of ceramics to femininity and addresses the exotification, sexualization, and demonization of East Asian identities. Notably, several works reference Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American film star, emphasizing her typecasting in 1920s Hollywood as a femme fatale that perpetuated the "dragon lady" stereotype. The exhibition also features album leaves honoring historical Chinese heroines, such as Ban Zhao (c. 49–120 CE) and Wei Shuo (272–349 CE). This event coincides with a renewed interest in art forms previously labeled as "decorative" and "feminine," with artists like Ruth Asawa and Cecelia Vicuña gaining significant retrospectives that challenge traditional gender hierarchies in art.