Stereotypes and Admonitions

Roger Shimomura... The Gook (2003, Acrylic on canvas). "...One Saturday afternoon in the summer of 1976, Roger visited Seattle's tourist-filled Pike Place Market. While walking along the crowded stalls, Roger noticed that walking in front of him was a tattooed Caucasian male with long hair, wearing a leather headband, cutoff jeans and no shirt. The man appeared to be in a highly agitated state and was walking in an exaggerated fashion while swearing profusely. As Roger began to pass him, the man yelled at Roger, 'Hey Gook, I killed your fuckin' brother in 'Nam. I killed your mother and father, too!' Then for at least 30 more feet the man walked beside Roger, screaming about having 'killed hundreds of VCs and Chinks just like you!'" From Stereotypes and Admonitions, a 2003 exhibition of works by Roger Shimomura at Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle, WA.