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Asian American art is a broad term that encompasses the visual arts created by the Asian American community.

It is a popular method of expression that can be seen as a way for the community to push against traditions and misconceptions of Asian Americans.

Early Asian American Artists
Asian Americans began immigrating to the United States about a century and a half ago. Although they were largely confined within their own communities, even the earliest Asians showed an active interest in creating visual art. The earliest known evidence of Asian American art was in 1854 San Francisco, when a Chinese immigrant photographer by the name of Ka Chau opened his pieces to the public. It was entitled "Daguerrean Establishment", where pedestrians could gaze upon his portraits of Chinese men and women. Unfortunately none of his portraits seemed to have survived.

Around sixteen professional Chinese artists and photographers were present in San Francisco by the late 1860s, and one of the most well known amongst them was Lai Yong. He was a photographer and portrait painter whose clientele extended well beyond the Chinese immigrant community, including some of San Francisco's most important figures. Category:Performance art