Welcome to the AVE Blog!
A home for stories, art, and activism from the Asian diaspora in Europe. Dive in for snapshots of AVE’s work, powerful interviews, exhibition reflections, and decolonizing critique — all amplifying voices that matter.
AVE updates: 2025 Q1
In 2025, AVE has been on the frontlines of anti-Asian racism advocacy across Europe. From calling for better racial justice data and civic space protections at the EU’s Permanent Anti-Racism Civil Society Forum, to pushing for dedicated action on anti-Asian racism, AVE has worked to keep Asian diaspora voices heard. At the CSO Subgroup Meeting on National Action Plans Against Racism in March, we emphasized the importance of grassroots participation and tackling structural racism. During Anti-Racism and Diversity Week, we joined intersectional discussions on gender, civic space, workplace inclusion, and resisting far-right ideologies. And at the DAAD research group in April, we continued cross-border conversations on diaspora, intersectionality, and anti-Asian racism research.
Seen and Unseen: Identity, Resistance, and Visibility @Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis
In this issue, we reflect on SEEN, an exhibition that confronts incarceration, injustice, and transformation by the collective ‘we are all criminals‘. Through our eyes, we share how the works moved us — from the weight of confinement to the quiet power of healing.
Letter from the curator: #1—Art and Postcolonialism
In our first Letter from the Curator, Jeongwon Seo invites us into a conversation on art and postcolonialism—one that looks beyond the buzzwords and asks how artists today are challenging power, rewriting narratives, and imagining new futures. From the Venice Biennale to Busan, this reflection explores why postcolonial critique remains urgent today and introduces the artists and questions we’ll be spotlighting in future issues.
Spotlight: Asian Persuasion - In conversation with founders Joni & Christopher
This May, Asian Voices Europe spoke with Joni Sheila and Christopher D’havé, founders of Asian Persuasion. What began as a project to support Asian artists in Belgium has grown into something more meaningful: a platform for solidarity, care and visibility in a space where many have felt invisible. Their stories reflect a shared journey of navigating bicultural identity, longing for belonging, and daring to build something new.
Get ready: the first AVE newsletter drops in May 2025!
The AVE Newsletter is your quarterly dose of stories, art, and activism from the Asian diaspora in Europe. Each issue brings you curated reflections from our art editor, interviews with organizers and creatives, policy advocacy updates, community voices, and a taste of culture — from food to legal insights. Whether you're here to connect, reflect, or get involved, this newsletter is for you. Free to read, and made with care.
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