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.
Street harassment is illegal, did you know?
For many of us in the Asian diaspora in Europe, street harassment is a daily reality—whether it’s “sambal bij” from a car, “nihao” on a bike, or “ching chang chong” on the street. The impact is real. But here’s what many don’t know: in several European countries, it’s a crime—punishable by fines of up to €750 or even a year in prison. When AVE members finally met in The Hague, our weekend of connection was interrupted by blatant street harassment. We turned that experience—and what we learned from the police—into a practical guide for reporting and dealing with racist abuse in public.
AVE updates: 2025 Q2
As summer winds down, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the past three months at AVE. From the open letter, policy advocacy to funding efforts, here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been doing. Thank you to everyone for your heartfelt support us along the way.
Letter from the curator #2: the All-Female Traditional Korean Theatre
In our second Letter from the Curator, Jeongwon Seo, invites us to Yeoseong Gukguek, the all-female traditional theater in Korea. Through siren eun young jung's works, we explore together how this stage cracked open gender norms and still speaks to questions of power and belonging today.
Those without a Share @Kunstraum, Berlin
At Kunstraum Berlin, eight artists explore meaning of ‘home’: a layered, shifting shaped by memory, borders, and displacement. Curated by Yewon Seo, the exhibition moves between carceral coldness and imagined warmth, offering a space where diverse voices can coexist in tension.
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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