Back in 2009, we interviewed artist CYJO, also known as Cindy Hwang, about her KYOPO Project, and her attempt to capture the “cultural diaspora” of kyopos, thereby challenging the assumption of a monolithic Korean identity.

The term “kyopo” refers to the roughly 7 million people of Korean ancestry who reside outside of Korea. Hwang photographed over 200 individuals of all different walks of life, from chefs, to novelists, and even famous actors. Some are adopted, some are mixed, and some speak fluent Korean while others do not know a word. Her objective was to capture a slice of the Kyopo community and to better understand the connections that tie us all together.

From August 12 through October 14, 2012, Hwang’s KYOPO Project will be featured in the Portraiture Now, Asian in America: Portraits of Encounter exhibition at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. And on September 17th, she will be having a lecture and book signing at the gallery.

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
8th and F Streets NW
Washington, DC 20001
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to  7:00 p.m. daily
Admission: Free

Cindy Hwang has also compiled the photographs into a book, complete with profiles of all featured individuals and a foreword by author Marie Myung-Ok Lee. The book will be available starting August 11. To pre-order, click here.

Watch our interview with Cindy Hwang/CYJO from 2009:

For more information about the project, go to: http://kyopoproject.com/
For updates, follow KYOPO Project on Facebook

[Photos: CYJO/Cindy Hwang]