Isolation Journal and Yellow Pages
2020
Video
5 minutes
The Yellow Pages
2017
Inkjet prints
18 x12 inches (set of 26 prints)
Artist Statement
(Adapted from the “Yellow Pages Appendix”):
Asian Crimes Godzilla in Toronto
Beauty Ads of whitening product in the Philippines, China and India
Choice How to wear a hijab
Delicacy Shark fin in the water
Empowerment Heroes and heroines: Son Goku of Dragon Ball, Mulan, Bruce Lee, Astro Boy and Po of Kung Fu Panda
Fresh Off the Boat Luxury car brands
Gourmet Menu of the now closed Master Chef Cafe, Vancouver
Home World map
Invasions Front page, the New York Times, February 25, 1945
Justice Statue in memory of the Comfort Women during WWII, Seoul, South Korea
Kung Fu Found drawings of squatting men
Liberation Air strikes over Vietnam during the American War M.S.G. Movie posters of gangster films from South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia
North Korea Peace poster for North Korea
Orientals Pictorial symbols re-designed or appropriated from the handbook by Rudolf Modley
Patriarchy Portraits on banknotes
Queer European wigs and Chinese hairstyle from past centuries
Rouge Victims of Khmer Rouge, Cambodia
Solidarity Poster for Black Lives Matter
Transformers Magazine and memorabilia of Takarazuka Revue, a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe
Uprising The Umbrella Movement, Hong Kong (source: the Huffington Post)
Visibility Across appeared on American prime time television
Whiz Kids Words cut out form ads in newspapers
Xenophobia Internment and refugee camps
Yellow Fever Girls’ Generations, a South Korean girl group
Zen A-bomb explosion
Ho Tam was born in Hong Kong, educated in Canada and the U.S. and worked in advertising companies and community psychiatric facilities before turning to art. He practices in multiple disciplines including photography, video, painting and print media. His first video, The Yellow Pages, was commissioned by the public art group PUBLIC ACCESS for an installation/projection at the Union Station of Toronto in 1994/95. Since then Tam has produced over 15 experimental videos. He was included in the traveling exhibition Magnetic North: Canadian Experimental Video by Walker Art Center, Minnesota. His feature documentary film “Books of James” was awarded Outstanding Artistic Achievement (Outfest, LA) and Best Feature Documentary (Tel Aviv LGBT Film Festival). He also publishes several series of artist’s books and zines. Tam is an alumnus of Whitney Museum Independent Studies Program, Bard College (MFA) and recipients of various fellowships and artist’s grants. Since 2019, Tam has been running the Hotam Press Bookshop/Gallery in Vancouver.