If you’re feeling a bit bored by what is — or isn’t — hanging on your walls, an easy fix would be to change (or hang) some wall art. But if you don’t know where to look, don’t fret. To help you get started, we perused the works of 34 Asian and Asian American artists to surface illustrations, paintings, photographs, and other pieces worthy of some wall space whether it’s in the bathroom, bedroom, or living room.
Some of the works below come recommended by colleagues in New York Magazine’s art and photography departments. Others come from scrolling through Instagram accounts like It’s Nice That, Women Who Draw, and that of watercolor artist Tiffany Chau, who put together her own directory of AAPI creatives to support. What’s here is really just a smattering of Asian and Asian American–made wall art, so we’ll continue to update this article with other covetable pieces as we find them. And if you wish to further support Asian and Asian American communities, check out our (growing) directories of charitable organizations you can donate to and AAPI businesses you can shop.
Taiwanese American artist Felicia Liang specializes in digital and colored-pencil illustrations. Perhaps you’ve seen her work for #100DAYSIANS, her illustrated project about growing up Asian American, which went on to become a book and the theme of her first solo exhibition at New York’s Pearl River Mart. During the pandemic, she began a series of line drawings of Chinatown storefronts to spotlight small businesses hard-hit by xenophobia and serve as “an illustrated artifact of a vibrant intergenerational and immigrant community,” according to her website. Dim Sum Restaurant is one of those drawings, and you can buy prints of it via Liang’s Etsy page.
Patricia Wakida is the fourth-generation Japanese American artist behind Wasabi Press, an independent publisher that sells limited-edition letterpress and linoleum-block artist books, cards, calendars, and prints like this one of a lily.
Artist Lae Cheng’s adorable duck print would surely bring some joy to the walls of a nursery, kids’ room, or any favorite space of a child at heart.
Former New York associate art director Aaron Garza told us to check out the work of Min Heo, a Korean American illustrator known for her playful comic panels and prints.
This dramatic, high-contrast painting of a banana — originally acrylic on canvas, and for sale as a giclée art print — is by Cantonese American artist Keoi, who says their art is heavily inspired by their culture and background.
We love the neon palette in this piece from Brenda Chi, a California-based illustrator, who notes that the luster of the print has “just the right amount of shine and depth of color” to pop on the wall of your own home office.
This limited-edition print by Bangalore-born artist Soumya Netrabile represents Netrabile’s love for nature and botanicals. When creating the work, Netrabile wanted to capture the natural sway and movement of plants while still being delightfully abstract.
This limited-edition, geometric Shunsuke Imai print is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist and is available either framed (for an additional $105) or unframed.
New York Magazine’s art director and visuals lead, Stevie Remsberg, pointed us to the work of Chinese Canadian illustrator Nicole Xu. While this watercolor print would look great adorning the wall of a bedroom or living room, the image, as its name suggests, seems made for a bathroom.
“As a queer immigrant, I create original paintings by using escapism and nostalgia as an expression in order to reestablish a sense of belonging,” like this surrealist (and downright delightful) print of a noodle floating in a hot tub, says Hong Kong–born Tsz Kam in their Etsy artist bio.
This abstract print from Osamu Kobayashi, which is available both framed and unframed, is part of a limited-edition run of just 50. Each print comes numbered and signed by the artist.
Artist Khanhlinh Su works in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, gouache, marker, and digital illustration. She has a series of prints focused on nostalgic snack foods, like shrimp chips, instant ramen, and jelly cups (all of which are available both framed and unframed).
This illustration from artist Vivien Yip features famous titles from Asian American authors like Susan Choi and Ling Ma.
Each one of these cheery, punny prints is hand-printed by artist and RISD alum Stephanie Huang using traditional lino-print techniques. No two are alike and all are signed by the artist, so each one is considered an original.
This comes from a series of prints by Kim Nguyen that the artist says was “inspired by my favorite snacks growing up as an Asian American.” Featuring a woman gazing at a can of Yeo’s soy milk, it comes in six sizes ranging from five by five inches (for $10) to 20 by 20 inches (for $35). No matter what size you choose, just know the frame is not included.
Taiwanese American Jane Li is a graphic designer and illustrator, and this print combines elements of each of those skills. Featuring nine Taiwanese foods — from beef noodle soup to pork-belly buns — that Li has reinterpreted and drawn as ceramics, it starts at a reasonable $6 for a four-by-five-inch print. (The largest size, eight by ten inches, isn’t much more expensive — only $20.) Printed on matte card stock, it ships for free but does not come with a frame.
Although they’re two-dimensional, something about the works by self-taught Seattle-based illustrator Tiffany Chen makes them feel more like 3-D. The mooncakes surrounding this corgi, for instance, almost feel as though they’re flying off of the canvas — or the card paper — the drawing is printed on.
If you want to invest in a piece, Remsberg suggests this bold screen print by Japanese artist Misaki Kawai, who is known for her colorful paintings and fuzzy sculptures.
Remsberg also told us about the work of New York–based artist Ivy Zheyu Chen, the founder of publishing and printmaking studio Upon Press. Chen has a selection of zines available at Printed Matter, along with a handful of prints featuring simple, slightly abstract fruits like this watermelon, which would instantly bring interest to a kitchen.
Los Angeles–based Chinese American artist Sally Deng made Forbes’s “30 Under 30: Art & Style” list in 2020. You can find Deng’s work in magazines, newspapers, and her children’s book, Skyward, or purchase it in the form of prints like this transportive seaside scene.
Watercolor artist Haejin Park sells a selection of apparel, jewelry, tapestries, and stationery on her website. Remsberg, who told us about Park, is partial to this trippy print that’s a bit larger, at 13 by 19 inches. Each one is signed by the artist.
According to her website, Los Angeles–based illustrator Jenny Yu’s art depicts “worlds always suspended between fantasy and reality.” The original version of this print appeared in an exhibition at Gallery Nucleus — where it sold for $380, making the print’s price seem that much more reasonable.
Chinese Indonesian artist Gabrielle Widjaja, who is now based in New York City, doesn’t just sell works on paper — you can book an appointment to have her tattoo you. Those not looking for body art might instead consider this still-life print, which Widjaja says was inspired by a 1983 painting by American artist Paul Wonner.
Janice Chang is another artist whose work you might recognize from the newsstand, given that it has appeared in the New York Times, Vice, and Out Magazine, to name three publications. This cheerful print on paper, which is also available on canvas or a phone case, features some of the “humorous and bendy” characters Chang says she often uses in her work “as a way to engage in conversations around social and interpersonal issues.”
In addition to selling block prints like this one on Etsy, artist Emily B. Yang makes protest posters for the grassroots organization Welcome to Chinatown. According to the artist, the image in this print is meant “to remind myself and others to remember to take care of yourself and acknowledge that you did your best every day.”
Artist Tommy Kwak, whom New York Magazine associate photo editor Graylen Gatewood told us to check out, is only selling 25 of these prints featuring a flock of Faroe Island puffins in flight. Each is made to order and can be purchased framed or unframed.
Korean American illustrator Deborah Lee’s debut graphic novel, In Limbo, will be published in March 2023. Those who don’t want to wait to get their hands on something of hers should consider one of her affordable prints, such as this soothing black-and-white illustration that comes in three sizes.
Felicia Chiao, a Taiwanese American industrial designer by trade, makes fantastical illustrations. In addition to having an extremely relatable title, this print’s image is one we could easily stare at for 30 minutes without realizing it. In addition to selling prints, Chiao regularly shares wallpaper designs and coloring pages with subscribers to her Patreon.
According to her website, Japanese American artist Maya Fuji “is fascinated by themes of traditional Japanese mythology and folklore, and blends these with her own experiences of being issei” — or first-generation — “in the United States.” Her work often features feminine figures and pops of bright colors, both of which appear in this print.
You may recognize the illustrations of Lisk Feng — a New York City–based artist who hails from China — from Instagram, ads for Airbnb and Chanel, or the pages of children’s books. Her print of a gardener and her dog tending to some plants seems like a perfect way to channel the spirit of spring all year long.
Artists Mountain Dog and Xiao Mei are co-founders of independent publisher Little Mountain Press, which produces zines and risograph prints that they say aim “to transform boredom into joy and challenge people’s perception,” as in this humorous print.
These humorous prints comparing New York and Los Angeles (pigeons versus palm trees, sneakers versus Subarus) would make a perfect gift for any “bicoastal” friend. From illustrator and cartoonist Yao Xiao, they first appeared in the New Yorker’s Daily Shouts section.
Portland-based illustrator Yuna Cheong’s whimsical drawings borrow from myths and fairy tales, lending them an air of enchantment. Cheong is also a stop-motion animator who worked on Jordan Peele’s 2022 Netflix film Wendell and Wild.
Collagist and designer Suzie Shin uses magazine scraps to create abstract compositions that play with color, shape, and rhythm. This punchy art print is sure to brighten up your walls. (Note that the frame must be purchased separately.)
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