Laura Kina, director of Critical Ethnic Studies and Vincent de Paul professor in The Art School, is one of 37 grantees selected by the New York–based nonprofit Art Matters Foundation, to be awarded a fellowship of $5,000. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)Laura Kina, director of Critical Ethnic Studies and Vincent de Paul professor in The Art School, received a 2020 grant from the Art Matters Foundation.
Kina is one of 37 grantees selected by the New York–based nonprofit. Each will be awarded a fellowship of $5,000. The grants are awarded annually to artists or collectives working in contemporary art or performance.
“The Art Matters fellowship is a huge honor and it came as a total surprise," Kina says. “As the foundation name implies, the organization funds 'art that matters.' It means a lot to me that the organization would want to help amplify the voice of an artist like me who makes work about being Okinawan-American."
Kina plans to use the grant to help publish her next project, “The Asian American Artists' Cookbook," which will feature original recipes from Asian American/Asian diaspora artists. The book will reflect how food has been used to connect, build and sustain diverse communities in their personal lives and artistic practices.