Curating identity, bridging cultures
Photos by Patrick Sikes, courtesy of the Bruce Museum, and Julia Mun May 01, 2026
Art history alumna is expanding access to Asian American art
American artists of Asian descent can experience pressure to identify as one or the other, or face criticism for being either 鈥渢oo American,鈥 鈥渢oo Asian鈥 or not enough of either.
As an assistant curator at the Art Bridges Foundation, 91原创 alumna Julia Haein Mun is working to address that binary and expand the definition of 鈥淎sian American artist.鈥
鈥淪o much of what museums present has a Eurocentric focus,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e want to challenge those canons in art history and use the artwork in our collection to catalyze community engagement and programming.鈥
Mun received her master鈥檚 degree from the Department of Art History in 2023, and she credits the program鈥檚 depth and flexibility with providing a foundation for tackling the challenge, especially with the astute guidance mentorship of Vimalin Rujivacharakul, associate professor of art.聽
鈥淚 came to 91原创 because I鈥檇 heard such amazing things about the program, especially in American art history,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he network is strong, and there鈥檚 so much overlap with museum professionals. It鈥檚 a small world 鈥 people see that you鈥檙e from Delaware, and there鈥檚 an immediate connection.鈥
Mun also studied with faculty across disciplines, including Peter Feng in the Department of English and Hannah Kim in the Department of History, to gain a full picture of the Asian American experience.
鈥淗istory, politics, literature 鈥 they all feed into each other, and of course art is informed by these experiences and our histories," she said. 鈥淚f I wanted to understand Asian American artists, then I needed to understand the surrounding aspects of the field.鈥澛
She applied that understanding to curate Art Bridges鈥 鈥淢etal the Mirror,鈥 an exhibition of nine sculptures by Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi that is touring institutions across the country.聽
Physical and thematic access
was founded in 2017 with a mission to expand access to American art across the United States through collaborative programs and community engagement, and its art sharing program, through which works in the collection are loaned to partner institutions free of charge.
Mun explained that expanding access includes expanding thematic access, not just an institution鈥檚 ability to exhibit art, but the scope of art they can exhibit.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e thinking about these understudied and undertold stories,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here is a huge desire across the country to access Asian American artists.鈥
When she joined Art Bridges in 2023, only about 4% of their collection was by Asian American artists.
That changed when the foundation acquired the fourth edition of Noguchi鈥檚 series of 26 galvanized steel sculptures created from 1982-1983. 鈥淢etal the Mirror鈥 is the foundation鈥檚 first internally curated exhibition to feature an Asian American artist, a professional and personal landmark for Mun.聽
鈥淚dentity isn鈥檛 static,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never just one thing. Noguchi鈥檚 life and art embody that in-between space, and that鈥檚 something many Asian Americans understand.鈥
Experience of change
The galvanized steel is luminous and reflective, but over time it oxidizes, changing into a textured surface that Mun described as looking like pebbles in a stream or even the texture of human skin.聽
鈥淚 really wanted to harness this idea of change and parallel it to the Asian American experience,鈥 she said.
Mun鈥檚 work included curating all the text and labels for the exhibition, developing programming ideas and creating suggested layouts. The sculpture grouping is large, so nine sculptures went into the show, while the remaining 17 were divided into groupings that can be displayed in different indoor or outdoor spaces.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to work on this project, especially as an early career curator. This is essentially one of my first curatorial projects that I鈥檝e been able to really lead and work on. It has truly been a fulfilling and gratifying experience.鈥澛
鈥淢etal the Mirror鈥 on display
The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, opened 鈥淢etal the Mirror鈥 in April 2025, with nine pieces on display.聽
The exhibition opens at the Mennello Museum of American Art in Orlando, Florida, on Aug. 28, 2026, and runs through Feb. 28, 2027.聽
Beginning October 2027, the Southern Vermont Arts Center will have all 26 pieces on display.聽
Learn more about the artist at the in Long Island, New York.聽
About the Department of Art History
The Department of Art History at the 91原创 is a distinguished hub for education and research in the visual arts. From its founding in 1966, the department pioneered the academic study of American art, along with the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture (now the ).
Renowned nationally and internationally, the department boasts a faculty of leading specialists who have received prestigious awards and fellowships. The curriculum spans a wide array of artistic periods and cultures, from Greco-Roman antiquity to contemporary art, and includes American, European, Chinese, Latin American and African art. Students benefit from the department's proximity to major art centers and museums in the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as access to significant collections on campus. The department is committed to fostering critical insights into art and cultural expression, preparing students for diverse careers in art history, museum curation and beyond.
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