INSPADES MAGAZINE CINQUE | Page 48

Eighth Generation BY ANISSA STAMBOULI Louie Gong “Exploring cultural art was a way to re-enforce my connection to community and to the collective history that I share with my broader Native community. By incorporating Chinese themes into my art, I’m exercising my mixed heritage in a bold way, and challenging the notion that broader society has—that we should fit into a single taxonomy.” W hether it be in the realm of fine arts, public speaking or education, the name of Louie Gong resonates widely. Raised in the Nooksack tribal community in the Pacific Northwest, the versatility found in Gong’s creative style emulates his highly mixed heritage of Nooksack, Chinese, French and Scottish. EIGHTH_GENERATION