Besides math - youth art focused exhibiton

Whether you paint, draw, take photos, write, collage, or sculpt—
We welcome you to join us through this open call:

“I’m more than a test score. I have stories to tell. I have something to say.”

✅ 2D (painting, collage, photography, digital art*—must be printed and mounted)
✅ 3D (ceramics, sculpture, woodwork, etc.)

💵 Submission Fee: $25 (non-refundable if not selected)
Payment via Zelle to: xu.yichuan.june@gmail.com
 

Submit your materials via Google Form (scan the QR code from the flyer):

✅ Your name, age, and contact info
✅ High-res images or video of your work+dimension (No more than 40 inches one side) (up to 2 pieces)
✅ Title + short description (50–100 words)
✅ Screenshot of your submission fee payment with student's name noted
✅ If under 18: Parental consent form
 

As Asian Americans, many of us grew up juggling weekend classes and enrichment programs—Chinese school, dance, badminton, debate, drawing, and of course, math. Maybe you were also the “quiet, well-behaved, high-achieving” student. Maybe people have said things like:

“You’re good at math, you must not have any worries.”
“Of course you’re good at math—you’re Asian!”
“Wait… you’re Asian and not good at math?”

But beyond math, what else have we wanted to express?

The pull of cultural conflict, questions of identity, growing pains, the weight of parental expectations… Have you ever had a chance to speak those feelings out loud?

That’s where Besides Math comes in—this exhibition invites you to share your voice through art.

I’m June Xu, founder and president of the Asian American Art & Culture Initiative (AAACI). I moved to the U.S. as a teenager, and after 25 years here—and now raising two school-age boys—I still remember what it felt like to be boxed in as the “smart, obedient, no-trouble” Asian student.

We tried so hard to fit in, to please teachers and parents, but rarely did anyone ask what we were really thinking—or teach us how to express it.

I still remember my first day in art school at the University of Houston. The professor asked:

“What social issue matters to you the most? What personal truth have you always wanted to express but never dared say out loud?”

That was when I began to understand what art really means in a Western context—it’s not just decorative and aesthetical, it’s about to convey messages that are powerful, honest, and deeply humane. Every major art movement in modern history has been shaped by social context or vice versa. Art gives us voice and power. If you were asked me art is still essential during this AI era, my answer to you is: "ABSOLUTELY!"

And that’s the purpose of Besides Math: to create a safe, welcoming space where second-generation Asian American youth and immigrant teens can express their growth, observations, and inner world through art.

• Sylvia Xuhua Zhan, international curator
• William Miller, retired art dealer
• Victor Ancheta, Senior Communication Specialist City of Houston Mayor office of Culture & Affair
   

✔ Artwork featured in a public library exhibition with a certificate of participation
✔ Potential to be included in Roots Unveiled’s Texas tour
✔ An opportunity to share your voice with a wider audience
 

▪ Want your parents and teachers to hear your true thoughts
▪ Have stories or questions you’ve never had space to express
▪ Want to connect with others like you through art

Then Besides Math is for you.

You’re not just a test score.
You are creative, emotional, powerful—and your voice matters.