The Mexican Transpacific: Nikkei Writing, Visual Arts, and Performance

The Mexican Transpacific explores the influence of a Japanese ethnic background or lack thereof in the writing of several twentieth and twenty-first-century Mexican authors, directors, and artists. It focuses on texts, films, and artworks produced by Asian Mexicans, contrasting them with the representation of Asians by Mexican authors with no Asian ancestry. The book aims to historicize the experience of this silenced community and bring their voice and agency to the fore.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 308 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2022
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press

The Mexican Transpacific delves into the profound influence of a Japanese ethnic background or lack thereof on the writing, visual arts, and performance of numerous twentieth and twenty-first-century Mexican authors, directors, and artists. Despite the undeniable impact of the Nikkei communities on Mexico's history and culture, and the recent surge of historical studies focused on these two communities, the study of their cultural production and self-definition has largely been overlooked. This book, a continuation of the author's previous research on cultural production by Latin American authors of Asian ancestry, primarily focuses on texts, films, and artworks created by Asian Mexicans, rather than treating the Japanese or Chinese as mere subjects of study. However, it also compares and contrasts these representations with those of Mexican authors with no Asian ancestry. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the author aims to bring the voices and agency of this marginalized community to the forefront, historicizing their own experiences.

The Mexican Transpacific makes a significant contribution to the fields of contemporary Mexican studies, Latin American studies, race and ethnic studies, transnational Asian studies, and Japanese diaspora studies. It aligns with the theoretical frameworks of cultural studies, the decolonial turn, and postcolonial theory, offering fresh perspectives on the complexities of identity, culture, and representation.

The book explores the diverse ways in which Japanese heritage or absence shapes the artistic expressions of Mexican authors, directors, and artists. It examines the influence of Japanese cultural traditions, values, and aesthetics on their work, as well as the ways in which they negotiate and reinterpret these influences in their own unique ways. The authors analyze a wide range of literary works, films, and performances, including those by renowned figures such as Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, and Guillermo Arriaga, as well as lesser-known artists and performers.

One of the key themes of the book is the negotiation of cultural identity in a transnational context. The Nikkei communities, who trace their roots.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826504937