The University of Michigan Museum of Art is hosting a new exhibit by photographer Jarod Lew. In, Strange You Never Knew, Lew delves into the complexities of knowing one’s true identity, focusing on the Asian American diaspora in the Midwest.

In his photographs, Lew has his subjects looking directly at the camera. He explains that this creative choice is intended to establish a tension between the subjects and the viewer. By capturing images in Asian American homes, he creates a sense of tension that arises from viewing these private interior spaces and the experiences of the subjects.

“It became, I don’t know, this like experience of trying to find a space that speaks to their experience,” Lew explained. “My experiences within the domestic space and create like a really complex photograph.”

In his series, In Between You and Your Shadow, Lew explores what tomorrow holds for his subjects. In his photographs, he captures his mother’s history through gestures and memorabilia from her past.

Lew’s mother was engaged to Detroiter Vincent Chin, a young Chinese American engineer who was beaten to death by two white men, at a time when anti-Asian racism was widespread in Michigan. Chin’s death was a touchstone for Asian American political activism, but for Jarod Lew’s family, it was a secret he only discovered as a young adult. He includes images of his family in the show, and while his mother is also photographed, her face is never visible.

“For me this work speaks to my mom’s right for opacity. My mom’s right not to be associated with this history, because it’s her decision to not want to be a part of this history,” Lew said. “And I really thought about this idea of tomorrow being the now. My mom’s tomorrow is the family that she has created after this. The murder of her fiancee.”

Hear the full conversation with Jarod Lew on the Stateside podcast.

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GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW:

• Jarod Lew, photographer behind the Strange You Never Knew exhibit at the University of Michigan Museum of Art