Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture Asian Arts Initiative October 22, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture
Asian Arts Initiative
October 22, 2024

Tuesday, October 22, 6:30pm, Asian Arts Initiative
Book Event: Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture

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Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-557-0455
https://asianartsinitiative.org/
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Press Contacts:
Jino Lee, Brand & Publicity Director
[email protected]

Philadelphia, PA – The long-awaited celebration of Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture is here! To mark this cultural milestone, editor and founder Eric Nakamura is hitting the road, making a very rare stop to the East Coast in Philadelphia and New York. This exciting tour brings to life the story of the groundbreaking publication that redefined what it means to be Asian-American in popular culture, with tributes from luminaries like Margaret Cho, Randall Park, Jia Tolentino, and more.
It all began in Los Angeles in 1994, when two Asian-American punk rockers stapled together the first issue of their DIY zine, covering topics ranging from Sumo wrestling to Hong Kong cinema and Osamu Tezuka. From these humble beginnings, Giant Robot exploded into the mainstream, circulating more than 60,000 copies annually at its peak. But it didn’t stop there—the brand expanded into restaurants, galleries, and retail stores in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. As their influence grew throughout the ’90s and ’00s, Giant Robot received prestigious invitations to the White House under President Barack Obama, to speak at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, and to curate the GR Biennale at the Japanese American National Museum.
Over three decades, Giant Robot offered an unapologetic and authentic platform for bicultural perspectives, bridging the gap between Asian and Asian-American pop culture. The magazine boldly covered everything from civil rights activists to skateboarding and Sriracha, making it a touchstone for generations of artists, musicians, creators, and collectors. Giant Robot was a cultural hub where toy collectors, cartoonists, and street style pioneers shared space with profiles on Michelle Yeoh, Karen O, James Jean, and Haruki Murakami.
The new book, Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture, features the best from the magazine’s sixty-eight issue run, alongside never-before-seen photographs, additional writing by long-time contributor Claudine Ko, and tributes from notable fans like Daniel Wu, Peggy Oki, Takashi Murakami, and Natasha Pickowicz.
Eric Nakamura, who began Giant Robot as a photocopied zine in 1994, built it into a cultural phenomenon that captured the imagination of a multiracial audience interested in Asian popular culture. Nakamura continues to influence the scene with the Giant Robot store and GR2 Gallery in Los Angeles, where pop culture goods and art exhibitions keep the legacy alive.

Joining Nakamura on this tour is Anne Ishii, former Executive Director of Asian Arts Initiative and current Program Director at United States Artists. As a writer, editor, and translator, Anne’s work has appeared in BUST, Nylon, Slate, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, among others. She co-founded MASSIVE GOODS, an arts agency representing queer and feminist Japanese artists, and has translated over 20 books.
This tour is a must-see for anyone passionate about Asian-American culture, art, and history. Don’t miss the chance to experience the legacy of Giant Robot and hear firsthand from Eric Nakamura about the magazine that shaped a generation.

Presented with support from:

About Asian Arts Initiative:
Located in Philadelphia’s Chinatown North, Asian Arts Initiative is a multidisciplinary arts center offering exhibitions, performances, artist residencies, youth workshops, and a community gathering space. Here, all of us can view and create art that reflects our lives, and think critically, creatively about the future we want to build for our communities.