Pearl River Mart is proud to present this exhibition based on The New York Times bestselling book, RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now.

Written by Jeff Yang, Phil Yu and Philip Wang — culture critics, media creators, and longtime friends — during the long and isolated years of COVID lockdown, RISE documents with nostalgic love, humor and painstaking research three critical decades during which Asian America gradually emerged into the global spotlight: the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Richly illustrated and eminently readable, the book brings together a wildly eclectic set of artists and writers, personalities and visionaries, historical figures, and cultural icons to contribute time, talent, voices and memories to a unique exploration of how Asian America got here, and where it might be going next. Nearly half a decade later, RISE: THE EXHIBITION brings some of the book’s highlights to life.

Curated by Mr. Yang and designed by Jonathan Lo, the exhibition transforms portions of the book into an immersive multimedia experience. Included are the early history of the Asian American movement (“In the Beginning”) and the evolution of Asian American identity ("Who's Asian American?"), the depiction of Asians in the media (“The Propaganda Family Tree,” “How to Yellowface,” “#StarringJohnCho”), 1990s Asian American youth culture (“How to AZN”), Asian Americans and music (“The Asian American Playlist”), Asian American domestic life (“Asian Home”), the rise of Asian American influencers and creators (“Pioneers of Asian American YouTube”), and a crucial reminder of what it was like for us during the pandemic (“Life During COVID”).

“It has been half a decade since Rise was published," said exhibition curator and Rise coauthor Jeff Yang. "And if there's anything today's political and cultural state of the world says, it's that having a reminder of how Asian Americans rose, as well as a blueprint for how to reconstruct what we’ve built, is more essential than ever. We can’t imagine a better partner and site for this than Pearl River Mart.”

“We’re so honored to host what we hope will be the first of many showings of RISE: THE EXHIBITION,” said Pearl River Mart President Joanne Kwong. “Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, and Philip Wang are a true troika of collective knowledge for the AAPI community. Between them, they’ve spent decades documenting, shaping, and celebrating Asian American culture, and their book is chock full of that history and humor. We can’t think of a better fit for our gallery as we mark our 10th anniversary.”

RISE: THE EXHIBITION is on view from Nov. 7, 2026 through Jan. 3, 2027 in the Pearl River Mart gallery at 452 Broadway (between Howard and Grand Streets). An opening reception will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 PM at 452 Broadway. Attendance is free but registration is appreciated.

View the press release.

About the RISE authors

Jeff Yang has spent much of his life covering Asian America as a journalist, critic, and author. He founded one of the earliest Asian American magazines, A. Magazine, back in the 1990s, and was a culture critic for The Village Voice, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, and now is a featured columnist for CNN. He’s written five books including Jackie Chan’s New York Times bestselling autobiography I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action and most recently, legendary actor James Hong’s autobiography, You've Seen Me Before: Over 700 roles and 70 Years in Hollywood (And Counting).

Phil Yu is the founder and editor of the popular Asian American news and culture blog, Angry Asian Man, which has had a devoted following since 2001. His commentary has been featured and quoted in the The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and elsewhere.

Philip Wang is the co-founder of the hugely influential production company Wong Fu Productions. Since the mid 2000s, his creative work has garnered over 3 million subscribers and half a billion views online, as well as recognition from NPR and CNN for its impact on Asian American representation.

About the Exhibition Designer

Jonathan Lo is a Los Angeles-based designer and creative director working at the intersection of brand strategy, cultural storytelling, and social impact. He aims to find the authentic truth at the center of an organization and make it visible.