ARTIST TALKS
2016 Artist Talk, "MoMA Prime Time Exchange" How can we bring different generation together? Co-produced by MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) at The Museum of Modern Art
2016 Artist Talk, "Art + Inter-generational Exchange", co-produced by More Art and Artist Volunteer Center and a part of the ArtsEverywhere/Musagetes Artist Round Table series, moderated by Queens Museum Staff. At Queens Museum
2010 Guest Panelist, "Brainstorm! Selling Work Online", A presentation of the Asian American Arts Alliance, co-produced by the Queens Council on the Arts and New York Foundation for the Arts. At New York Foundation for the Arts
HIDEMI TAKAGI BASTIEN
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a photographer, multimedia artist, and social practitioner with a strong history of collaborating with immigrant and underserved communities on projects that combine photography, public engagement, and installation to amplify voices often left at the margins. As an immigrant from Japan, married to a Haitian partner and raising a biracial daughter in Brooklyn, my personal and family background deeply inform my practice. I am drawn to the intersections of personal histories, local cultures, and broader conversations around race and identity.
My practice centers on collaboration and representation. I work closely with individuals and communities to create portraits grounded in trust, storytelling, and shared authorship. Whether documenting the voices of senior citizens, creating collaborative photo projects with neighbors, or working with teenagers navigating their mixed heritage, my process is rooted in dialogue and empathy—honoring diverse lived experiences and celebrating cultural presence across generations.
Through these community-rooted engagements, I explore how photography can foster visibility, empathy, and dialogue across difference. My goal is to create work that challenges invisibility, celebrates resilience, and transforms everyday encounters into spaces of recognition and human connection.