Print Study Picks: Asian American and Pacific Islander History at Mia
By Lori Williamson
May 12, 2026—This edition celebrates the curiosity, creativity, and complexity of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists through a few distinctive and intriguing works in Mia’s collection.
Kenji Nakahashi
Kenji Nakahashi, Untitled [Animated balloon], 20th century, watercolor and black crayon on wove paper. Anonymous gift in memory of Kenji Nakahashi and in honor of Robert Cozzolino, 2019.146.67
This painting conveys the artist’s personality and imagination well. An orange balloon gradually deflates as it soars through the air. It appears alive—Nakahashi has given it a smiling face. What sound would it make? What will happen after it flies past?
See this work and others like it in “Kenji Nakahashi: A Confident Life,” on view through December 27, 2026, in Galleries 315 and 316.
Maya Lin
Maya Lin, Geography Lesson 9 (left) and Geography Lesson 9, Ghost (right), 1999, color monoprint (first and second impressions, respectively). The Edith and Norman Garmezy Prints and Drawings Acquisition Fund, the Plautz Family Endowment, the Barbara M. Kaerwer Fund, the John and Myrtle Coe Fund, and gift of funds from Tom Rassieur, 2011.38.2.1, .2
Maya Lin rocketed to international fame when, in 1981, she won the design competition for the Vietnam War Memorial while still a Yale undergraduate. She has since designed memorials, parks, and other prominent public spaces, and developed a major artistic practice in large-scale installations, both indoors and out.
A common thread in Lin’s work is her uncanny ability to make simple ideas compelling. In 1999, she had a brief but brilliant encounter with printmaking, the result of which is beautifully exhibited in this pair of prints. Lin made a series of unique images (monotypes) employing a highly unusual technique. She inked sheets of glass, placed them on the bed of a roller press, shattered the glass, selectively removed broken pieces, and printed from the resulting array. The prints resemble county maps, covered by a network of rivers and streams.
Ambreen Butt
Ambreen Butt, Untitled (Woman/Dragon), 2008, color soft-ground etching, aquatint, spit-bite aquatint, lift-ground aquatint, drypoint, and chine appliqué; Wingate Studio (publisher), Hinsdale, N.H. Gifts of funds from Nivin MacMillan and Mary and Bob Mersky. 2018.38.2.2
Ambreen Butt is an acclaimed Pakistani American artist trained in traditional Indian and Persian miniature painting. Butt frequently uses the detailed and decorative visual language of these painting genres in her work, but instead of traditional mythic narratives, she employs political motifs that reveal themes of violence, political oppression, free speech, and feminism. This print is part of her Daughter of the East series.
About Lori Williamson, Supervisor of the Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room at Mia
Lori Williamson creates mini-exhibitions and teaches classes and Print Study Room visitors about the museum’s rich collection of works on paper. She’s the primary caretaker for more than 40,000 prints, 6,000 drawings, and 600 artist’s books, collaborating with curators in American, European, and Global Contemporary Art to make these holdings accessible. Williamson supports scholars through research and inquiry, and advocates for the inclusion of works on paper in exhibitions, social media, and outreach, helping to connect diverse audiences with this dynamic collection.
Interested in seeing something in the Print Study Room? All are welcome by appointment. Email Lori Williamson and copy the Print Study Room to make an appointment.
Meet the other curators in the Department of European Art.