In July, Hai Zhang spent a sweltering afternoon photographing the acclaimed playwright David Henry Hwang at his Brooklyn home and in Fort Greene Park for T Magazine’s annual Greats Issue. The Broadway revival of Hwang’s 2007 play Yellow Face is currently on stage through November 24.
As part of his preparation, Zhang watched a recording of the play on PBS. At first, he didn’t think much of it; he was simply trying to familiarize himself with Hwang’s work. A few weeks after submitting his assignment, however, the editor asked him to create collages—images that could introduce another layer, an in-between space connecting the person and their environment.
Reflecting on the process, Zhang said:
“I began to think about Yellow Face, which is semi-autobiographical. The play touches on many aspects of society and the states of mind that Asian Americans must navigate. What struck and resonated with me was the idea that there is always another version of ourselves standing between us and society. This version is both inside and outside of us—confusing, yet a reminder of who we are and where we stand. And this version is not merely individual, but a collection of many of us.”
