Ria Unson
Photo provided by Ria Unson
Website: riaunson.com
Instagram: @riaunson
5(ish) Questions for is a chance to discover and learn about St. Louis Creatives, Community Champions, and, well, just interesting people in and around our city. It's a deep dive into what they love and where their passion lies. It's an opportunity for all of us to see our region from a different perspective. This written interview is a peek into their lives and their outlook on St. Louis.
Hey, Ria! Tell us about yourself and the work you do.
I am a Filipino American artist. I was born in Manila and emigrated to the United States when I was 13. I studied Art Theory & Practice at Northwestern University and I moved to St. Louis in 1996. My work explores the continuing legacies of imperialism on identity, migration, and culture. Most recently, my art has been on view at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild. I’ve also been a guest lecturer in American Culture Studies at WashU and a panelist for the Missouri Historical Society.
Why do you do the work you do?
My art practice started as a personal project. I inherited a collection of family photos and was struck by the stories captured in them as well as the realization that those stories would be soon forgotten if I didn’t make an effort to pass them down.
The work quickly evolved. I saw how my family’s stories contained broader historical, political, and cultural themes and that those too are often lost and forgotten within white dominant culture. My “why” shifted to preserving and amplifying all those narratives—both the familial threads and the cultural ones.
How did you get started?
When I accidentally discovered that my great-grandfather was brought to the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, it cracked open my compulsion to understand how that moment continues to shape my family and my personal experience, over 100 years later. This is what inspired my deep dive into learning about the American Empire and the Philippines as an American colony.
I started taking those family photos and creating compositions that placed the characters into their historical context—at first, specifically St. Louis in 1904 and then more generally, with symbols of empire and migration.
What impact are you making, or hope to make?
There’s a quote from journalist George Gerbner that really resonates with me: "Representation in the fictional world signifies social existence; absence means symbolic annihilation." I feel that so much. I see the impact of that absence on my own psyche and identity—how much it impeded me for many years from finding my voice as an artist and in the world generally. That’s a long way of saying that I want to move the needle in fictional worlds—at least in the visual arts. I hope that I can pave the way for the next generation of Americans who are also Filipino (my children included) to be able to step into their full selves.
What drives you, what gets you out of bed every morning?
Two things:
Joy. I haven’t found anything else that I love to do as much as the process of making art. Period.
This one is admittedly self-serving... I want to be understood as a mixed-race, post-colonial person in America. That isn’t possible without a cultural shift. I know that I can’t do that single-handedly but if I’m not willing to do what’s within my small circle of influence to make some kind of impact, then I’m just whining. :)
What are some unique or innovative approaches you take?
I have a research-based practice. So art-making for me looks a lot like studying! I am constantly exploring across various disciplines: history, philosophy, science, spirituality, etc. I see each art piece as a documentation or embodiment of those explorations.
How is your industry evolving?
The art world seems to be a reflection of society. In broad strokes, I would say the shifts I observe are: simultaneously more diversity and the awareness of the lack of diversity; better representation among practitioners but not yet enough representation in circles of power and leadership; more conversations on race that are beginning to encompass more than the binary of Black or white; and more people within institutions who recognize that change is needed and coming.
What are some of your goals for the next year, or the next 5 years?
I want to show my work in spaces where it can be seen and discussed.
I want to engage with others in the space of culture-shaping—not just in the art world but also with academics and researchers.
I want to strengthen my connection with the Filipino community in St. Louis and elsewhere.
In the next five years, I want to exhibit in other cities too.
What are some of the most important things that our audience can do to support you?
Come see my show at The Angad Arts Hotel this summer. The opening is on June 3rd.
And, please share this interview with anyone you think might want to geek out with me about history and culture.
What is the history/scene/legacy of Art in STL?
St. Louis has always had a strong art community. I mean, the St. Louis Art Museum was built way back in 1904. It was one of the few structures at the World’s Fair that was always meant to endure. In the present, the art scene here is thriving. I honestly can’t keep up with all the museum and gallery shows, artists’ talks, and lectures that I’d like to attend.
What inspires you about St. Louis?
This city has a long and complex history. People forget that at the turn of the century, St. Louis was considered the apotheosis of America. That’s why the World’s Fair was hosted here. It’s still culturally much more representative of the country than either coast. Between that and my family “connection” to St. Louis, I feel like this is where I’m called to be creating art and exploring the legacies of colonialism.
What is unique about STL?
We have a thriving ecosystem in the arts—not just artists but also organizations, institutions, galleries, collectors, curators—who are all vested in the community. We have people/groups like Vanessa Rudloff, the St. Louis Artists’ Guild, Cunst Gallery, Critical Mass for the Visual Arts, The Gogh Getters, @artcritiquestl, stl.org - who are not just supporting emerging artists but also building communities, connecting people... this makes STL a magical place to be an artist right now. Perhaps as a result, there are so many artists here that are currently inspiring me (ex. Kahlil Robert Irving and Yowshien Kuo) in the brilliant ways they are addressing important issues.
What is a favorite neighborhood or favorite thing about the place you live or work?
Obviously, Demun Park is meaningful to me because it’s where I live and it was built on the grounds of the World’s Fair—the Philippine Reservation specifically—I didn’t even plan that!
What’s your current cultural obsession?
Culture is my obsession!
And right now, the Olivia Rodrigo-Joshua Bassett-Sabrina Carpenter love triangle. Also (spoiler alert), Andrew Garfield saying “Sorry, Lola!” in Spiderman: No Way Home.
What do you do in your spare time?
Hmmm... define “spare.”
In my spare time, I’m asleep.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Singles Inferno
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