Theresa Hak Kyung Cha

Experimental Korean-American artist who redefined multimedia storytelling

Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951-1982) created groundbreaking interdisciplinary art exploring diaspora identity through avant-garde combinations of video, performance, and text. Her magnum opus Dictée (1982) remains a touchstone for Asian American studies, blending:

• Colonial history of Korea
• Catholic imagery
• Film theory
• Linguistic fragmentation

Cha's work anticipated digital-age concerns about cultural hybridity and memory, despite being created using 1970s analog technology. Her mysterious murder at age 31 cut short a career that continues to influence conceptual artists and writers exploring transnational identities.