The tiger embodies a lineage of resistance that bridges mythology, visual culture, and political solidarity. Within many Asian cosmologies, the tiger functions as a guardian and a symbol of balance between power and restraint. It represents a force that protects rather than dominates, and it resists erasure through its very visibility.

In the visual histories of activism, animal imagery often operates as a metaphor for collective strength. The tiger, in particular, has appeared in movements of Asian and Afro-Asian resistance, notably during the 1960s and 1970s when Asian American organizers aligned with the Black Power movement under the declaration “Yellow Peril Supports Black Power.” In this context, the tiger became more than a cultural emblem—it became a political subject, one that signified defiance against imperialism and racial hierarchy while affirming cross-racial solidarity.

The use of the tiger in the ARTS logo acknowledges this intersection of art and activism. It situates the foundation within a transnational history of creative resistance, where symbols are not ornamental but operative. The tiger’s gaze and presence recall the work of artists who turn visual language into a form of protest and care. It stands as a reminder that art, like resistance, requires both courage and imagination.