For every mile of track laid... / Pour chaque mile de voie construit... (2024)
Paper cutouts, each sheet is 20.5 x 30.75 in.
This series of paper cutouts is inspired by the the site of the CPR Angus Shops and presents six views that delve into the multifaceted historical Chinese connections to Canada’s railway system. From “The 'Other' Last Spike / L’Autre dernier clou (1885)” and “Chinese Labour Corps / Corps de travailleurs chinois (1917-1920)” that honours the contributions of Chinese labourers, to “C.P.R. Tea Shed / Remise à thé du CP, Vancouver (1887),” and “The Silk Trains / Trains de la soie (1887-1939)” that once raced across the nation, each piece offers a glimpse into pivotal moments. “For every mile of track laid... / Pour chaque mile de voie construit... (1881-1885)” is a poignant reminder of lives lost and reveals the human stories behind Canada's iconic railways. Along with the light-hearted “Pâté chinois,” these cutouts form a compelling exploration of history, labour, and trade.
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Chinese Labour Corps / Corps de travailleurs chinois (1917-1920) |
C.P.R. Tea Shed / Remise à thé du CP, Vancouver (1887) |
For every mile of track laid... / Pour chaque mile de voie construit...(1881-1885)
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The 'Other' Last Spike / L'Autre dernier clou (1885) |
Pâté chinois |
Silk Trains / Trains de la soie (1887-1939) |
Ruinscape Drawings (2020)
Graphite on paper
The impetus for the Ruinscape Drawings series were the stories of racially-motivated attacks on Asian individuals and acts of vandalism in Chinatowns during the coronavirus pandemic, when Asians were unjustly blamed for the spread of COVID-19. Linking these incidents with those of the 20th century (eg. Vancouver's 1907 anti-Asian riots) and the Chinatowns that have disappeared, through drawing has allowed me to express my anger and fears. At the same time, the drawings commemorate the cultural legacies of early Chinese Canadians and their spaces.
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Chinese Arch on Pender St. (Vancouver), 1912 |
After the 1907 Chinatown Riots in Vancouver |
56-58 Elizabeth St., Toronto, 1937
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Vancouver, March 13, 2020 Attack
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D'Arcy Island - Used as a Chinese leper colony, 1891-1924
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Attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, March & April 2020 / Stabbing in Brooklyn, March 7, 2020
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Nanaimo Chinatown After the Fire, Sept. 30, 1960
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Le Parc de la Pagode (Montréal), 1978
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After the Earthquake and Fires, 1906 San Francisco
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Repairing damage caused by vandalism post-protests, June 2020, Seattle Chinatown International District
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Vancouver, April 12, 2020 Attack
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Victoria Chinese Public School, June 5, 2020
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Dunhuang Constellations: Maps 7 and 12 (2016)
Cyanotype, each sheet is 28 x 35.5 cm / 11 x 14 in.
This series of cyanotypes is based on what is known as the Dunhuang Star Atlas, the oldest known star chart from any civilization, and represents
classical Chinese constellations.This document dating to the Tang Dynasty, was found in 1900 among the
40 000 other manuscripts discovered at
the Mogao Caves site near Dunhuang, a desert city along the ancient Silk Road that connected China and the West.
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Dunhuang Constellations; Map 8, Element 7 (2016)
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Dunhuang Constellations: Map 10, Element 6 (2016)
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Chinese Fever: Liki-Liki (2010)
Paper, vinyl. As installed at Workers' Arts & Heritage
Centre (Hamilton, ON) |
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Left to right: Liki-Liki et Tchin-Tchin (2009),
paper, 118 x 57 cm;
Fill 'er up, Russell! (2009),
vinyl, 52 x 77 cm;
High Jinx (2009),
paper, 39 x 31 cm;
I may flirt a little, but I'm no yellow peril
(2009), vinyl, 40.5 x 90 cm
The Chinese Must Go! (2009), vinyl , 30 x 22.5 cm;
Memories like preserved plums (2009), vinyl, 125 x 107 cm |
