This blog will complement my photographic work on the Chinatowns of the United States & Canada, starting with the first solo exhibition of the project at Craig Krull Gallery in Santa Monica, CA. The imagery stands on its own but my travels through over 50 Chinatowns in the last fifteen+ years and the stories of those whom I have met as well as the many organizations involved with this history and continuing present deserve attention. I am eager to share my journey.

Monday, August 1, 2011

A dwindling past/Moving On


Coincidentally after last week's post on the Central Valley in California, from today's (Monday, August 1, 2011) Los Angeles Times about the Fresno Chinatown, a neighborhood of historic Chinese and Japanese residence, reduced to a couple of buildings and now, one is being lost.. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-temple-20110801,0,3701986.story

A few more pics from Fresno in 2009

Sonia Mak, Founding Associate Curator of the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles and now an independent curator, was discussing this on Saturday early into the opening of my FINDING CHINATOWN exhibit. In an almost 200 year history, what IS the significance and the purpose of the various Chinatowns? Some, as LA's current Chinatown, also going through major change, were built specifically by those of Chinese origin for trade and commerce, the first time they could control their own direction after the disastrous impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Others were partially self-imposed ghettos originally for safety from anti-Asian sentiment.

Perhaps more after Sonia's and John Jung's walk-through of FINDING CHINATOWN this coming Saturday, August 6th at 5pm, organized by the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC)
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