Chinese+American+Artwork

Chinese Immigrants

JFK Library-Ieoh Ming Pei

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-directed by Ang Lee

Julia Rivera

Chinese The Chinese, like many other immigrant groups, came to the United States in vast numbers. The Opium War against the British and China’s defeat was a boom to emigration which was the event that opened China to the outside world. Beginning in 1849, the first large numbers of Chinese came to America due to economic reasons. At that time there was frenzy in California as miners sought their fortune during the Gold Rush. In addition to the mining industry, the Chinese often started small businesses to supplement their income and to send money back to their families left behind.

Upon their arrival in the United States, the Chinese were initially welcomed with open arms. Mostly the strong and healthy men were involved in gold prospecting and there was a lack of laborers in the supporting fields. The Chinese provided inexpensive labor in various areas, such as carpentry, cooking and agriculture. Their work ethic, culture and industry were admired by Californians, to the extent Governor McDougal praised them by describing the Chinese as, “one of the most worthy of our newly adopted citizens”. Unfortunately, the good times came to an end. The new immigrants arrived in “the land of opportunity” and were able to financially thrive. Eventually though, thousands of Americans flocked to the area creating an economic strain but there wasn’t enough gold for everyone to discover. Disappointed, Americans began to blame the Chinese and other foreigners and claimed they had no right to any discovered wealth. As a result of this hostility, the French, Mexicans, and Chileans fled, leaving the Chinese to face this new anti-foreign persecution. As the years passed thousands of Chinese were employed as laborers in the railroad industry, manufacturing and in domestic trades and regularly endured discrimination supported by anti Chinese legislation.

The Chinese immigrants have made major contributions to our American culture. Most would immediately mention the influence in the area of food. Since so many early immigrants to the United States worked as cooks or owned food related businesses, Americans were exposed to Chinese cuisine. Today there are few cities and towns that are without at least one Chinese restaurant.

Art is very important in the Chinese way of life. Traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy, macrame and embroidery have been handed down through the years and have influenced various artists in the United States. The ancient practice of Feng Shui that promotes a balanced home environment has been used by modern day American architects and designers. One of our country’s most famous architects is Chinese born I.M.Pei whose culture provided inspiration for his art.

Ieoh Ming Pei is an architect that immigrated to the United States at age of 17 from China. He attended the University of Pennsylvania MIT and later worked at Harvard University. Pei used many different materials that weren’t common among buildings. He used stone, concrete, glass and steel, so most of the buildings he constructed weren’t colorful. Pei’s creations were so modern for his time that no one had ever seen before. Up until his designs, buildings were based primarily upon Greek architecture but he brought a geometric style to the design. The contorted look was a twist and added flare to an otherwise dreary skyline. The John F. Kennedy Library was designed by Pei and is a frequent tourist attraction. Its glass window displays a giant American flag which symbolizes our country’s strong sense of patriotism. The building is a giant triangle with a glass square in place of the roof. The triangle represents balance since the Chinese believed in everything being even and if everything is equal, there can be peace and unity. Pei said it was important for him to create a place where people of all ages can visit and experience a quiet and serene environment.

Film director, producer and screenwriter Ang Lee was born in Taiwan but immigrated to the United States in 1979. His works include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hulk, and Brokeback Mountain. CrouchinTiger, Hidden Dragon was realeased in 2000, is one of Lee’s most successful works and was the highest grossing foreign language film in American history. This film was popular with American audiences in part due to our interest in martial arts. In the film, the women characters play an important role and, in the end, were the heroes. Recently, in films women are becoming stronger characters and Lee’s film was the start. The theme of strong women is more prevelent in American art and is shown in different ways, other than this film. For example in Mr. and Mrs. Smith Anglena Jolie's character fits the perfect image as the housewife but still leads a double life as a secret agent. Over the years women have become role models to others and this is displayed through movies as well as other forms of art.

Frankie Scalera

Classic
 * SELECTED WORKS BY Zhang Hongtu,and Fireworks **

Frankie Scalera Immigration Project (Chinese) The Chinese immigrated to America from a variety of places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and many more. Their reasoning’s for coming over vary, many came to flee communism and they also immigrated to become a part of the California gold rush in 1848. This gave them a lot of jobs to make money to support their family here in their new home. When this particular group of immigrants came to America they went through Angel Island off the coast of California, which is the Ellis Island of the west coast. There presents became so well known that more than 25000 immigrated by 1852 and growing fast. There became so many of them in 1943 they were making up 1 tenth of California’s population so they issued the Chinese execution act. Now when the Chinese came over they brought with them a lot of their culture. They were so close to their roots and their fellow Chinese Americans they started two different “china towns” on both coasts one in New York and one in San Francisco. This is a place where Chinese Americans can own their own Chinese businesses, speak their own language, and be among their own people. Thousands of Americans visit these towns to get a taste of Chinese culture. In the early days they brought with them their own man power and brain power to help us build the west side transcontinental railroad. They also brought with them an influence of Chinese American food and a distinct for of martial arts “Kung Fu” which many Americans use and participate in daily. Many of these Chinese Americans have created brilliant pieces of art like an artist named Zhang Hongtu who took the classic Quaker Oats brand with the American man on it and transformed it into the face of their political leader MaoZedong. This piece of art work influenced Zhang into making an almost parody of an American brand. And finally, a more commonly know piece of art work made by Chinese immigrants inspired by American culture, fireworks. This wondrous invention was founded about 2000 years ago in china by a Chinese cook who was working in a field kitchen and happened to mix charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter then this mixture exploded. When fireworks were brought over into the US this industry boomed in the 70s and 80s then the American fireworks industry really began to influence Chinese manufacturers therefore becoming a huge industry and a huge tradition in American and Chinese culture.