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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2008)
MAY 2, 2008 iUStlOUt 49 East Meets West Gay artist creates China-on-Willamette onsidering he abandoned medical school to pursue an art career focused on his ex perience as a Chinese immigrant, Hora tio Hung-Yan Law knows plenty about Western vs. Eastern lifestyles. So it seems appropriate that he’s preparing to create China-on- Willamette, a three-component piece that will “reimagine what would have hap pened if the Chinese were allowed to become ■ citizens and allowed to own land” back in the late 19th century. Law, 53, will spend the next month bringing the East to the West as part of the South Jim's Closet Waterfront Artist-in-Residence Program, a year BY JIM RADOSTA long effort launched last September to inspire Portland residents to explore the different ways | of San Francisco was burned down and, along neighborhoods come to be. His residency will take place in the fast with it, a lot of immigration records and birth certificate offices.” growing SoWa neighborhood (located near the Law, who was bom in Hong Kong and came foot of the Portland Aerial Tram) and will consist to the United States at age 16, has been creating of two installation projects and a cumulative com art about immigration since 1993 but admits he munity performance: was beginning to wonder if there was anything left • Bamboo Great Wall: To generate chatter to say on the subject—that is, until the post-9/11 about borders, Law will build a 50-foot-long wall hysteria set in. He notes that the anti-Chinese in five sections that can be arranged to form a sentiment “was very economically motivated. line, zigzag, pentagon and other shapes. “We will Chinese were able to do better work for cheaper move it around.. .and see how people react to it.” wages.... It’s not so different than now.... We • Chopsticks Terrace Rice Field: “Instead of think that [Mexicans] are taking jobs away from growing real rice, 1 use green plastic chopsticks... the residents here. Things don’t change very standing on blocks.... I’m going to arrange them much.” to fill in, like, a comer of a building—places where At least Law can say he’s witnessed evolution with the integration of Asians into U.S. gay culture. Before moving to Portland in 1994, he recalls a more chal McVittie-Law PC lenging time. “Coming out as an Asian man was difficult in the ’80s in New York Your Partner In Estate Planning bar, and you were invisible.... At Planning to ensure your goals for your assets, your loved ones, and your healthcare are protected. the end of the ’80s and beginning of Call now to schedule your free consultation City,” Law says. “You’d go to a gay $03,224.6611 the ’90s, I think because of the AIDS crisis, that Visit us on the web at mcvittie-law.com really pulled the community together.” Horatio Hung-Yan Law (inset) created this rendering of Tai Chi for 1,000, which will be the culmination of his monthlong residency in SoWa. It was also in the Big Apple where Law made that pivotal switch from science to art. Having E squire M otors , inc . earned a biology degree from Johns Hopkins University, he was working as a cancer research people don’t expect them to be useful,” a subtle er at Columbia when he decided to take a painting message about Chinese resourcefulness. class and had an “epiphany” that led him to explore • Tai Chi for 1,000: Law will arrange a group his life as an immigrant. lesson on the Chinese martial art renowned for re- “It was not until I studied art that I started ducing stress and improving balance. “Even though bringing back some of these things that have be 1 don’t know how to do tai chi myself, I’m interested come more important for me, because it defined in looking at tai chi as a way of forming community, who 1 am. You have to look into your past, kxik helping people to connect with each other.” into your roots,” says Law, who now teaches at Through this diverse approach, Law hopes to Pacific Northwest College of Art. “If you’re not teach locals about the lasting influence of Chi making art out of life, then, for me, it doesn't make any sense to do art.” © nese immigrants on where we live today. “The trees around the area so people could build," he H oratio H ung -Y an L aw presents China-on- says. “They estimate about two-thirds of the trees Willamette from May 3 to 31 at Air Studio, in the Willamette Valley were cleared by Chinese 3623 S.W. River Parkway. The studio will offer between 1863 and 1880.” free tai chi workshops from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 3, from 10 a.m. to noon May 14 and from anti-Chinese immigration and labor laws that pre 6 to 8 p.m. May 21 and 28; to sign up e'mail vented them from becoming citizens, finding jobs horatiolaw@gmail.com. All ages and experience and owning land. levels are welcome for the closing event and “This really discouraged Chinese from settling www.esquiremotors.com community performance, Tai Chi for 1,000, from down anywhere in the United States except for 10 to 11:30 a.m. May 31 at South Waterfront the big Chinatowns in San Francisco and New Park, Southwest Moody Avenue at Curry Street. York,” Law says. “But then an act of God sort of created an opportunity for all Chinese: During the Arts and Culture Editor J IM R adosta needs your [1906] San Francisco earthquake and fire, most feedback. E-mail him at jim@justout.com. 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