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
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the ’90s, I think because of the AIDS crisis, that
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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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