Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung, Dual Identity, 2021. Inkjet on archival paper. Original archive photographer unknown. Archive image courtesy of Fred Wong.
The exhibition We Are Immigrants explores the hidden hardships and legacy of early Chinese Canadian immigrants from the mid 19th century onward. It also celebrates their resilience in overcoming immense adversity and their contribution to Canada in solidifying the country’s confederacy.
Archival images, texts, historical novels, and personal interviews have collectively informed Cheung’s imagery sources and interventions. The color yellow (a stinging label yet also the seed of the artist’s identity) is reclaimed as a celebratory symbol for all Asians and is ingrained in the series to emphasize Asians as one of the earliest settlers in Canada. Chinese immigrants are an integral part of Canada’s military history and economy, and should therefore be celebrated with confidence.
Curated by Ashley Slemming, Alberta Society of Artists (TREX Region 3)
