Arthur Dong Partners with the Chinese American Museum
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Oct 13, 2009, 11:05:12 AM10/13/09
to 白靈! Bai Ling!
original link: http://newsblaze.com/story/20091010074756zzzz.nb/topstory.html
Buried beneath the glittering façade of the world's most fabled
industry beats the stories of an obscure chapter from Hollywood's
golden past. On view beginning Oct. 24, 2009 through May 30, 2010, the
Chinese American Museum (CAM) at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles
Historical Monument will awaken these dormant stories in a dramatic
new exhibition titled, Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection,
based on the critically-acclaimed, award-winning documentary,
Hollywood Chinese (2007), by Oscar®-nominated filmmaker, Arthur Dong.
Captured and interpreted through the lens of the Chinese American
experience, Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection explores the
rich yet largely unknown, century-deep history of Chinese American
cinematic contributions, both in front of and behind the camera, while
offering vivid depictions of how the Chinese have been imagined in
Hollywood movies throughout the decades.
A singular collection of classic and contemporary movie memorabilia
including vintage movie posters, lobby cards, film stills, scripts,
press materials and even a genuine Oscar® statuette won by Chinese
American Cinematographer, James Wong Howe, on loan courtesy of Don
Lee, will be on public display. Arthur Dong serves as the guest
curator for this exhibition.
"At the very heart of it, this exhibition is both a behind-the-scenes
probe on the history of Chinese and Chinese American contributions in
motion picture history as well as a long-overdue tribute to their
pioneering and contemporary filmmaking achievements over the past
century," notes Dr. Pauline Wong, CAM's Executive Director. "But
equally as important, this exhibition will help to inform our
communities about the transformative role of race and media and the
immense power it continues to have in shaping public perception of
Chinese American identity."
Since the early 1900s and continuing to present-day, a tangled web of
race and representation has existed between Hollywood and the Chinese
working in the film industry. The dual, conflicting identities of
Chinatown, perceived by early Hollywood as being both dark and
mysterious, dangerous and sinister, found expression in iconic films
such as Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974) and a string of "B" movies
such as Captured in Chinatown (1935).
Portrayals of martial arts heroes and exotic vixens were immortalized
in roles played by Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Nancy Kwan and Anna May
Wong. The casting of non-Asian actors and actresses to play Asian
roles was an industry practice that paved the way for the yellowface
phenomenon exemplified in popular classics such as The Good Earth
(1937), where German-born Luise Rainer played a Chinese peasant
(beating out legendary actress Anna May Wong for the role), and the
Charlie Chan detective series, where Swedish actor Warner Oland, among
others, solved mysteries while dispensing fortune-cookie proverbs.
A three-dimensional adaptation of the documentary, the exhibition will
give the public unprecedented access to nearly 200 pieces of movie
memorabilia, many being shown in public for the first time, drawn from
Dong's own private collection, amassed during the 10-year research for
his production. Although not an exhaustive archive covering the
Chinese in American feature films, the exhibition does represent a
vibrant sampling of the largest known collection on the subject -over
1,000 items- owned by a single collector.
"I didn't set out to produce a definitive encyclopedic treatment of
the topic, but rather, an examination of the first century of
Hollywood history as seen through the lens of a dozen or so Chinese
and Chinese American film artists-as well as some non-Asians who
played Chinese in yellowface," explains Arthur Dong. "My research
strategy reflected this storyline and visitors to this exhibition
might find that it weighs more on particular personalities, films, and
topics, while others are either lightly touched upon or not mentioned
at all. There's still so much to discover and document and it has been
a fascinating process to take my collection out of file cabinets and
into a public arena."
Among the many exhibition highlights are the surviving archive of
pioneer Chinese American filmmaker James B. Leong, who produced the
1921 film, Lotus Blossom; rare production photos
from the recently discovered 1916 film, The Curse of the Quon Gwon,
the earliest known feature film directed by an Asian American, San
Francisco native, Marion Wong; and a section devoted to the cross-over
success of Nancy Kwan, one of Hollywood's most visible Eurasian
actresses who played a pivotal role in driving the acceptance of Asian
actors in major Hollywood film roles.
The exhibition will span two gallery floors, as well as a portion of
the first floor, organized into a series of themes that define early
Chinese American film-making- and whose social impact continues to
reverberate in today's generation of Asian film artists. Blog-like
quotes from Arthur Dong stream across gallery walls to offer a
personalized dimension to this multi-sensory exhibition spotlighting
wall-size vintage movie posters of iconic albeit sometimes racially-
insensitive films.
A portion of the first floor will convert into a wall-of-fame
highlighting a distinguished company of Chinese and Chinese American
Academy Award® winners including Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, 2005),
winner and five-time nominee, documentarian Freida Lee Mock (Maya Lin:
A Strong Clear Vision, 1994) and two-time winner and ten-time nominee,
James Wong Howe (The Rose Tattoo,1950) (Hud,1963). On display for a
limited time only, Howe's first Oscar® statuette won for his
cinematography work in the movie, The Rose Tattoo, will serve as the
crowning centerpiece for this area. A selection of film excerpts,
including the documentary Hollywood Chinese, will be available in a
viewing station and projection wall for visitors to enjoy.
A full schedule of public programs designed to provide visitors with a
more in-depth understanding and enjoyment of the exhibition, including
panel discussions, book signings and film screenings, will be offered
through May 2010. All the programs are free to the public though
reservations are required. A full-colored exhibition catalog featuring
an essay authored by Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Renee Tajima-
Pena (Who Killed Vincent Chin, 1988) will be available for purchase at
the CAM gift shop, as well as posters and DVDS of Hollywood Chinese.
Major funding for the Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection
exhibition has been generously provided by the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. Additional funding was providing by the CAM
Education Fund, Nissan Foundation, Community Redevelopment Agency /
Los Angeles, The Gee Family Foundation, Cecilia Nakamura Arts Fund, El
Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, and Friends of the Chinese
American Museum.
MEDIA PREVIEW DAY
CAM is hosting a special Media Preview Day on Tuesday, Oct. 20th, 11
a.m. - 1 p.m. in anticipation of the Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur
Dong Collection exhibition opening. Media will be treated to a private
viewing of the exhibition before it opens to the public and will have
access to Arthur Dong as well as CAM representatives for interviews.
All attending media will receive a complimentary exhibition catalogue.
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
RED CARPET OPENING RECEPTION
Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection exhibition will debut to
a Hollywood-style grand opening on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, 6-8 p.m. at
the Chinese American Museum. Presented in partnership with the El
Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the private, celebratory
evening will include celebrity guests, delicious refreshments, and an
exclusive opportunity to preview this blockbuster exhibition before it
opens to the general public.
ABOUT ARTHUR DONG
Arthur Dong previously co-curated the exhibition, Chop Suey on Wax:
The Flower Drum Song Album (2006), for the Chinese Historical Society
Museum in San Francisco. His film, Hollywood Chinese (2007), is the
final installment of a trilogy, which also includes Sewing Woman
(1982) and Forbidden City, U.S.A. (1989), that focuses on Chinese
America. His other film collection, Stories from the War on
Homosexuality (2003), brings together his documentaries Family
Fundamentals (2002), Licensed to Kill (1997), and Coming Out Under
Fire (1994). Dong's work has been honored with an Academy Award®
nomination, three Sundance awards, five Emmy nominations, the Peabody
Award, the Berlin Film Festival's Teddy Award, Asia's Golden Horse
Award, as well as a number of public service awards, including the
Historymakers Award from the Chinese American Museum. He has also
earned two Rockefeller Fellowships in Media and a Guggenheim
Fellowship in Film. Dong served on the Board of Governors of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, representing the
Documentary Branch, and currently represents the Academy on the
National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD CHINESE (THE DOCUMENTARY)
Winner of the 2007 Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary, Asia's
equivalent to the Oscars®, Hollywood Chinese (2007) is a captivating
revelation on a little-known chapter of cinema: the Chinese in
American feature films. From the first Chinese American film produced
in 1916, to Ang Lee¹s triumphant Brokeback Mountain nine decades
later, Hollywood Chinese presents a fascinating portrait of actors,
directors, writers, and iconic images to show how the Chinese have
been imagined in movies, and how filmmakers have and continue to
navigate an industry that was often ignorant about race, but at times
paradoxically receptive. The story of Hollywood Chinese is told
through eleven of the industry¹s most accomplished Chinese and Chinese
American film artists who share personal accounts of working in film.
Ang Lee, Wayne Wang, Joan Chen, David Henry Hwang, Justin Lin, B.D.
Wong, Nancy Kwan, Tsai Chin, Lisa Lu, James Hong, and Amy Tan are
among the storytellers who have wrestled with being the other in
Hollywood. Non-Asian personalities are also featured to point out the
controversy over portraying the Chinese in yellowface. Two-time Oscar®
winner Luise Rainer (The Good Earth, 1937), character actor
Christopher Lee (Fu Manchu, 1960-65), and 1940s matinee idol Turhan
Bey (Dragon Seed, 1944) give first-hand recollections on being yellow
on the silver screen. Hollywood Chinese was produced, directed,
written, and edited by Arthur Dong.
ABOUT THE CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM
The Chinese American Museum (CAM) is jointly developed and operated by
the Friends of the Chinese American Museum (FCAM) and El Pueblo de Los
Angeles Historical Monument, a department of the City of Los Angeles.
Located within the El Pueblo Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, CAM is
housed in the last surviving structure of the City's original
Chinatown. CAM's mission is to foster a deeper understanding and
appreciation of America's diverse heritage by researching, preserving,
and sharing the history, rich cultural legacy, and continuing
contributions of Chinese Americans. The Chinese American Museum is
located at 425 North Los Angeles Street in El Pueblo de Los Angeles
Historical Monument, across from Union Station. Hours are 10 a.m.- 3
p.m., Tuesday - Sunday. Admissions are suggested donations of $3 for
adults and $2 for seniors and students. Members are admitted free. For
more information about the Museum, please visit our new website at
www.camla.org or follow up on:
Facebook: search for "Chinese American Museum"
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/camla_org
Twitter: ChinAmerMuseum
Buried beneath the glittering façade of the world's most fabled
industry beats the stories of an obscure chapter from Hollywood's
golden past. On view beginning Oct. 24, 2009 through May 30, 2010, the
Chinese American Museum (CAM) at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles
Historical Monument will awaken these dormant stories in a dramatic
new exhibition titled, Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection,
based on the critically-acclaimed, award-winning documentary,
Hollywood Chinese (2007), by Oscar®-nominated filmmaker, Arthur Dong.
Captured and interpreted through the lens of the Chinese American
experience, Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection explores the
rich yet largely unknown, century-deep history of Chinese American
cinematic contributions, both in front of and behind the camera, while
offering vivid depictions of how the Chinese have been imagined in
Hollywood movies throughout the decades.
A singular collection of classic and contemporary movie memorabilia
including vintage movie posters, lobby cards, film stills, scripts,
press materials and even a genuine Oscar® statuette won by Chinese
American Cinematographer, James Wong Howe, on loan courtesy of Don
Lee, will be on public display. Arthur Dong serves as the guest
curator for this exhibition.
"At the very heart of it, this exhibition is both a behind-the-scenes
probe on the history of Chinese and Chinese American contributions in
motion picture history as well as a long-overdue tribute to their
pioneering and contemporary filmmaking achievements over the past
century," notes Dr. Pauline Wong, CAM's Executive Director. "But
equally as important, this exhibition will help to inform our
communities about the transformative role of race and media and the
immense power it continues to have in shaping public perception of
Chinese American identity."
Since the early 1900s and continuing to present-day, a tangled web of
race and representation has existed between Hollywood and the Chinese
working in the film industry. The dual, conflicting identities of
Chinatown, perceived by early Hollywood as being both dark and
mysterious, dangerous and sinister, found expression in iconic films
such as Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974) and a string of "B" movies
such as Captured in Chinatown (1935).
Portrayals of martial arts heroes and exotic vixens were immortalized
in roles played by Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Nancy Kwan and Anna May
Wong. The casting of non-Asian actors and actresses to play Asian
roles was an industry practice that paved the way for the yellowface
phenomenon exemplified in popular classics such as The Good Earth
(1937), where German-born Luise Rainer played a Chinese peasant
(beating out legendary actress Anna May Wong for the role), and the
Charlie Chan detective series, where Swedish actor Warner Oland, among
others, solved mysteries while dispensing fortune-cookie proverbs.
A three-dimensional adaptation of the documentary, the exhibition will
give the public unprecedented access to nearly 200 pieces of movie
memorabilia, many being shown in public for the first time, drawn from
Dong's own private collection, amassed during the 10-year research for
his production. Although not an exhaustive archive covering the
Chinese in American feature films, the exhibition does represent a
vibrant sampling of the largest known collection on the subject -over
1,000 items- owned by a single collector.
"I didn't set out to produce a definitive encyclopedic treatment of
the topic, but rather, an examination of the first century of
Hollywood history as seen through the lens of a dozen or so Chinese
and Chinese American film artists-as well as some non-Asians who
played Chinese in yellowface," explains Arthur Dong. "My research
strategy reflected this storyline and visitors to this exhibition
might find that it weighs more on particular personalities, films, and
topics, while others are either lightly touched upon or not mentioned
at all. There's still so much to discover and document and it has been
a fascinating process to take my collection out of file cabinets and
into a public arena."
Among the many exhibition highlights are the surviving archive of
pioneer Chinese American filmmaker James B. Leong, who produced the
1921 film, Lotus Blossom; rare production photos
from the recently discovered 1916 film, The Curse of the Quon Gwon,
the earliest known feature film directed by an Asian American, San
Francisco native, Marion Wong; and a section devoted to the cross-over
success of Nancy Kwan, one of Hollywood's most visible Eurasian
actresses who played a pivotal role in driving the acceptance of Asian
actors in major Hollywood film roles.
The exhibition will span two gallery floors, as well as a portion of
the first floor, organized into a series of themes that define early
Chinese American film-making- and whose social impact continues to
reverberate in today's generation of Asian film artists. Blog-like
quotes from Arthur Dong stream across gallery walls to offer a
personalized dimension to this multi-sensory exhibition spotlighting
wall-size vintage movie posters of iconic albeit sometimes racially-
insensitive films.
A portion of the first floor will convert into a wall-of-fame
highlighting a distinguished company of Chinese and Chinese American
Academy Award® winners including Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, 2005),
winner and five-time nominee, documentarian Freida Lee Mock (Maya Lin:
A Strong Clear Vision, 1994) and two-time winner and ten-time nominee,
James Wong Howe (The Rose Tattoo,1950) (Hud,1963). On display for a
limited time only, Howe's first Oscar® statuette won for his
cinematography work in the movie, The Rose Tattoo, will serve as the
crowning centerpiece for this area. A selection of film excerpts,
including the documentary Hollywood Chinese, will be available in a
viewing station and projection wall for visitors to enjoy.
A full schedule of public programs designed to provide visitors with a
more in-depth understanding and enjoyment of the exhibition, including
panel discussions, book signings and film screenings, will be offered
through May 2010. All the programs are free to the public though
reservations are required. A full-colored exhibition catalog featuring
an essay authored by Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Renee Tajima-
Pena (Who Killed Vincent Chin, 1988) will be available for purchase at
the CAM gift shop, as well as posters and DVDS of Hollywood Chinese.
Major funding for the Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection
exhibition has been generously provided by the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. Additional funding was providing by the CAM
Education Fund, Nissan Foundation, Community Redevelopment Agency /
Los Angeles, The Gee Family Foundation, Cecilia Nakamura Arts Fund, El
Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, and Friends of the Chinese
American Museum.
MEDIA PREVIEW DAY
CAM is hosting a special Media Preview Day on Tuesday, Oct. 20th, 11
a.m. - 1 p.m. in anticipation of the Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur
Dong Collection exhibition opening. Media will be treated to a private
viewing of the exhibition before it opens to the public and will have
access to Arthur Dong as well as CAM representatives for interviews.
All attending media will receive a complimentary exhibition catalogue.
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
RED CARPET OPENING RECEPTION
Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection exhibition will debut to
a Hollywood-style grand opening on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, 6-8 p.m. at
the Chinese American Museum. Presented in partnership with the El
Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the private, celebratory
evening will include celebrity guests, delicious refreshments, and an
exclusive opportunity to preview this blockbuster exhibition before it
opens to the general public.
ABOUT ARTHUR DONG
Arthur Dong previously co-curated the exhibition, Chop Suey on Wax:
The Flower Drum Song Album (2006), for the Chinese Historical Society
Museum in San Francisco. His film, Hollywood Chinese (2007), is the
final installment of a trilogy, which also includes Sewing Woman
(1982) and Forbidden City, U.S.A. (1989), that focuses on Chinese
America. His other film collection, Stories from the War on
Homosexuality (2003), brings together his documentaries Family
Fundamentals (2002), Licensed to Kill (1997), and Coming Out Under
Fire (1994). Dong's work has been honored with an Academy Award®
nomination, three Sundance awards, five Emmy nominations, the Peabody
Award, the Berlin Film Festival's Teddy Award, Asia's Golden Horse
Award, as well as a number of public service awards, including the
Historymakers Award from the Chinese American Museum. He has also
earned two Rockefeller Fellowships in Media and a Guggenheim
Fellowship in Film. Dong served on the Board of Governors of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, representing the
Documentary Branch, and currently represents the Academy on the
National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD CHINESE (THE DOCUMENTARY)
Winner of the 2007 Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary, Asia's
equivalent to the Oscars®, Hollywood Chinese (2007) is a captivating
revelation on a little-known chapter of cinema: the Chinese in
American feature films. From the first Chinese American film produced
in 1916, to Ang Lee¹s triumphant Brokeback Mountain nine decades
later, Hollywood Chinese presents a fascinating portrait of actors,
directors, writers, and iconic images to show how the Chinese have
been imagined in movies, and how filmmakers have and continue to
navigate an industry that was often ignorant about race, but at times
paradoxically receptive. The story of Hollywood Chinese is told
through eleven of the industry¹s most accomplished Chinese and Chinese
American film artists who share personal accounts of working in film.
Ang Lee, Wayne Wang, Joan Chen, David Henry Hwang, Justin Lin, B.D.
Wong, Nancy Kwan, Tsai Chin, Lisa Lu, James Hong, and Amy Tan are
among the storytellers who have wrestled with being the other in
Hollywood. Non-Asian personalities are also featured to point out the
controversy over portraying the Chinese in yellowface. Two-time Oscar®
winner Luise Rainer (The Good Earth, 1937), character actor
Christopher Lee (Fu Manchu, 1960-65), and 1940s matinee idol Turhan
Bey (Dragon Seed, 1944) give first-hand recollections on being yellow
on the silver screen. Hollywood Chinese was produced, directed,
written, and edited by Arthur Dong.
ABOUT THE CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM
The Chinese American Museum (CAM) is jointly developed and operated by
the Friends of the Chinese American Museum (FCAM) and El Pueblo de Los
Angeles Historical Monument, a department of the City of Los Angeles.
Located within the El Pueblo Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, CAM is
housed in the last surviving structure of the City's original
Chinatown. CAM's mission is to foster a deeper understanding and
appreciation of America's diverse heritage by researching, preserving,
and sharing the history, rich cultural legacy, and continuing
contributions of Chinese Americans. The Chinese American Museum is
located at 425 North Los Angeles Street in El Pueblo de Los Angeles
Historical Monument, across from Union Station. Hours are 10 a.m.- 3
p.m., Tuesday - Sunday. Admissions are suggested donations of $3 for
adults and $2 for seniors and students. Members are admitted free. For
more information about the Museum, please visit our new website at
www.camla.org or follow up on:
Facebook: search for "Chinese American Museum"
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/camla_org
Twitter: ChinAmerMuseum
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