17 - Nick Lee
One Hundred Years
2018
Liquid silver, inlaid red packets, gold leaf, enamel paint on glass in black walnut
19.5 x 9 x 1.5 inches
Beginning with the gold rush of 1849, Chinese immigrants began coming to Gum San ιε±± "Gold Mountain" as California was called. By 1882 anti-Chinese sentiment was so strong that the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law and prohibited immigration and citizenship in the US. During this time, some Chinese became "Paper Sons" by purchasing birth documents to allow them entry into the US. Many of these Chinese contributed greatly to their new home country. The law was repealed in 1943 due to the necessity of China as an ally in WWII, and significant Chinese transmigration did not begin until the immigration reform of 1965. My family has been back and forth from China to America since the 1850's and permanently since 1948. I was born in 1982, one hundred years after the signing of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. A lot has happened in those 100 years and even more has changed in the last 42 years since my birth. The letter style displayed is reminiscent of the time period and I used gold leaf as a nod the the miners. The background is made of liquid silver inlaid with Lucky Red Packets or Hong Bao Te, that I have collected during past Chinese New Year celebrations. By mixing such a bitter topic like exclusion with keepsakes from the most joyous of occasions on a mirror, I find it interesting to reflect on our history.
Nick Lee
studiosignco.com
One Hundred Years
2018
Liquid silver, inlaid red packets, gold leaf, enamel paint on glass in black walnut
19.5 x 9 x 1.5 inches
Beginning with the gold rush of 1849, Chinese immigrants began coming to Gum San ιε±± "Gold Mountain" as California was called. By 1882 anti-Chinese sentiment was so strong that the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law and prohibited immigration and citizenship in the US. During this time, some Chinese became "Paper Sons" by purchasing birth documents to allow them entry into the US. Many of these Chinese contributed greatly to their new home country. The law was repealed in 1943 due to the necessity of China as an ally in WWII, and significant Chinese transmigration did not begin until the immigration reform of 1965. My family has been back and forth from China to America since the 1850's and permanently since 1948. I was born in 1982, one hundred years after the signing of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. A lot has happened in those 100 years and even more has changed in the last 42 years since my birth. The letter style displayed is reminiscent of the time period and I used gold leaf as a nod the the miners. The background is made of liquid silver inlaid with Lucky Red Packets or Hong Bao Te, that I have collected during past Chinese New Year celebrations. By mixing such a bitter topic like exclusion with keepsakes from the most joyous of occasions on a mirror, I find it interesting to reflect on our history.
Nick Lee
studiosignco.com
One Hundred Years
2018
Liquid silver, inlaid red packets, gold leaf, enamel paint on glass in black walnut
19.5 x 9 x 1.5 inches
Beginning with the gold rush of 1849, Chinese immigrants began coming to Gum San ιε±± "Gold Mountain" as California was called. By 1882 anti-Chinese sentiment was so strong that the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law and prohibited immigration and citizenship in the US. During this time, some Chinese became "Paper Sons" by purchasing birth documents to allow them entry into the US. Many of these Chinese contributed greatly to their new home country. The law was repealed in 1943 due to the necessity of China as an ally in WWII, and significant Chinese transmigration did not begin until the immigration reform of 1965. My family has been back and forth from China to America since the 1850's and permanently since 1948. I was born in 1982, one hundred years after the signing of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. A lot has happened in those 100 years and even more has changed in the last 42 years since my birth. The letter style displayed is reminiscent of the time period and I used gold leaf as a nod the the miners. The background is made of liquid silver inlaid with Lucky Red Packets or Hong Bao Te, that I have collected during past Chinese New Year celebrations. By mixing such a bitter topic like exclusion with keepsakes from the most joyous of occasions on a mirror, I find it interesting to reflect on our history.
Nick Lee
studiosignco.com