"From Far East to West: The Chinese American Frontier" at The James Museum

"Blasting a Route through
the Sierra Nevada, 1865" by Mian Situ (2018) 

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art is a true gem in our (extended) community. The James' architecture is striking, with soaring ceilings and a waterfall that set the tone. Then there's the art. The Museum's permanent collection of thematic paintings and sculptures surprises me each time I visit. Given the variety of subject matter and style, there's something for every art lover to enjoy. 

It's the museum's special exhibits, though, that make me keep returning. Now through January 28th is a fascinating show about Chinese immigrants who came to the United States at a crucial time in American history. I appreciated the extended wall text with information about the contributions made and hardships faced by these newcomers to our country. The paintings made the words come to life. (FYI, you can enlarge any image by clicking on it.) 

It's easy to take for granted the things that have seemingly always been there. When traveling by train through the mountains, I might have wondered in passing about the construction of the rail line, but it's unlikely I gave much thought to the difficulty of the job and the dangers faced by the workers. In "Blasting a Route through the Sierra Nevada," Mian Situ depicts that reality. 

The painting portrays Chinese laborers at work creating crevices in a granite mountain so explosives could be set. To get to these sites, the workers were lowered by ropes and baskets, a frightening idea in itself. But then came the most dangerous part. Once the fissures had been created, the workers would insert the explosives, light the long fuses and hope to be pulled to safety before the dynamite exploded. Hundred of workers lost their lives during the building of the railroad, some from the risks described here and others as a result of weather-related hazards. 

More than 2500 Chinese immigrants worked on the creation of the 700 miles of tracks laid between Sacramento, CA and Promontory, UT. These men were specifically recruited for the project due to a shortage of willing and able American laborers. Leland Stanford, one of the principals of the Central Pacific Railroad, reportedly said that if the Chinese could build the Great Wall, they could build a railroad in no time. That's a statement to unpack. For an interesting article about the role of Chinese workers on this project, click here. 

"Convergence of Cultures" by Mian Situ (2009)

Once the Chinese laborers had finished their work on the railroad, the welcome mat was rolled up. They went from being treated as a necessary addition to the workforce to a threat to the livelihood of American citizens. As one wall card said, "The sudden change of public sentiment...was an interesting illustration of mob psychology...The useful and steady Chinese worker became overnight the mysterious Chinaman, an object of unknown dread." 

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. The legislation included a ten-year ban on Chinese laborers emigrating to the United States, with limited exceptions for teachers, students and merchants. No such ban existed with respect to European immigration. The Exclusion Act remained in effect in various forms until 1965. 

One response by Chinese immigrants to this shift in attitude was the creation of cities within cities -- known as Chinatowns -- to serve as safe havens. Despite the antipathy many Americans had towards the Chinese, there was a lot of curiosity about what life was like in a Chinatown. Festivals days were a particular draw for tourists, as depicted in "Convergence of Cultures" by Situ. And now a word about the artist. 

Mian Situ in his studio

Situ was born in a rural Chinese village and was in what we could call middle school when the Cultural Revolution occurred. His school was closed, so he suddenly had a lot of free time. He became interested in painting after watching a friend at his canvas. 

Initially, Situ's work mimicked the political propaganda paintings of the day. It was, after all, the only approved style of art. Eventually, Situ began to learn about Western art. He emigrated first to Canada and then to the United States to have more artistic and personal freedom. In 2001, Situ attended the annual Masters of the American West exhibit. While there, a friend (and collector) told Situ about the history of the Chinese workers who had come to the West. It was a rich subject matter that had not been explored previously by artists. Situ was fascinated, and his art shifted from featuring Chinese subjects in China to Chinese subjects in the America West. For a great article about Situ's artistic journey, click here. 

"Polly" by Hung Liu (2008)

I'll leave you with one of Hung Liu's terrific portraits inspired by vintage photographs. Like Situ, Liu came of age during the Cultural Revolution. Her parents had worked as educators, so they lost their jobs. Her father went to prison for his anti-Communist politics. Liu herself was sent to the country under Mao's "youth reeducation" program where she worked as a laborer for four years. She escaped the reality of her life by drawing and secretly learned how to use a camera. 

I couldn't help but smile when I came upon this painting of a woman named Polly. What a face -- and what a life she had. Polly was sold into slavery by her father during a famine and brought to the United States. In 1872, she was purchased by a Chinese saloon owner and taken to the Idaho Territory. Polly eventually became not only a free woman but financially independent running a boarding house and doing laundry for miners. More than 20 years later, she married an American and lived the rest of her life on a ranch near the Salmon River. In "Polly," Liu captures the woman at this happier stage of her life. For a great video in which Liu talks about her own life and her mixed media art, click here. 

Kudos to The James for bringing in this enlightening exhibit. For more information on the museum and "From Far East to West: The Chinese American Frontier," click here.