Rich Lo
Rich Lo is a particularly special artist for Chicago’s Chinatown. A passionate advocate of the neighborhood and its place in American history, his work often reflects themes of cultural heritage and personal history, particularly influenced by his experiences growing up in Chicago's Chinatown and his father's background in Chinese opera. His Chinese Opera mural, one of the few murals in Chinatown by a Chinese American artist, graces the museum’s west wall.
Born in Canton, China, Lo, along with his six siblings, discovered a passion for drawing and painting. At age seven, he and his family emigrated from Hong Kong to the United States. They finally settled in Illinois, in Chicago’s Chinatown, which was like most Chinatowns, a working-class ghetto. Lo’s artistic journey began in illustration, and remarkably he made a successful career as a working artist at a time when crystallized prejudices of Chinese Americans persisted to keep that path closed. His decades-long career spans commercial and public work, and his versatility and persistence as an artist and professional reinforces the importance of highlighting the artistry and talent that grows from within communities such as Chinatown
