Curated by Ji Yang
On the afternoon of June 16th, the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC) launched its inaugural Pride Month exhibition and event series with a roundtable conversation featuring trans artist Hai-wen Lin, trans leader Alexis Martinez, and a full audience. Martinez, who was born and raised in Chicago’s Chinatown, reflected on coming out as trans and negotiating identity in the community during the 1950s and 1960s. Lin shared the struggles and dilemmas faced by the younger generation of trans people and discussed how trans experiences shape their artistic practices and teaching. The guests also shared their thoughts on common challenges faced by the trans community, such as transphobia and public misunderstanding.
“I think it is wonderful,” Martinez shared. “It is a remarkable opportunity to be included in the history of the neighborhood, especially stories related to queer people.”
The Pride Month program, curated by Ji Yang, is a collaboration between CAMOC and 6018|North, a Chicago-based artist-centered nonprofit platform. The program aims to highlight queer experiences within the Chinese American community through art, storytelling, and conversation. Along with the conversation, CAMOC launched an LGBTQ-themed special exhibition featuring works from Hai-wen Lin, Taiwanese artist Eugene I-Peng Tang, and China-born artist Linye Jiang. The artworks experiment with various media and techniques, combining sculptures, video choreography, and AI technology to explore themes of acceptance, stigma, racialized bodies, and transitions.
Two more events will soon follow the opening. On June 30th, from 2–5 pm, Eugene I-Peng Tang will share his work experience with Hotline Association, a queer service and activist group in Taiwan. Tang will provide an overview of queer activism in Taiwan and offer personal reflections on solidarity building, community outreach, and challenges. He will also read an excerpt from Grandma's Girlfriends, the Splendid Youth of Elder Lesbians, a nonfiction collection of elderly lesbian life stories co-authored by Tang. He will further share the interview process and elaborate on the history of lesbian experiences in Taiwan.
On July 7th, also from 2–5 pm, Linye Jiang will share her father’s story and her own journey of queer exploration. At fourteen, Jiang accidentally discovered her father’s closeted identity when she found his account on Tianya forum, once the most popular online forum among the first generation of Chinese internet users. Using this account, her father had anonymously published a gay novel based on his experiences titled Shenzhen Stories. Jiang will reflect on queer experiences in digital spaces and online writings in early 2000s China through her father’s experience. She will also discuss her perspective as a daughter living with a closeted man and its influence on her own queer journey and artistic practices in the United States.
The Chinatown Museum Foundation (CMF) DBA Chinese American Museum of Chicago – Raymond B. and Jean T. Lee Center is governed by the Board of Directors of a 501(c)(3) non- profit corporation. Founded in 2005, CAMOC is dedicated to the advancement in the appreciation of Chinese American culture and its contributions as an important part of the American fabric. It does this through exhibitions, education, and research to preserve the past, present, and future of Chinese Americans primarily in the Midwest.
The Pride Month program will continue through July 13th, 2024. The Chinese American Museum of Chicago is currently open Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are optional.
Selected Work
