Apr 21, 2014

Chinese Hand Laundry

Chinese Hand Laundry

1984

Martin Wong

(American, 1946–1999)

Acrylic on canvas

Overall: 121.9 x 175.2 cm (48 x 69 in.)

Purchased with funds donated by Scott Mueller 2014.3

Location

Did you know?

This artwork is made from three canvases that the artist joined together.

Description

The son of Chinese immigrants and a resident of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1980s, Wong was interested in and sensitive to the life and struggles of American citizens who were often disenfranchised by local and national government. Based on a now-destroyed storefront on East Fifth Street, Chinese Hand Laundry serves as a reminder of the complex and ongoing issues of immigration in American politics and society.

Video

Chinese Hand Laundry
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