Siyan Wong’s paintings depict immigrant Chinese women working in garment factories, restaurants, homecare, and street vendors. Inspired by the immigrant dreams of a better life and the reality of survival in a dehumanizing economy, Wong notes that her paintings, “make the lives of Chinese women, and the working poor, visible while directing the viewers’ gaze to their body and soul as they toil.” A self-taught artist, Wong’s outsider painting style, replete with decorative patterning, shallow pictorial space and panning compositions, offer a closely observed, non-filtered, cinematic view of the unrelenting struggles, yet earnest fortitude of her subjects.

In collaboration with New York Artists Equity (NYAE), Siyan also presents two simultaneous exhibits exploring the immigrant experience:

Familiar Stranger featuring artworks by Luisa Henao, Ying Hung, Sharon Cheuk Wun Lee, Elim Mak, and Mary Ting.

Immigration in America featuring artworks by NYC high school students

By inviting other artists and students to participate in her exhibition, Wong hopes to ignite a wider communal reflection on the joys and challenges of being an immigrant in America with artworks that she adds, “offer a shared vision and speak where words cannot.”

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 12th, 6 – 8pm
Artist Talk: Saturday March 21st, 3 – 5pm
Location: Equity Gallery, 245 Broome Street, Lower East Side, NYC