A Closer Look at Martin Wong: Chinatown USA

On Friday, May 22, the day after the panel discussion Hallucinating Hieroglyphs, stop by Wrightwood 659 and delve deeper into the complex and thrilling world of Martin Wong. The three panel speakers, Vivian Li, Lisa Hsiao Chen, and Larry Lee will meet guests in the gallery for an in-depth analysis of key works exploring Wong’s varied use of language.

Language was a central component of the Chinese American painter and poet Martin Wong from his first self-published book in 1968 until his death from HIV/AIDS in 1999. Across his poetry scripts, ASL scrolls, sky-poetry, and graffiti collections, Wong’s use of language was shaped by his family, friends, and the city around him—mutating from letters into characters and mudra-like gestures.

Free with exhibition ticket.