I see the power of portraiture to share human experiences in ways that expand the confines of
our individual world and open up hearts and minds. I tell stories through individual paintings as
well as a series of paintings on one subject matter. My Remember Our History series of over 20
paintings show the daily toils of Chinese immigrants working in garment sweatshops, selling
fruits and produce as street vendors, and engaging in other types of work. Collectively, my
paintings show the contemporary life of Chinese immigrants in New York City’s Lower
Manhattan - a subject absent in paintings or not explored in fine art.
Presently, I am working on several projects to honor the human spirit to live a better life, which
also raise questions about our current societal values, including “Lives of Three Canners: New
York’s Immigrant Elderly,” and “Home and Homeless: Criminalization of Poverty.”
To learn more, please check out my website at www.siyanwong.com. Follow me on Instagram
@artistsiyanwong.