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Title
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Tseng Kwong Chi
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Description
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Tseng Kwong Chi is regarded as a visionary photographer, often describing himself as an “inquisitive traveler,” a “witness” of his time, and an “ambiguous ambassador,” blending performance, portraiture, and political commentary through his images (National Gallery of Art, 2023). Born in Hong Kong in 1950, Tseng was recognized as a prodigy in Chinese painting by age ten. After fleeing to Shanghai, his family immigrated to Vancouver in 1966 (National Gallery of Art, 2023). He later studied formal art and graduated with honors in Paris, France, in 1975 (National Gallery of Art, 2023). In 1978, Tseng moved to New York City and immersed himself in the downtown art scene, running around with influential figures such as Keith Haring and Bill T. Jones (“Biography | Tseng Kwong Chi” 2015). Heartbreakingly, Tseng Kwong Chi died at age 39 in 1990 in New York City, from complications related to AIDS (“Biography | Tseng Kwong Chi” 2015).
His most iconic series, East Meets West (1979-1989), comprises over 100 black-and-white self-portraits made of gelatin silver print, taken at major landmarks across North America and Europe. Dressed in a Zhongshan, or “Mao,” suit and reflective sunglasses, Tseng posed in front of culturally significant or heritage sites in the “West,” such as the Statue of Liberty or the Hollywood sign (Demirkazik, 2021). “His stops ranged from the California’s Hollywood sign and Disneyland to DC’s Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol…the moment he dressed up, Westerners perceived him differently, often stereotyping, questioning, and racially profiling him” (National Gallery of Art, 2023). In a 1984 interview Tseng said, “these monuments pretend to be authentic and their perfect realization brings out a kind of beauty; yet, we know they are the imitations of the real thing somewhere in Europe and that brings out the tacky note” (Lester, 2004). In his juxtapositions, Tseng pairs his own body as a stereotype of “China,” in other words, the East, with sites of superficiality in the West. With his hand visible on the shutter-release cable, he reminds the viewer of the constructed narrative and nature of these photographs, asking the viewer to reassess their understandings of his subjects.
In “Disneyland, California” (1979), Tseng stands rigid in formality next to a Goofy character; his severe expression contrasts with the setting’s ‘whimsical’ playfulness. The result highlights the artificiality of the Disneyland environment and his constructed identity. Through self-portraiture, humor, and social critique, Tseng’s work confronts race and identity as it resists simplification and nationalism, where the East meets the West (Demirkazik, 2021). His images are a vital contribution to American art history, playing a central role in shaping and sustaining Asian American and queer artistic expression.
Bibliography
“Asian American Art & Artists in Our Collection.” 2022. Nga.gov. 2022. https://www.nga.gov/features/asian-american-artists.html.
“East Meets West Self-Portraits | Tseng Kwong Chi.” 2020. Tsengkwongchi.com. 2020. https://www.tsengkwongchi.com/portfolio/self-portraits/.
Laster, Paul. 2004. "SUITABLE ATTIRE REQUIRED." Art and AsiaPacific (Archive: 1993-2005), Fall, 54-62. https://login.union.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/suitable-attire-required/docview/1415618190/se-2.
“Biography | Tseng Kwong Chi.” 2015. Tsengkwongchi.com. 2015. https://www.tsengkwongchi.com/about/.
Demirkazik, Gkcan. 2021. "Hand-Body Connection KANG SEUNG LEE." ArtAsiaPacific, Sep, 42. https://login.union.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/hand-body-connection-kang-seung-lee/docview/2571497084/se-2
“Visionary Photographer Tseng Kwong Chi’s Vintage ‘Selfies.’” 2023. National Gallery of Art. 2023. https://www.nga.gov/stories/visionary-photographer-tseng-kwong-chi-vintage-selfies.html.
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Alternative Title
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Disneyland, CA 1979
Gelatin silver print
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Source
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Artist Image: “Washington, DC (E25v1.36) by Tseng Kwong Chi.” 2023. National Gallery of Art. 2023. https://www.nga.gov/artworks/225232-washington-dc-e25v136.
Art Image: “TKE80019, Disneyland, California, 1979 | Tseng Kwong Chi.” 2024. Tsengkwongchi.com. 2024. https://www.tsengkwongchi.com/portfolio/self-portraits/tke80019-disneyland-california-1979/.
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Name
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Kristina Valenti
