Chinese American Museum, Downtown L.A.

Downtown, Los Angeles

I hadn’t been to Downtown L.A. for over a year, so last night’s Summer Mixer at the Chinese American Museum was a cultural event for me on several levels. As we strolled by Union Station, Queen of Angels Church, City Hall, Olvera Street, the Italian American Museum, and a plethora of unique street art, I was reminded how fortunate I am to live in a city so dynamic and diverse. 

I was especially struck by the mural located along the south side of the Hollywood Freeway between the Los Angeles and Main Street overpasses. Titled, “L.A. Freeway Kids,” I discovered that it was painted by Glennal Avila in 1984 as a “celebration of children and an expression of exuberance and happiness associated with the 1984 Olympics”. The artist chose the location because of its proximity to El Pueblo Historic Park and the Children’s Museum which attracts a large number of elementary students. She also liked the numerous palm trees that line the wall as she feels they symbolize Los Angeles. The children in the painting are on the average of 20’ tall and represent a “cross-section of the racial and ethnic composition of the city.”

Chinese American Museum

 

The Chinese American Museum is worth visiting. It is dedicated to the Chinese-American experience in California beginning in the 1840s and is housed in the last surviving structure of L.A.’s original Chinatown. Two exhibits are particularly noteworthy: 1) a recreation of the “Hing Yuen Hong Chinese Herb Shop of Yesteryear”; visitors can open the drawers in the herb shop to explore traditional Chinese herbal remedies developed thousands of years ago alongside Western treatments for common ailments and 2) “Origins”; visitors learn about the development of Chinese American communities in California.

At last night’s summer mixer, I had the pleasure of meeting Tang Qingnian, a Beijing-born artist who is currently the Cheng Family Foundation Artist-in Residence at The Huntington and works toward promoting Chinese culture through the arts. Tang’s specializes in ink painting and calligraphy, the traditional art of China. I will undoubtedly visit his program at the Huntington in the near future. I also had an informative conversation with Dr. Wenli Jen, a board member of the Pasadena Chapter of the United Nations Association. Wenli not only shared some of the important work of the UNA, but gave me insight into numerous cultural activities and locations in the San Gabriel Valley, including Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden located in Pasadena which I will be sure to visit. 

Before we left the museum, my cousin won the door prize raffle - a painting by a Chinese artist - so appropriate because she intends to study art in college; needless to say, she was thrilled! The evening concluded with family dinner at an Italian restaurant by the name of “Sixth and Mill” in L.A.’s art district. I highly recommend the homemade pasta (cacio e pepe), Brussels sprouts and Margherita pizza. It was my first time there, but it won’t be my last!