Art, Archives, And Activism: Martin Wong’s Downtown Crossings

Exhibition dates: March 6-December 18, 2009

The Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University is proud to present the exhibition “Art, Archives, and Activism: Martin Wong’s Downtown Crossings” from March 6-December 18, 2009. From the mid ’80s through the early ’90s, artist Martin Wong and other downtown New York artists were affected by an intersection of major historic events spanning the AIDS epidemic, urban renewal and attacks on graffiti in the city, to Tiananmen Square abroad. The exhibition explores artists who crossed paths during this particular time, influencing and inspiring discussions, art works, and activism.

Artists, writers, and friends of Wong who worked alongside him have loaned his paintings, personal remembrances, photographs, and selections of their own work for this exhibition. These friends and peers include Charlie Ahearn, John Ahearn, Tomie Arai, Jane Dickson, Chris “Daze” Ellis, Bing Lee, Miguel Piñero, Lady Pink, John “Crash” Matos, Lee Quiñones, Yasmin Ramirez, Sharp, Harley Spiller, Wicked Gary, Zhang Hongtu, PPOW Gallery, and his New York art dealer Barry Blinderman at Semaphore gallery.

“Art, Archives, and Activism” presents a story of a time and the interconnectedness of the artists with the world around them through artwork, letters, photographs, videos, postcards, posters, and flyers of participant artists. The exhibition traverses two decades, presenting an artist’s life and the issues that engulfed him, catalyzed from these connections and overlapping paths.

The opening reception is also the reception and book celebration for the Asian American Art Symposium 2009 at NYU presented by A/P/A Institute and co-sponsored by The Noguchi Museum; The Japan Foundation, New York; The Asia Society; NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; and Museum of Chinese in America. For more information about the symposium please visit apa.nyu.edu/

Co-curated by Alexandra Chang, Tomie Arai and I-Ting Emily Chu.
Associate Curated by Mie Iwatsuki.
Archival consultation and support by Fales Library and Special Collections at NYU
Installation design by Jonathan Lo

Gallery hours: 10am-6pm Monday-Friday
FREE and open to the public.
For more information, visit: apa.nyu.edu/