Beginning on April 20th the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre will be home to a new art installation.  The exhibition WE ARE IMMIGRANTS - The Hidden Hardships & Legacy of Early Chinese Canadian Immigrants by Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung is a unique collection of pieces. 

This exhibit explores the hidden hardships and legacy of early Chinese Canadian immigrants from the mid-19th century onward. It also celebrates their resilience in overcoming immense adversity and their contribution to Canada in solidifying the country’s confederacy. 

Ashley Slemming Manager/Curator for the Alberta Society of Artists TREX (Travel Exhibition Program) Southwest explained what is so unique about Chueng's work, "Raeann has done a number of pieces that are made using archival photographs that she has researched.  She's photographed them and then made silver gelatin prints of these archival photographs where she has altered them in different ways with paints and different visual motifs that kind of have metaphorical meaning to her immigrant ancestry." 

Slemming explained that these types of exhibitions can spur a lot of conversation and questions and that is what they hope to see as they move from center to center.

"A lot of the images are really powerful and emotional because of the weight of this history, but also just there's just a really personal and sort of vulnerable connection to these stories. So, these different additions to the photographs that she's made are very intentional."

TREX Southwest Slemming said has multiple travelling exhibits per year and that Cheung's will travel for 20 months among their four regions which is a great way to provide exposure for the artist involved. 

"I know for Raeann specifically; this has really been a meaningful project for her because she really wanted to expand this as a project to hear other people's stories and their ancestry. And so, part of the exhibition is an education guide where folks can engage with the artwork by also thinking about their own stories."

This exhibit will be available for viewing from April 20 to May 19 around the walking track at the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre, viewing will be open when the facility is open.  Visitors would need to pay the one-time track fee of $2.25 or use a walking pass to go up to view the exhibit.

For additional details on this and other exhibits from TREX Southwest visitwww.albertasocietyofartists.com

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