About

I'm a visual artist obsessed with optimism. Originally from California, now living in New York. This is a space where I think through and share notes on art, art worlds, transparency, positive psychology, and my process.

Learn more about me and see my work at ChristineWongYap.com.

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Friends! I’m launching a new project 🎀 on Art, Culture and #Belonging in #SanFranciscoChinatown. Whether you live or work in Chinatown or visit (like me), you’re invited to share your story of belonging. How does art and culture contribute to belonging? We’re open to all forms of art and culture, BTW. 🍜🍣🥟🍝🍻📱🌈🎭🎨🎬🎤🎮🏎🖼 Tell us, what makes Chinatown special to YOU? .. To share your story or learn more, visit belongingsfc.christinewongyap.com, which is also accessible via my website — link in bio (@christinewongyap). .. Your contributions will inform a publication and artworks I’ll create for an exhibition in Fall 2020 in SF Chinatown. .. This project is a collaboration with the Chinatown Arts & Culture Coalition and @cccsanfrancisco. It is supported by @sanfranciscofoundation. Thank you for considering, sharing your story, and spreading the word! 🙏

#510 nostalgia courtesy of @adriantomine's graphic novel, Shortcomings (2007). From Drawn & Quarterly Press, by way of @qplnyc .. College Ave, Pendragon books, Moe's Books on Telegraph, The Alley on Grand, Juan's. Wow. Place, memory, belonging. Places that are still there, and some now gone... .. #Oakland #berkeley

Here’s something to think about: longevity and art practice generally. Vija Celmins, at age 26, painted this lamp (image 1). Fifteen years later, this painting was in her first museum retrospective. Every month when I open my storage unit bill, a tiny part of me wonders if or when the work inside will be exhibited. So I imagined 15 years of storage unit bills, and how back then it must have been validating to have a retrospective. But look now! Fifty years later, how lucky are we as viewers to be able to view this work in the Met Breuer. How important it was for Celmins to persevere, to believe in herself, and for others to believe in her, so this work was preserved, cared for, and lent back to the museum, now. .. Here’s something else to think about: longevity and looking… Back in undergrad, my printmaking professor Ken Rignall (rest in power) took a class to @oaklandmuseumca and had us spend some time looking at this painting of a fan (image 2). In his own work, Ken painted in grays and blacks, and so he taught us to see beyond the seeming neutralness, to understand that ALL COLORS can make up grays and blacks. I returned to this painting over the years on my visits to OMCA, but only at the Met (20+ years after first encountering this work) did I realize it was by Vija Celmins. .. One more thing: the longevity of a practice... I love Vija Celmin’s work, it’s startling in is realism. At the retrospective, it’s also impressive how constant she has been in her career. And I love seeing the work of a contemporary female artist, who worked in modest scales, celebrated like this. .. Vija Celmins at the Met Breuer (@metmuseum) closes January 12. It is truly amazing. Highly recommended. .. Image descriptions. Image 1: A realistic painting of a double lamp, with the goosenecks turning the bulbs toward the viewer, rendered in warm grays. Image 2: A realistic painting of a vintage electric metal fan, on a flat dark grey background. Image 3: A realistic graphite drawing of clouds, seen from below, with sunlight.

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On Be(com)ing an Artist, Citizen and Arts Community member, by Christine Wong Yap

lendinglibrary_03

May 28, 2010432 × 324Lending Library opening

Kevin Killian’s altar to Kylie Minogue, with some books of poetry (left), Tom Marioni’s inspirational photos of artists (center) and Colter Jacobsen’s objects, which included photo albums (right).

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