“When we lose someone we love, we don’t learn how to live without them. We learn how to live with the love they left behind.”
There were the words that comforted me greatly after Chen Lok Lee, my father, passed away at the end of 2020. Since then, I have sat with, handled, packed, admired, held and now shared his work with the world. The love that he left behind exists in the form of his artwork. His energy can be felt in the presence of the artwork – love, warmth, excitement, longing, strength, power, grief, and hope. I certainly felt so much love on Friday, September 17, as we opened Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers, the inaugural posthumous exhibit for Chen Lok Lee. ❤
I extend my deepest appreciation to the beautiful 50 souls who joined us last Friday evening for what was a beautiful, touching and memorable evening for me and my family. I once again thank our key partners: AARP PA, Sachs Program for Arts Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania, the Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of Philadelphia, the Mayor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.
Chen Lok Lee’s spirit has been released to the world! With the opening of the exhibition, we now have the privilege of sharing his art, life story and energy with the world for all to benefit from. In case you missed our reception, and still want to see the show, Chen Lok Lee’s work will be on display at the Crane Community Center at 1001 Vine Street in Chinatown through the end of 2021. You can find the recording of the program here.
As I announced at the reception, I founded the Chen Lok Lee Legacy Project to preserve, archive and share the works of Chen Lok Lee, pioneering Chinese immigrant artist and educator, and to inspire the next generation of immigrant artists. I recognize that this project is not a short-term project, but a project that I will be working on throughout MY lifetime. But I count every step forward as a victory. For example, my father can now be found on Wikipedia!
I invite you to be part of the journey with me. If you were inspired at all by the exhibit and his story, consider taking action in the following ways:
- Share about Chen Lok Lee to your friends, community members, family, colleagues, and encourage them to see the show!
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chenlokleeartist/
- Consider making a gift of any size through our GoFundMe Campaign
- Help us connect with art galleries and progressive and inclusive art institutions that value the contributions of diverse artists
Lastly, for those who have expressed interest in purchasing art, please watch our Instagram page for future opportunities when we do release editions for sale. Sales of art is also another way that we can keep the project going, so I appreciate the interest and support. Thank you, and wishing you and your loved ones a grounding and calming fall season ahead.
XO,
Romana
