Exhibitions
Wing K. Leong, 60 Years: Paintings and Calligraphy
February 10, 2023 - May 7, 2023
Wing K. Leong, 60 Years: Paintings and Calligraphy celebrates a master in traditional Chinese calligraphy and brush painting. As the owner of the Chinese Art Studio in downtown Portland and the Chinese Art Gallery in SE Portland, the now-retired Leong has been a part of the Portland community for over sixty years. The exhibition showcases a range of artistic styles, including ink wash and freehand brush paintings, to the Gongbi style of depicting figurative or narrative subjects in fine detail. His landscapes, considered the highest form of Chinese painting, are also highlighted.
Following Taoist philosophy, PCM honors the artist's life force by presenting his retrospective through the concept of yin and yang. We explore what is visible in Leong's paintings and calligraphy, and what is hidden in his personal journey: his arrival as an immigrant in 1962, his entrepreneurial partnership with his wife, his friendships with fellow calligraphers and artisans, and his enduring impact as a teacher of Chinese art in the Northwest.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Wing K. Leong was born in 1934 in Canton, China. His father, Yin K. Leong was an immigrant living in the United States and worked as a welder at Kaiser Shipyards. Inducted into the Army, Yin served as a Combat Medic in the Battle of Normandy. With the 1943 Magnuson Act, Chinese veterans became naturalized citizens providing them a means to reunite their family. Wing, his mother and sister survived the turmoil of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and after WWII they moved to Hong Kong where Wing attended school. He graduated from the New Asia College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a degree in Fine Arts. Despite the strict quota system in place since 1924, Yin K. Leong was eventually able to sponsor his family to join him. Married to his high school sweet heart, Yet Sim, Wing K. Leong with his family immigrated to the U.S. in 1962 to begin his career in Portland, Oregon.
Wing K. Leong owned the Chinese Art Studio with his wife in downtown Portland (1967-1996) and the Chinese Art Gallery (1974-2003). He taught at Mt. Hood Community College, Portland Community College and Clark College, and accepted invitations to demonstrate Chinese painting and calligraphy at various venues. He was a regular participant in art shows throughout the Pacific Northwest and at Calligraphy conferences and gatherings. Wing K. Leong also published two books: Chinese Painting Step by Step and How to Paint Bamboo.
Wing K. Leong has exhibited at Oregon School of Arts & Crafts, Marylhurst College, Western Forestry Center, Portland Community College, Portland Art Museum, Geme Art Gallery, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, Edmonds Community College, and more recently at South Bellevue Community Center.
WATCH: Wing K. Leong presentation with Puget Sound Sumi Artists (PSSA).
https://fb.watch/j8FIsMkk0u/
Video courtesy of Puget Sound Sumi Artists.
This exhibition was made possible with the support of the Goodman Foundation and generous community sponsors.
Three Friends in Winter, 38”x25”, Chinese Painting & Calligraphy by Wing K. Leong