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Chinatown in all its gritty glory will be highlighted as both the home and the inspiration for local artists in a new show that opened Friday at The Arts at Marks Garage.
The Chinatown Artists’ Show features over 40 visual artworks from more than a dozen artists, in mediums ranging from acrylic to watercolor and photography, as well as a variety of styles, including abstract, pop art and realism.
“Part of our mission is really being rooted in Chinatown and supporting this neighborhood and the artists who are in this neighborhood,” said Arts at Marks’ Executive Director Matthew Kelty, who curated the show.
Chinatown is often viewed as drab and colorless, but artists who live and work there see a more vibrant scene. Sonny Min Ye, a newcomer to the art scene, has a day job working at the Rangoon Burmese Kitchen. His three contributions, “A@M,” “Street Scene” and “Traffic” reflect Chinatown streets in varying degrees of light.
“I think he marries form and technique with this loose and easy feeling, which I think is terrific,” Kelty said.
Chinatown also is seen as having a problem with people who are homeless and street crime, but Edmund Ho, another newcomer to the art show, found some other intriguing subjects to photograph — wild chickens hanging out by a HECO utility box. “He’s a police officer who works the beat in Chinatown and has taken some interesting images during his time here,” Kelty said.
Chinatown’s historical legacy is represented as well in a series of portraits of Chinatown denizens young and old by photographer Jean-Paul Chaine. “He’s not even sure of the dates, they’re from somewhere between ’70 and ’75. It’s this whole era of Chinatown that people sort of forget. The portraits are just gorgeous,” Kelty said.
“For a lot of these artists, Chinatown is not just where they work, it’s their inspiration,” he said. “We have a lot of folks who have taken Chinatown as part of their art, and it really inspires them.”
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Chinatown Artists’ Show
>> Where: The Arts at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave.
>> When: Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through Jan. 30; works can also be viewed online at artsatmarks.com.
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: artsatmarks.com or 291-2903
Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the name of the police officer whose photographs appear in the Chinatown Artists’ Show as Edward Ho.
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