Ministry of Things- part 02, 2003-2013

Eight Asian Canadian murals

I would like to express my gratitude for the images ‘contributions of Anna Pai, Kwon Wing Cheung, Yat Sing Wong, Jill Ho You, Hye-Seung Jung, Christine Cheung, Alden Alfon, Ho Tam, and Kim Huynh to this project.

Over the course of a decade, from 2003 to 2023, I immersed myself in work and travel across major Canadian cities where Asian communities have played integral roles in shaping the Canadian economy. Yet, amidst this backdrop, I have personally encountered varying degrees of systemic racism, exclusion, and inequality within academia and the art community.

As of 2023, visible minorities constitute 26.5% of the Canadian population. Over a span of 28 years, from 1968 to 1995, Canada welcomed 4.4 million immigrants, with 39.5% originating from Asia, according to Peter S. Li. In response to this, I have integrated nine Western Asian Canadian artworks into the re-creation of eight interior murals. These murals serve as a poignant reminder that the Asian narrative continues to play a crucial role in shaping the legacy, economy, social fabric, and labor markets of Canada.