September 30 - December 4, 2016
Imagine a map of your life. Where are you going, and where have you been?
Born in Taiwan, Yang spent part of her childhood in Japan before immigrating with her family to the United States at the age of seven. In an effort to reconnect with her parents' mainland Chinese roots, and escape and abusive romantic relationship, Yang studied at the Beijing Academy of Traditional Chinese Painting, where she developed an appreciation and respect for traditional ink paintings and folk art. Her acquired fluency in Mandarin allowed her to unlock a colorful wealth of stories springing from her father and his ancestors.
After witnessing the horrors of the Tiananmen Massacre, Yang returned to the United States determined not to waste her freedom of expression, and to serve as a voice of justice for immigrants. Exhibitions of her work have been presented at museums and cultural centers such as the National Steinbeck Center, Monterey Museum of Art, San Francisco Main Public Library, Pacific Asia Museum, Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, and the Boston Public Library.
In Crossing Cultures, Yang—whose Chinese first name, Xuan, means "Forget Sorrow"—shares her inspirational journey through enchanting depictions of family stories and childhood memories.
