Dragon design prompts roar in Chinatown

Chinese Americans raise objections to the public art as being offensive

Oregonian, Wednesday, January 10, 2007

FRED LEESON and ANGIE CHUANG

In a jammed restaurant banquet room, Dennis Lee held a wireless microphone and faced the officials and the artist who four months ago installed public artworks in Portland's revamped Chinatown.

He told them, politely but forcefully, that he and the 350 Chinese Americans gathered there think that the dragon sculpture, with an overturned wok, is offensive to their culture and history.

"The final outcome is just inappropriate," Lee said at the Monday evening meeting before the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

The well-attended and impassioned gathering at Legin Restaurant on Southeast 82nd Avenue, community leaders say, could well mark a new era of civic engagement for Portland's Chinese community. Such mobilization may reflect a larger trend as immigrant groups evolve from a history of discrimination toward socioeconomic status, gaining confidence to publicly pursue issues of concern. Like an offensive statue in the symbolic heart of their community.

In this case, the sculpture at Northwest Fourth Avenue and Davis Street features a granite dragon -- an ancient symbol of freedom, power and independence -- that looks as if it is choking in a metal collar. The upside-down cooking wok, community members said, is a symbol of hunger and bad luck.

Rather than look for fault, however, many attendees at Monday's gathering suggested solutions and called for the Chinese community to play a greater role in matters that affect it.

"Some of the responsibility falls on us," said Timothy Wong, a board member of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. "I do not imply that it's our fault. We should be more proactive and involved."

Sharon M. Lee, no relation to Dennis and an adjunct professor of sociology at the University of Victoria in Canada, said the kinds of issues that initially prompt civic engagement often are tangible and controversial, like the dragon sculpture. Lee, who is on leave from Portland State University, cites a recent example that caught worldwide attention: Toys "R" Us denied Yuki Lin -- a baby born Jan. 1 in New York City -- a $25,000 savings bond for its "First Baby of the Year Sweepstakes" because her mother was not a legal U.S. resident. Chinese American advocates protested, using everything from ethnic media to The New York Times, and ultimately Toys "R" Us reversed the decision and gave bonds to three babies, including Yuki.

"Involved and vocal"

"Usually the Chinese in North America have maintained a very low profile, given the history of discrimination by a dominant white society," Lee said. However, growing numbers, a higher proportion of U.S.-born population, and greater educational attainment and wealth "have led to many changes, including a greater confidence and sense of security that may be encouraging Chinese Americans to be more involved and vocal."

As for the Portland dragon, "This dragon doesn't reflect the proper spirit," Dennis Lee said. "You can see agony on its face. It looks like it's trying to get out of the constraint."

"This dragon doesn't look right," added Steven Louie, whose family founded the House of Louie restaurant, which sits within a few feet of the new sculpture. "He looks very uncomfortable." Another speaker compared the dragon's head to a photo of Saddam Hussein in the noose before he was hanged.

Several speakers spoke in one of two Chinese dialects. One, Dickson Kwong, said the large turnout showed the pride and concern of Chinese everywhere. He said that arguing about what went wrong was pointless and that the subject should be how to fix it. If the sculpture hurts feelings, he said, it should be removed.

Call for replacement

Fai Li, president of the Hop Sing Association, suggested that all Chinese organizations unite to raise money for a replacement. Like several speakers, Li said no accusations should be made about what went wrong.

Some speakers also criticized an overturned wok at the base of the sculpture. They said it suggests bad luck or a lack of food.

Hardy Li, who worked on TriMet's Interstate MAX project, which also included ethnic-based public art, said the regional arts council should have included more Chinese in the planning.

The artist who made the sculpture, Brian Goldbloom of Amboy, Wash., has done public art for 30 years. A culture council committee selected him to create eight "lanterns" that will be lit at night on Northwest Davis and Flanders streets. Of four installed so far, only the one representing Chinese culture has prompted extensive criticism.

"When I made the dragon and the wok, I aspired to give the Chinese community a wonderful gift that honored and respected their culture," he said near the start of Monday's meeting.

The intensity of the criticism stung him. Asked how he felt afterward, Goldbloom said: "I put my heart and soul into it. It doesn't feel very good."

Goldbloom worked with an advisory committee during the design. Kristin Calhoun, public art manager for the arts council, said Goldbloom changed the dragon and the wok after committee comments on his draft design.

The earlier design showed the dragon coming out of the ground and placed the wok right-side up. Calhoun said Goldbloom was advised that the wok never would be right side up unless it was in use.

Nevertheless, two Chinese feng shui consultants at Monday's meeting criticized the final design. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice of placing objects in space to create harmony with the environment.

What happens next? Eloise Damrosch, director of the culture council that oversees and maintains public art, said she would expand the original selection committee to plan what steps to take.

"We learned a tremendous amount," she said at the end of the meeting. "There will be more dialogue. We'd like to come to a resolution soon so everyone can feel good about it."

As for Goldbloom, he said, "I've always wanted to do the right thing. I will continue to want to do that."