An artist and community collaboration, High Muck a Muck: Playing Chinese, is an interactive exhibition that explores some of the experiences of Chinese Canadians immigrating to Canada and to Nelson. The exhibition opens July 4th at 5pm.
The exhibition was created by a team of Nelson and Vancouver artists including Nicola Harwood, former director of Oxygen Art Centre, Fred Wah, former Poet Laureate of Canada, artist / performers Bessie Wapp and Thomas Loh and composer Jin Zhang. Significant artistic contributions also came from Nelson performer, Hiromoto Ida, visual artist, Tomoyo Ihaya and electronic artist Phillip Djwa. As well, many community members contributed oral histories and stories, including Cameron Mah and Lawrence Mar, both of Nelson.
Visitors are invited to participate in the gamble of immigration by filling in their own family immigration histories and playing the Pak Ah Pu lottery. The materials created by the artists, including poems, images, music, video and interviews are triggered by audience interaction with the lottery – taking each person to their own destination and leaving them with a “fortune.”
The project is also an interactive website where all the materials of the exhibition can be experienced on-line at www.highmuckamuck.ca
High Muck a Muck: Playing Chinese, opens Friday July 4th at 7pm and will be on exhibition at Oxygen Art Centre, July 5 – July 19, Wednesday to Saturday from 1-5pm. Artist talks will take place July 5 at 1pm. Admission is free and everyone is welcome
Oxygen Art Centre gratefully acknowledges support for this project and exhibition from Creative BC, Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, British Columbia Arts Council, Canada Arts Council, Vancouver Foundation and the Province of British Columbia.
