The Seattle Traveler

In the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown, or as it now more correctly known — the International District, is the Wing Luke Asian Museum. It is the first affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in the Pacific Northwest, and it collects and preserves artifacts, photographs, archives and oral histories pertaining to the history, culture and art of the Asian Pacific American community. It is the only pan-Asian Pacific American museum in the country.

It was a warm, sunny weekend in Seattle, providing near perfect conditions for walking around the International District. As the sun passed behind some clouds, I popped into the Wing Luke Asian Museum to take in a couple of art exhibits:

My favorite of the two was “New Years All Year Round” (Gallery of Contemporary Arts and Issues). This exhibit tells the story of how Asian immigrants settling in the Pacific Northwest brought many of the holidays from their native lands with them. One of the most celebrated holidays is New Years. Traditions of New Years are depicted through costumes, dragons, design, and artifacts. In Seattle, the New Years’ Festival of Light is a large community event, one embracing people from all cultural backgrounds.

The other art exhibit is titled “How the Soy Sauce Was Bottled: Uncommon Stories of Common Objects” (Main Gallery). This exhibit reflects the artwork of five artists who created new works based on artifacts, photographs and documents in the Museum’s permanent collection, examining, through their art, the immigrant experience. I regret that I didn’t really “get” most of the work, perhaps because as a non-immigrant, the themes do not resonate in the same way. A couple of upcoming events might help to explain and understand the exhibit: a public walk through (Saturday, April 28th, 1 pm) and an artist lecture and discussion (Thursday, May 24th 7-9 pm, at the next door Theatre Off Jackson).

The Museum was named for Wing Luke, a former Seattle city councilman.

Wing was born in a small town near Canton, China, and moved to Seattle when he was six years old, a city where his father and grandfather had previously lived. The family settled in the University District, and he attended Roosevelt High School. 

After serving in the U.S. Army, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Wing returned to Seattle, and attended the University of Washington. His time there included not only studies, but also substantial leadership activities., ane he graduated with a degree in political science and public administration.  He then went on to do graduate work in those same fields at the American University in Washington DC., eventually returning to the UW to earn a law degree.

After spending some time in the private practice of law, followed by a oosition as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division, he ran for a position on the Seattle City Council. Despite racial slurs and lingering ethnic bias, Wing Luke won the council seat, and was sworn in on March 13th, 1962, and became the first Asian American to hold elected office in the Pacific Northwest.

Not surprisingly, Wing became instrumental in passing ordinances against racial discrimination (most notably in the area of housing), and fought for civil rights, urban renewal, and historic preservation.  His career was tragically cut short when a light plane he was riding in crashed.  The wreckage was not for more than three years.

The Wing Luke Asian Museum was named for this man of vision, who believed both in the preservation of culture and tradition, and in forging a bright future for all Asian Americans.

Location: 407 Seventh Avenue South (International District).  The museum moves to its permanent home in the East Kong Yick Building (719 South King Street) in May 2008.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 11 am – 4Z:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday noon – 4 pm. Closed on Mondays and Holidays.  Allow about an hour to an hour an half to see all the exhibits.

Dates: New Years All Year Round runs through June 10th, 2007, and How the Soy Sauce was Bottled runs through November 30th, 2007. The Museum will close shortly thereafter, and move to its new location for re-opening in May 2008.

Admission: $4, adults; $3, students and seniors’ $2 children (ages 5-12). Free on the first Thursday of every month.

The Wing Luke Asian Museum also has an excellent exhibit about our area’s Japanese internment camps.  That exhibit will be a subject for a future post.

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Tags: art, b5media, museums, Seattle, Seattle tourism, Seattle Traveler, The Seattle Traveler, travel, vacation, Washington, Washington State, Wing Luke Asian Museum, museums, Chinatown

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