Looking In and Looking Forward - artwork by Emily Chu

Concept

This artwork gives a glimpse of the important contributions people of Asian origin have made to Canada’s history and identity since the late-1700s.

Asian history is historically centred around community and mutual aid - One important example is through the development of Chinatowns across North America. The central element in this illustration is built around Canada's oldest Chinatown in Victoria, as an example of strength through ongoing, collective acts of community care. Today, Chinatowns continue to be communities of diverse cultures, delicious foods, shelter for new immigrants and seniors, and a place to not only honour our past but to re-imagine inclusive futures.

The illustration also features 4 important moments in history that balance hardships as well as historical moments of joy. These 4 historical illustrations are framed in a gold floral silhouette, a simple and welcoming shape that is found across Asia in textiles and architecture. Floral shapes such as these can often represent unity, stability and balance.

The Komagata Maru Incident of 1914 National Historic Event

The passengers on board the S.S. Komagata Maru and their supporters in the local South Asian community challenged Canada’s racist and exclusionary immigration policies.

The Asahi Baseball Team National Historic Event

Between 1914 and 1941, at a time when Japanese Canadians faced racism, Vancouver's Asahi Baseball Team thrilled fans by winning championships in senior amateur leagues.

The Chinese Construction Workers on the Canadian Pacific Railway National Historic Event

In the early 1880s, thousands of labourers from China came to British Columbia to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Rocky Mountains.

The Arrival of Vietnamese Refugees in Canada National Historic Event

After the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Canada accepted nearly 200,000 Vietnamese refugees who fled persecution and difficult living conditions, and braved significant dangers.

These designations give a glimpse of the diverse Asian cultures and stories - how each group has faced hardships, exclusion, and racism throughout the last centuries, their resilience to overcome injustice, and the power of unity through shared storytelling. With these historical moments captured, it was also important to make space to highlight our vibrant diversity, our beautiful arts and culture, and contributions visible in the present day. The patterns in the landscape are all influenced by patterns found in Asian textiles, printing, and architecture.

About the artist

Emily Chu is a Chinese illustrator and visual artist based in Edmonton on Treaty 6 lands. Emily's practice includes commercial illustration, murals, storytelling, sketching, and community-arts initiatives. Emily's illustration and mural client list includes: Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Craft Gallery and Shop, Loblaws, Readers Digest, to name a few. Outside of creative work, Emily is also the founder and lead organizer of Edmonton Chinatown's Lunar New Year Arts Festival (Togather Chinatown Arts Festival), and storytelling map project (Chinatown Stories Map).

Emily is currently working on a graphic novel about her childhood immigration story to the Canadian prairies in the 90’s, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

More of Emily's work can be found on her website at Emily Chu Illustration Ltd.