Guide to the Flo Wong Papers
CEMA 123
Finding aid prepared by Callie Bowdish and Janeth Tovar 2010, Mari Khasmanyan, 2013
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9010
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu; URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/special-collections
2013 July 11
Title: Flo Wong papers
Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 123
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.5 linear feet
(2 document boxes, 2 oversize boxes, and 1 photo album)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1989-2009
Date (inclusive): 1969-2013
Abstract: The Flo Wong Papers contain correspondence related to her artwork and the Asian Heritage Council, promotional materials, photographs
from her exhibits, books, articles and videos. There are photos of Wong's Flag Party in Sunnyvale Studio and her "made in
usa: Angel Island Shhh" exhibit. The bulk of the materials are about her artistic activities from 1989-2009.
General Physical Description Note: 2 document boxes, 2 oversized boxes, and 1 photo album
Conditions Governing Access Note
Service copies of audiovisual items may need to be made before viewing or listening. Please consult Special Collections staff
for further information.
Conditions Governing Use Note
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item],Flo Wong Papers, CEMA 123. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University
of California, Santa Barbara.
Immediate Source of Acquisition Note
Donated by Flo Wong June 2009.
Processing Information Note
Callie Bowdish and Janeth Aleman Tovar February 2010. Updated by Mari Khasmanyan in January 2013.
Biography
Flo Oy Wong, a Sunnyvale California-based mixed media installation artist, is a visual storyteller who began her art career
at the age of forty. Born and raised in Oakland, California’s Chinatown, Wong has received numerous awards for her work; including
a 1992 award from the Euphrat Museum of Art at De Anza College, a 1995 President’s Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA),
a 2001 Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) Award, a 2002 Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) Award, and the city
of Sunnyvale’s 2007 Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award. The KSW and AIISF Awards were bestowed on Wong for her commitment
and creativity in telling the stories of Angel Island detainees from 1910 – 1950 in the landmark exhibition entitled, "made
in usa: Angel Island Shhh." In 2002, Wong received a California Civil Liberties Public Education Program Grant, in collaboration
with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, to create the exhibition entitled, "1942: Luggage From Home To Camp," a project
that used the suitcase as a symbol of the internment experience. (From the Flo Wong website at http://www.flo-oy-wongartist.com/about/biography.html)
Related Archival Materials Note
Related Collections: Kearny Street Workshop (CEMA 33)
Series Description
Series I. Personal and Biographical, 1985-2013
Series I contains biographical and personal materials like schedules and planners. They are organized in alphabetical order.
All of the variously sized calendars are located in oversize box 5.
Series II. Correspondence, 1989-2013
This series is composed of 17 folders. Folder 3 contains correspondence from the Americans for the Arts foundation. Folder
4 contains the Asian Heritage Council correspondence. Folders 5 through 17 contain incoming correspondence and incoming postcards
and cards that mainly have to do with art events in the Bay Area. They are arranged in alphabetical order. Two folders of
correspondence from students and taught art classes are found in Box 2, folders 35 and 36.
Series III. Art Gallery Flyers and Announcements, 1990-2012
Series three begins with folder 16 containing an Artist Exhibition Agreement. It is an agreement between the College of Saint
Benedict in Minnesota and Flo Wong for an installation of an exhibit. There are seven folders that follow which include exhibition
postcards, flyers and announcements. Much of this is promotional material for Wong's exhibits. It is arranged alphabetically.
Folder 24 includes hotel paperwork and bills for various work related trips. Another folder in the series contains a loan
agreement for the Orlando Museum of Art's exhibition,
XX-XY/Gender Representation in Art. It includes flyers and announcements for that same exhibition. Two announcement posters for various exhibits, one being
the "East Meets West" exhibit, and the other being the "Rice" exhibit, are included in this series as well. These posters
are stored in oversize box 5. The rest of the folders are filed alphabetically towards the end of document box 1.
Series IV. Photographs, 1985-2010
This series contains color photographs from exhibitions, award ceremonies, and opening receptions. Photographs are arranged
by date and event. Included are photos from her Flag Party in Sunnyvale Studio, photos from the "made in usa: Angel Island
Shh" and other exhibits. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series V. Publications and Videos, 1969-2013
Publications, pamphlets, and videos pertaining to her artwork are placed in document box 2 alphabetically, and those that
are larger are stored in oversize boxes 4-5. This series has a sub-series for Wong's videos related to art. They are located
in Special Collections.
Scope Note
The Flo Wong Papers contain biographical and professional materials from 1969 to 2013. There are five series. Series I contains
personal documents like schedules and planners. Series II primarily contains incoming correspondence related to her artwork.
The series is arranged with correspondence from the Americans for the Arts, followed by incoming correspondence and finally
incoming post cards and cards given to Flo Wong. Series III has materials related to her exhibits including exhibition paperwork,
flyers, and loan paperwork. Series IV contains photos of her Flag Party in Sunnyvale Studio and "made in usa: Angel Island
Shhh" exhibits, and other personal and professional events. They are stored in a photo album in chronological order. Series
V has publication materials for her exhibits and published books. They include her writings, as well as articles published
about her art. This series has a sub-series for videos. There are a number of videos regarding her artwork within this collection.
The entire collection is housed in two document boxes, two oversized boxes, and a photo album.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Wong, Flo Oy, 1938-
Asian American Artists--California
Series I. Personal and Biographical
1985-2012
Box 1, Folder 1
A Case for Art Schedule and Calendar
January-December 1997
Box 5
Chinese Women of America, Past and Present Schedule and Calendar
January-December 1985
Box 5
Pocket Calendars
2010-2012
Box 5
Horses Schedule and Calendar
January-December 2007
Box 5
Pigs on Parade Schedule and Calendar
January-December 1999
Box 1, Folder 2
Miscellaneous plane ticket to Smithsonian Institute
October 2000
Box 5
Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the House of Representatives
10/17/2008
Series II. Correspondence
1989-2011
Box 1, Folder 3
Americans for the Arts - Incoming Correspondence
2009
Box 1, Folder 4
Asian Heritage Council - Incoming Correspondence
1989-1990
Box 1, Folder 5-12
Correspondence - Incoming
1980-2013
Box 1, Folder 13-15
Incoming Postcards and Cards
1990-2011
Box 2, Folder 35
Student Correspondence
2012
Box 2, Folder 36
Student Designed Cards
2012
Series III. Art Gallery Materials
1990-2012
Box 1, Folder 18
Artist Exhibition Agreement
April 28, 2010
Box 5
East Meets West Announcement Poster
2012
Box 1, Folder 19-25
Flyers and Announcements
1992-2013
Box 1, Folder 26
Hotel Paperwork and Bills
Box 1, Folder 27
Orlando Museum of Art Loan
2011
Box 5
Rice Announcement Poster
2004
Box 4
Festival: Singing for Our Lives Poster and Sign
1990
Series IV. Photographs
1985-2010
Album 3
Bob Gerbrach drawing class photo
1985
Album 3
"723 Webster Street: Oakland Chinatown" gallery reception
June 24- August 2, 1985
Album 3
"723 Webster Street: Oakland Chinatown Drawings" drawings
1985
Album 3
University of Nebraska - Lincoln Residency
1999
Album 3
Vermont Studio Center
1999
Album 3
Artist in Studio
3/28/2000
Album 3
Flag Party Sunnyvale studio
April 30, 2000
Album 3
"made in usa: Angel Island Shhh" opening reception
June 17, 2000
Album 3
San Francisco Quilt Show
March 22, 2003
Album 3
"1942: Luggage From Home to Camp" exhibition opening
August 7, 2003
Album 3
Madison, WI
November 11, 2004
Album 3
40 Acres Art Gallery
February 10, 2007
Album 3
Human Condition Opening
February 21, 2007
Album 3
State of the Art Award event
July 4, 2007
Album 3
Binh Danh Show
August 25, 2010
Album 3
Flo Oy Wong: Art, Voice, History. Chapters 2-4 images, photos, and illustrations
undated
Album 3
Miscellaneous Photos
undated
Series V. Publications and Videos
1969-2013
Box 5
1942: Luggage From Home To Camp
2003
Box 2, Folder 1
The 2nd Asian Dance Festival
April 5, 1987
Box 2, Folder 2
Art in Action Program Level 1 American Artists by Judith M. Sleeth
2005
Box 4
Art in America
December 2005
Box 5
Art News "Why Small Sculpture is Big"
December 2005
Box 2, Folder 3
Arts Council Silicion Valley Reports
2000-2003
Box 2, Folder 4
Asian Community Mental Health Services
undated
Box 2, Folder 5
The Californian Magazine
March 1997
Box 2, Folder 6
Celebrating American Family life
July 2000
Box 2, Folder 7
Chapter Two - Family Stories
2011
Box 2, Folder 8
Crossings: 14 Asian and Asian American artists from the Bay Area
1998
Box 5
The East Bay Monthly Magazine
March 2003
Box 4
The Ecology of Power and Creativity in the Lives of Women Artists by Amy Shephard Bethel
2000
Box 2, Folder 9
Flo Oy Wong: Art, Voice, History
undated
Box 2, Folder 10
Flo Oy Wong:
Essences
undated
Box 2, Folder 11
Flo Oy Wong: Territories of Insight
2010-2011
Box 2, Folder 12
Forkroads: A Journal of Ethnic-American Literature
Spring 1996
Box 2, Folder 13
Gallerie: Women's Art
December 1989
Box 2, Folder 14
Gender Representation in Art
2010-2011
Box 2, Folder 15
Her Story: Narrative Art By Contemporary California Artists
January 12-March 24, 1991
Box 2, Folder 16
Honoring Women's Rights Conference Program
2012
Box 4
Honoring Women's Rights: Echoing Visual Voices Together
2012-2013
Box 4
Imagining Families: Images and Voices
1994
Box 2, Folder 17
The International Review of African American Art "Asian Persuasion: African American Artists Look East"
2007
Box 5
Islands
September/October 2000
Box 2, Folder 18
Japanese American National Museum Magazine
2001
Box 2, Folder 19
Kaleidoscope: An exhibition of ink painting and drawings by Flo Oy Wong, Antonio Prieto Gallery
September 15-October 11, 1992
Box 5, Box 2, Folder 20-22
Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles
1994-2008
Box 5
Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles
Box 2, Folder 24
Object as Identity
undated
Box 2, Folder 25
Our history, our rituals
1991
Box 4
Prairie Schooner: Nonfiction and Poetry Issue
Spring 2002
Box 2, Folder 26
Professional and Cultural Exchange Program to China
October 7-18, 2005
Box 4
Profiles in Excellence: Peninsula Chinese Americans by Connie Young Yu
1986
Box 2, Folder 27
Pure Vision: American Bead Artists
August 1997
Disk Digital files on server, Box 2, Folder 28
Raising the Voices of Chinese American Women: Viewing Flo Oy Wong’s Art through a Feminist Lens. By Justin Lam and Gordon
Chang
Box 2, Folder 29
Redefining self - six Asian American artists
October 5-29, 1993
Box 2, Folder 30
The San Antonio Marquise
February 1995
Box 5
Seventy Years of Living, Thirty Years of Art
2008
Box 2, Folder 31
Silhouette Magazine
May/June 1988
Box 4
Sweet and Sour: Life in Chinese Family Restaurants
2010
Box 2, Folder 32
Textiles and Settlement: From Plains Space to Cyber Space. Textile Society of America
2010
Box 4
Whispers of the Past
January 30- March 24, 2007
Box 4
Women Call for Peace: Global Vistas Program
2010-2013
Box 5
Women's Caucus for Art 1996 Honor Awards
February 21, 1996
Box 2, Folder 33
Works and Artists
June 2006
Box 2, Folder 34
"Your New Baby"
Parents' magazine
January 1969
Item V4393
I Can Fly: Part V. Kids and Women Artists in their Studios
2006
Item V4392
Mixed media masters
1997-2008