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.
Location Note: Del Norte
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

Red Notebook 2009-2010

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

Capp Street 1992

Album 3

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Residency 1999

Album 3

Djevassi June 1999

Album 3

Vermont Studio Center 1999

Album 3

Honoring Flo Wong 1999

Album 3

Artist in Studio 3/28/2000

Album 3

Fresno Event March 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

Box 5

Flo Oy Wong photo 1997

 

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 23

Miscellaneous Writings

Box 2, Folder 24

Object as Identity undated

Box 4

Of our own Voice 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

 

Videos 1997-2008

Item V4393

I Can Fly: Part V. Kids and Women Artists in their Studios 2006

Item V4392

Mixed media masters 1997-2008