Hom Shee Mock-1923
35" X 29" Acrylic on canvas
Anomaly in the Veil series,
Painting no. 1
Cynthia's grandmother
Anomaly in the Veil
An evolving series uncovering the implications of the Angel Island Immigration experience on Chinese women. Giving a voice to the women interned and interrogated on Angel Island 1910-1940, San Francisco
If you have an Angel Island mug shot of a Chinese woman immigrant and would like to have her portrait painted for this project, please contact me:
Crossing the Blood Brain Barrier
mixed media installation
Hom Shee Mock's children
LEE HO 1924
35"x28" acrylic on canvas
Angel Island Mug Shot
Anomaly in the Veil series, Painting no. 2
Cynthia's maternal great grandmother
"My earliest recollection of my grandmother was her teaching me how to knit with a pair of chopsticks. We knew my grandmother only as "Ah Paw".
--Sue Tom
GEE THEO QUEE - 1933
Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 24"
Anomaly in the Veil series, Painting no. 3, 4, 5, 6
Based Angel Island Mug Shots of
Mother and siblings of Flo Oy Wong
Gee Theo Quee's real name was Suey Ting Gee.
Due to the Chinese Exclusion laws in 1933, she had to pose as her husband's sister. Her daughters had to pretend she was their Auntie.
During the interrogation process, these little girls had to
keep their stories straight or their mother would be
DENIED access and deported back to China.
Thanks to Flo and her sisters for allowing me to use their
family mug shots in the creation of these paintings.
GEE LI HONG, 1933
Sister #1 Age 12
Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16"
GEE LI KENG, 1933
Sister #2 Age 7
Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16"
GEE LI WAH, 1933
Sister #3 Age 2
Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16"
"It was noted that I had a sassy mouth, even when speaking to the Immigration inspectors."
--Lai Wah Webster, 2001
Cynthia with Lai Wah as an adult.
Photo taken by Bob Hsiang during the
June 2001 Angel Island Immigrantion
art reception at the Chinese Culture Center
