Beyond the Fold: The Art of Refugees
By Mimi Wong
Installation view of
In the group show “Fold: Golden Venture Paper Sculptures” at New York’s Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), which featured work by undocumented Chinese immigrants, a sculpture of an eagle locked in a cage provided an easily understood metaphor, its symbolism requiring no translation. Similarly constructed papier-mâché birds, free from any cages, stood nearby in contrast. The outstretched wings were made from a traditional Chinese folk art technique of paper folding known as zhezhi. No names accompanied the pieces. Our only introduction to their creators was through an archival video of men singing in Fujianese to the universally recognizable tune of Amazing Grace.
