St. Pete art exhibit celebrates Chinese contribution to American culture during California gold rush
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A new art exhibit in St. Petersburg gives new perspective to the settlement of the American West.
From Far East to West: The Chinese American Frontier shows art from the time of the California gold rush.
"The Chinese called America the Golden Mountain, and it was supposed to be this amazing place where the streets were paved with gold," explained Emily Kapes, curator of art at The James Museum. "A lot of them didn’t find success with the gold rush, but they came and found other work. They worked really hard, and they were able to settle here."
Many found work on the Transcontinental Railroad Project.
"They’re part of the American story and it’s really something special that a lot of people don’t know about, so we’re here to share some of those stories through the art of Chinese American painters," Kapes said.
The exhibition features 30 paintings and about 50 historical objects that go hand-in-hand with the paintings.
"Objects found in China towns, objects found at camps for the railroads or the mines," Kapes shared. "There’s a big range of objects that helps speak to some of the images in the paintings."
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This exhibit shows such a valuable part of American history as immigrants from all over contributed to the growth of this nation.
"Everyone can find a story that maybe speaks to them," stated Kapes.
The exhibit will be on display until January 28 at The James Museum.
Click here to learn more about the exhibit.