chinese new year

pretty much since i've been photographing i try to catch chinese new year celebrations. three months ago i put up work from last year's festivities in a local cafe of mine. not much 3 pics -- one of norman chin's southern mantis kung fu group (above); on leong association's lion; and, one with G and g of thefamilyc.

today, i am finally editing together an artist statement and hope to hand it in this weekend. if you have an idea to fix my glaring grammar and flow problems throw your hat in.

Artist Statement

For the past six years during Chinese New Year, Edward Cheng has juggled between his familial obligations and photographing celebrations in New York City's Chinatown. These images are part of the continuing long term documentary.

New York City's Chinatown is one of many neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan. It is unofficially bound by East Broadway, Delancey, Center, Worth, and Essex Streets. The area is the largest concentration of Chinese ethnics outside Asia. Since the 1870s, Chinese began settling in Manhattan and have passed through at least three different waves of immigration. Though older immigrants Americanize, it is consistently an immigrant community because as one family establishes itself it moves out and is replaced with a new family fresh off the boat. Chinatown constantly struggles to assimilate themselves with American culture as well as hold on to their old traditions.

The Chinese New Year begins on the second new moon following the winter solstice, on the Gregorian calendar between January 16 and February 17th. The festivities last for two weeks. New York's celebration is more toned down than those of East Asia. The main reason being there are no official days off given. Still, New Yorker's manage their schedules to adhere to as much of tradition as possible. Reunion dinners with family occur New Year's eve to close out the old year. Red envelopes are given from the married elder generation to the unmarried. Martial arts groups and other associations dance costumed lions about the streets and stores of Chinatown scaring away bad luck.

Recently, a trend to make the holiday more of a spectacle include a flower market, an organized parade and a firecracker display set off beside a stage of minor local and foreign dignitaries.

At face value, this project documents New Yorkers celebrating Chinese New Year. It captures the requisite elements that are associated with the festival.

Deeper, it shows the Chinese community passing on culture and heritage to the next generation (Chinese and otherwise); how residents of the enclave want to be seen from the outside world; how much of the outside world influences it; and how it can influence the outside world.

The growing portfolio currently consists of 12 black and white prints. Selected images of Edward Cheng's Chinese New Years portfolio are currently on display at Panade (129 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002, +1 212 219 3297).

Works are available for sale for $250 for 11x14" archival silver gelatin print by contacting the artist via email at edp/at/ewah.com.

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About the Artist

Edward Cheng is a New York based photographer. He has been a teaching assistant at the International Center of Photography since 2002. He recently began to exhibit works in group shows in 2006 including Visual Aid's "Postcards from the Edge", Object Images Gallery's "Dia de los Muertos" and APEX's "AIM for the Arts" benefit exhibition.

He is currently also working on long term projects documenting Easter celebrations around the world and Eldridge Street in New York's Lower East Side. The latter project was recently awarded a Manhattan Cultural Arts Fund grant.

During the day, Edward works as a freelance computer programmer. He travels when he gets a chance. He likes pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, he's not into yoga and has half a brain.