Time and Space Connect Art by Misa Chhan and Zhidong Zhang on the Greenway

Ten cyanotype-printed* flags by Chhan and a richly coordinated cabinet by Zhang draw on their families’ historic crafts. Explore work of both artists along the flow of Chinatown Stream! Quotes, links, and photos relate to their connections. * photo process printing in blue

“Across 10 cyanotype-printed flags, Chhan positioned the Chinese character, fu, meaning ‘blessing’ and ‘luck’, between the double imprint of a headboard made by the artist’s father.” (quote from Greenway Public Art Misa Chhan: “Year of the Snake”, 2025)

“Far Away, From Home, an image-based sculpture, is part of Zhang’s ongoing inquiry into the complexities of home, immigration, identity politics, diaspora, and queerness in the public sphere. Responding to the Chinese zodiac Year of the Dragon in 2024, Zhang re-interprets a curio cabinet reminiscent of furniture from the artist’s childhood home in Hunan, China.” ( quote from Greenway Public Art Zhidong Zhang: “Far Away, From Home,” 2024)

“For the 10 indigo-dyed flags, the artist drew inspiration from Octavia Butler’s iconic speculative fiction novel Parable of the Sower. Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth heavily affected by climate change and social inequality, a main tenet within the novel is “The only lasting truth is Change,…..”” ( quote from Greenway Public Art Misa Chhan: “Year of the Snake”, 2025)

“It also features laser-etched panels highlighting scenes from Huaniaohua, a traditional type of Chinese Bird-and-Flower Painting, as well as etchings of the original tattoo imagery Zhang used on the latex balloons.” ( quote from Greenway Public Art Zhidong Zhang: “Far Away, From Home,” 2024 )

“The shelving unit is filled up with backlit photographs of “tattooed” latex balloons on one side, and their paper collage doppelgängers on the opposite side.“( quote from Greenway Public Art Zhidong Zhang: “Far Away, From Home,” 2024 )