Upstairs at Wah Lee’s: Portraits from the C.S. Wing Studio

Upstairs at Wah Lee’s: Portraits from the C.S. Wing Studio (2008 – 2012) is an exhibition of 30 framed photographs and accompanying text panels. The photographs are contemporary prints from the glass plate negatives that were originally exposed by Chinese photographer Chow Shong Wing circa 1910 in the town of Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada.  Chow Shong Wing was the first professional photographer in the town and, if the intimacy of the portraits is any indication, was well acquainted with the First Nations, Chinese and Caucasian people who sat before his lens. The contemporary prints are largely un-retouched, acknowledging the degradation of emulsion from the glass-plates. The show travelled throughout British Columbia and Alberta from 2008 through to 2012 and was booked by these venues:

The Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria BC

Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, Medicine Hat AB

The Courtenay and District Museum, Courtenay BC

Nanaimo Art Gallery, Nanaimo BC

Quesnel and District Museum and Archives, Quesnel BC

Museum of Northern BC, Prince Rupert BC

Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History, Nelson BC

The O’Keefe Ranch Historical Site, Vernon BC

Skills

• Curating
• Project Management
• Research
• Writing
• Interviewing
• Community Consultation