October 24, 2023
Cascadia Art Museum
November 8, 2023 – February 11, 2024
EDMONDS, WA, - Full Light and Perfect Shadow: The Photography of Chao-Chen Yang is the first solo exhibition and study of the art and life of Chao Chen Yang (1909–1969), an important Seattle photographer who gained national prominence in the mid-20th century. The exhibition runs Nov. 8, 2023, through Feb. 11, 2024, at Cascadia Art Museum.
Born in Hangzhou, China, Yang received his art training at the University of Hsin-Hwa in Shanghai. After graduating, he became the Art Director for the Government Institute of Nanking. In 1933, he moved to Chicago as Chancellor of the Chinese Consulate and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. Initially trained as a painter, he later used photography as his main medium for artistic expression. In 1938, Yang was transferred to Seattle as Chancellor of the Chinese Consulate and became actively involved with the Seattle Photographic Society. Besides his own career, he was an influential art and photography instructor and worked tirelessly to advance Chinese culture in the United States.
Yang won numerous awards in important photography salons and became a Fellow of The Photographic Society of America, the Professional Photographers Association of America, and the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was a pioneer in color photography in the Northwest in both advertising and the fine arts.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a book written by our curator David F. Martin: 159 pages and profusely illustrated. Published by Cascadia Art Museum and distributed by the University of Washington Press.
David F. Martin is Curator for Cascadia Art Museum and is the leading authority on early Washington State art and artists. He has pioneered the study of Northwest women, Japanese and Chinese Americans, LGBTQ+, and other minorities who had established national and international artistic reputations during the period 1890–1960. His numerous publications have focused on regional painting, printmaking, sculpture, and photography.
Cascadia Art Museum 190 Sunset Ave. S., Edmonds, WA 98020 (425) 336-4809 www.cascadiaartmuseum.org
Wednesday–Sunday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Art Walk Edmonds: Third Thursdays, 5-8 p.m. – FREE
Current Exhibitions: https://www.cascadiaartmuseum.org/current-exhibitions/
Source: Cascadia Art Museum
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