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ARTIST STATEMENT I have always been fascinated by history and historical fiction, so the idea of this project was a lot of fun to tackle. I wanted to create a visual development project for a story about a real person grounded in history. I researched many different figures who came from all sorts of backgrounds and careers, but nothing intrigued me more than the career of Anna May Wong. Anna May Wong was a pioneering Asian American actress during the silent film era. I was amazed by her ability to establish a name for herself during a period of time where being a woman and a person of color limited her career opportunities. Wong was raised in Chinatown, Los Angeles where she dreamed of becoming an actress. Ultimately, she grew to international fame as a result of her persistence and hard work. Immediately upon learning her history, I knew that this was the story that I needed to tell. She is a woman who achieved her dreams with the odds stacked against her, and I want to see more stories like hers being told today.
This project also tested my research and information gathering abilities as I wanted to stress historical accuracy to create informed design choices. I really enjoyed researching and illustrating this project and I hope my work inspires you to delve into history too!
For this project, I chose to create paintings based on four points of her life and career. The rest of the pages in the book are dedicated to the development of character, prop and environment designs as well as color and lighting explorations. With this project, I really wanted to build upon my abilities to explore a variety of different tones and push the boundaries of my comfort zone with color and design.
lindseyhiramoto.portfoliobox.net @lindseyhiramoto
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ANNA MAY WONG (1905-1961)
Born as Wong Liu Tsong, Anna May Wong is known as the first Chinese American Hollywood Actress to reach international fame. Wong appeared in television, radio and over sixty films throughout the span of her career. Many of her roles were limited due to miscegenation laws that prevented interracial relationships from being portrayed on screen. Although her leading role opportunities were limited, Wong’s acting skills and star quality screen presence paved her a long and successful career. Her legacy continues to influence entertainers in the industry today. Initial concept sketches
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THROUGHOUT THE YEARS Anna May Wong was born to second generation Chinese American parents in Los Angeles, California. Living in Los Angeles was a match made in heaven for the aspiring actress. As a child, she would be often found skipping school to sneak onto local film sets.
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A TRENDSETTER Wong was a true fan of fashion. She played with a variety of looks that spanned from traditional qipao to menswear.
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FLAPPER ICON Though on-screen she often took the persona of the mysterious, “exotic dragon lady,” off-screen, Wong embodied the carefree American flapper lifestyle of the Roaring 20’s.
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STAR IN THE MAKING Wong’s family owned and operated a laundromat near Chinatown, Los Angeles.
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LAUNDROMAT PROCESS What really amazes me about Anna May Wong is how dedicated she was to her passion. She decided her career path at an early age and taught herself how to act by studying films at the local theater. It’s fun to imagine a young Anna May Wong playing out her career ambitions as a kid.
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LAUNDROMAT DEVELOPMENT It was very common for Chinese American families to run laundromats in the early 20th century. Wong’s family laundromat was located on North Figueroa Street near Chinatown, Los Angeles. Lucky for Anna May Wong, film productions often popped up around the Chinatown area.
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THE TOLL OF THE SEA Anna May Wong received her first role in 1922 silent film, The Toll of the Sea. She was seventeen when she was offered the role and was kicked out of her home for her decision to pursue a career in the arts.
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LONDON, 1929 Tired of facing discrimination in the American film industry, Wong moved to Europe where film guidelines regarding race were less restricted. There, she starred in many plays and films, including E.A. Dupont’s Piccadilly.
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LONDON PROCESS Throughout her career, Anna May Wong fought against typecasting and advocated against the use of “yellow-face� in film. Her move to Europe proved to be incredibly successful as she became a huge sensation in the European film scene. Wong stayed in Europe from 1928 to 1930 before returning to Hollywood.
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PICCADILLY POSTER Piccadilly is the last silent film Anna May Wong starred in. Wong plays a young dishwasher who gets the opportunity to perform as a dancer for a nightclub. The dishwasher turned dancer gets involved in a romance with the club owner which causes drama within the nightclub and leads to a mysterious murder.
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A STRANGE COUNTRY After being passed on the role of “O-Lan” in MGM’s The Good Earth in favor of casting a German actress, Wong took time to visit her father who had retired to his home village in China. She described the trip as like visiting a, “strange country, and yet, in a way I am going home.” WWII soon broke out, and upon her return to the US, Wong devoted most of her time to supporting China’s war relief. She returned to acting in the 1950s and continued to act until her death in 1961 at the age of fifty-six. Her legacy and contributions to film are still remembered and honored today. 24
THANK YOU I’d like to first thank my parents for supporting me and believing in my dreams. Without their support and encouragement, creating this book could not have become a reality. I’d also like to thank my Thesis Instructor Octavio Perez as well as my Thesis Committee Advisors, James Martin and David Gardner. Their advice and guidance has helped me immensely this past semester. Last but not least, I’d like to thank all of my friends at Ringling! The love and support I’ve received from each one of you has inspired me and pushed me to be the best I can be. I can’t wait to see the amazing things you will all be creating in the future!
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Anna May Wong.” National Women’s History Museum, 2019. “Anna May Wong (1905-1961).” Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion, New York Historical Society Museum and Library, 29 Oct. 2014 “Anna May Wong: 100 Women of the Year.” Time, Time, 5 Mar. 2020, Butchart, Amber. “Ready For My Close Up: Anna May Wong.” Clothes on Film, 30 Apr. 2018 Johnson, Rebecca. “Need Some Met Gala Inspiration? Look No Further Than Anna May Wong.” Vogue, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2017 Macnab, Geoffrey. “Anna May Wong: Hollywood Star.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Mar. 2004. “‘Anna May Wong Visits Shanghai, China (5/1/1936).” UCLA Film TV Archive, 12 Oct. 2017
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