CAMOC Book Talk - Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong

Event Date: Wednesday, February 12 · 6 - 8pm CST

Join our first Book Talk event of the year on Wednesday, February 12, with Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong by Karen Fang. This event will feature a screening of short, animated films by “Malt Adult” and a panel discussion with the author, moderated by Larry Lee.

Explore the artistic legacy of Tyrus Wong, a pioneering Chinese American artist whose work significantly shaped American visual culture—from Disney’s Bambi to Hallmark greeting cards. Through a film screening and panel discussion, we will examine Wong’s contributions and the broader historical context of Asian animation in American art.

In a 40-minute film screening, Chicago’s independent animation duo Malt Adult will curate a selection of works by animators, Chinese American artists, Chinese artists living in Chicago, and Chicago-based animators to celebrate Wong’s enduring influence.

Learn more about Background Artist.

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Karen Fang is a film scholar and visual culture critic who writes and speaks for museums and film festivals around the world. Known for previous books about Hong Kong cinema and nineteenth-century British interest in exotic objects, Karen often writes about the intersection of eastern and western aesthetics. Her work has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, Hyperallergic, Nikkei Asia, and the Los Angeles Review of Books.

“Malt Adult” is a free, curated screening and zine series based out of Chicago. Established in 2016, it features independent and underground animation from artists pushing the boundaries of the medium, with a mission to bring contemporary animation to the Midwest.

Larry Lee is a multimedia artist, art historian, and educator. He curates the Spotlight Series and teaches at the SAIC, UIC, DePaul University, and Columbia College Chicago.

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