Final project showcase

Over eight months, Eric researched archival and published collections to shape his creative vision. He began with records from the Chinese Exclusion Act, which limited immigration from individuals of Chinese descent. As his residency progressed, Eric expanded his research to include census data, examining both individual and overall demographic shifts in Canada over the years. The works below, including the one created for Expo 2025, represent the culmination of his residency experience.

If you are in the National capital region, you can see these works on display in the lobby of 395 Wellington in Ottawa, Ontario.

Looking Within the Shadows: Repeal & Beyond, 2025

Looking Within the Shadows: Repeal and Beyond, a mural, is informed by archival research and conversations with the Chinese Canadian community, drawing on records of Chinese immigration to Canada (1886–1949). These records reveal a dark chapter defined by the Chinese Head Tax, relentless registration through C.I. certificates, family separations, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923, repealed after World War II. Through vivid, layered imagery inspired by archival documents and community stories, the mural evokes resilience, resolve, and hope, featuring Douglas Jung, Canada’s first Chinese Canadian MP, whose advocacy advanced equal rights. It invites viewers to reflect presently on lives persevering amid fear and systemic control, honouring an ongoing journey from here and beyond.

Echoes of Silence & Surveillance, 2025

Echoes of Silence & Surveillance, a generative motion graphics artwork, draws on the Register of Chinese Immigrants to Canada (1886–1949). Using data from the registers, including transcribed head tax data from a University of British Columbia research project led by Professors Peter Ward and Henry Yu, the piece exposes the systemic surveillance of Canada’s discriminatory immigration policies. Randomised, ever-shifting visuals of flashing text cascade across the screen, evoking the anxiety of relentless bureaucratic oversight, juxtaposed with a digital wave symbolising oceans and hopeful opportunities. Echoes of train tracks weave through, honouring the transportation of Chinese people and their labour in building Canada’s railways. As the generative output never repeats, it reflects the fleeting, silenced voices of individuals, inviting viewers to reflect on their resilience amid oppressive systems.