Vancouver visual artist Carmen Chan responds to Asian hate with a mural imbued with love
The new artwork at CF Pacific Centre reflects Chan’s Chinese heritage and upbringing
Vancouver visual artist Carmen Chan created the Only Love mural at CF Pacific Centre in response to Asian hate.
LOVE CONQUERS ALL, the saying goes. It’s also the theme of a new mural by a Vancouver-based visual artist in hopes of spreading peace amid so much anti-Asian sentiment.
Carmen Chan’s artwork, called Only Love, is on display above CF Pacific Centre’s shopping centre entrance on the corner of Granville and Robson Streets.
The colourful mural embodies the optimism, hope, and unity that Chan wants to bring to the Stop Asian Hate conversation in Vancouver.
Carmen Chan.
“In the design, I have included a Chinese Dragon which represents strength, power and health - blessings I wish for the Asian community and represents my own Chinese heritage and upbringing,” Chan said via social media. “This friendly dragon is breathing out a stream of abundant flowers instead of its natural defense to spew destructive fire and cause damage, metaphorically spreading love instead of hate. The flowers chosen are those recognizable in Asian culture, - hibiscus, cherry blossoms, peonies, magnolias - representing the diversity of the Asian community in Vancouver. The petals give movement and flow, symbolizing the spread of this positive message - to inspire change within ourselves and hope that when faced with racism, we collectively choose to respond with love, because only love can drive out hate.”
Chan typically works in Chinese brush painting, a traditional form of Chinese watercolour painting on light, porous rice paper. She sources all of her supplies, including authentic rice paper, from art stores in Hong Kong, where she was born, to preserve and support Chinese art and culture. A Vancouver Mural Festival alumna, Chan hosts a Morning Tea and Watercolour Painting Class and has exhibited her work at Surrey Art Gallery, Kafkas Cafe, and 100 Braid St Studios, among other places.
Only Love will be on display until the end of August. Cadillac Fairview, which owns CF Pacific Centre, partnered with Chan for the project and also donated to the Hua foundation to support its work related to racial equity and civic engagement issues.
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