Anna May Wong, 1924
Anna May Wong (Wong Liu Tsong) was the first Chinese American movie star in Hollywood and one of the most influential Asian American performers of the twentieth century. Born in Los Angeles and a United States citizen by birth, Wong nevertheless found herself subjected to the racialized immigration bureaucracy of the Chinese Exclusion era.
In 1924, while preparing to travel to Canada for a film production, Wong was required to undergo a government investigation to prove her identity and citizenship. Her immigration file, preserved in the U.S. National Archives, contains an application titled Application of Alleged American Citizen of the Chinese Race for Preinvestigation of Status. As part of the process, Wong was interviewed and required to provide sworn testimony from a white witness—the physician who attended her birth—to verify that she was, in fact, an American citizen.
This portrait is based on the headshot attached to that application. Elegantly dressed and wearing pearls, Wong presents herself with poise and confidence. Yet the image carries an underlying tension. Her expression appears direct, questioning, perhaps even amused by the absurdity of having to prove her citizenship despite being born in Los Angeles. The portrait invites viewers to consider the contradictions of a nation that celebrated Wong as a rising film star while simultaneously subjecting her to discriminatory policies rooted in exclusion and suspicion.
Part of an ongoing series of historical portraits recovering overlooked stories from Asian American history, this work explores how archival records reveal both personal resilience and the broader structures of race, citizenship, and belonging that continue to shape American life.
Print Details
Museum-quality giclée fine art print produced on smooth, acid-free, gallery-grade 220 gsm paper for exceptional detail and color reproduction.
Archival-quality giclée print
Smooth matte finish
Acid-free 220 gsm fine art paper
Available in four sizes
Suitable for framing and long-term display
Anna May Wong, 1924
Anna May Wong (Wong Liu Tsong) was the first Chinese American movie star in Hollywood and one of the most influential Asian American performers of the twentieth century. Born in Los Angeles and a United States citizen by birth, Wong nevertheless found herself subjected to the racialized immigration bureaucracy of the Chinese Exclusion era.
In 1924, while preparing to travel to Canada for a film production, Wong was required to undergo a government investigation to prove her identity and citizenship. Her immigration file, preserved in the U.S. National Archives, contains an application titled Application of Alleged American Citizen of the Chinese Race for Preinvestigation of Status. As part of the process, Wong was interviewed and required to provide sworn testimony from a white witness—the physician who attended her birth—to verify that she was, in fact, an American citizen.
This portrait is based on the headshot attached to that application. Elegantly dressed and wearing pearls, Wong presents herself with poise and confidence. Yet the image carries an underlying tension. Her expression appears direct, questioning, perhaps even amused by the absurdity of having to prove her citizenship despite being born in Los Angeles. The portrait invites viewers to consider the contradictions of a nation that celebrated Wong as a rising film star while simultaneously subjecting her to discriminatory policies rooted in exclusion and suspicion.
Part of an ongoing series of historical portraits recovering overlooked stories from Asian American history, this work explores how archival records reveal both personal resilience and the broader structures of race, citizenship, and belonging that continue to shape American life.
Print Details
Museum-quality giclée fine art print produced on smooth, acid-free, gallery-grade 220 gsm paper for exceptional detail and color reproduction.
Archival-quality giclée print
Smooth matte finish
Acid-free 220 gsm fine art paper
Available in four sizes
Suitable for framing and long-term display
