Seeing Trade Wars Through Tseng Kwong Chi’s Eyes

East Meets West Manifesto 5/5, 1983

Let’s be real—trade wars aren’t the easiest thing to wrap your head around. There’s a lot of talk about tariffs, politics, and global economies. But maybe, instead of getting lost in the fine print, we should take a step back and look through a different lens. Enter Tseng Kwong Chi.

Tseng was a Chinese-American artist who had a unique way of looking at the world. In his most famous photo series, East Meets West, he dressed up in a Mao suit and posed like a straight-faced tourist in front of iconic American landmarks—think the Statue of Liberty or Disneyland. It was weird, funny, and totally brilliant. Through these photos, Tseng used humor and irony to talk about big stuff like identity, culture clashes, and how countries see each other. And weirdly enough, his work still speaks volumes today—especially when you think about the ongoing US-China trade drama.

What made Tseng’s art remarkable was that it challenged how people in the West often view China. showing up in these serious, old-school outfits in places full of Western pride and power, he was flipping the script—without saying a word. It was subtle but powerful. Kind of like, “Hey, maybe your ideas about China aren’t as solid as you think.” And honestly, that’s a vibe we see in today’s trade tension too. A lot of it boils down to old beliefs, assumptions, and mistrust.

But it wasn’t just about poking fun. Tseng’s photos also quietly called out the power dynamics between East and West. He placed himself—this mysterious figure from another culture—right in the heart of the Western world, and just stood there. No yelling, no signs. Just presence. And it made people think about who really holds the power in global relationships. Fast forward to today, and that same push-and-pull is playing out in the form of trade wars and global influence struggles.

Another thing that made Tseng’s work stand out? His humor. Even when he tackled serious issues, he did it with a wink. His “Ambiguous Ambassador” was stiff and formal but always looked a little out of place, which made the whole scene kind of hilarious. It wasn’t mean—it was more like, “Isn’t all this a little ridiculous?” That kind of playful perspective feels super relevant now. When you look at how seriously countries argue about trade and who’s winning, sometimes it helps to zoom out and notice how absurd it all can get.

At the end of the day, Tseng Kwong Chi wasn’t just taking quirky photos. He was telling a bigger story—about identity, misunderstanding, and the weird ways cultures collide. And even though he was doing it decades ago, his work still has something to say about the world today. Especially when it comes to how we handle global conflict and competition. Maybe, just maybe, we could all use a bit more of his curiosity, irony, and willingness to ask uncomfortable questions—with style.

Disneyland, CA, 1979

New York, NY, 1979 [World Trade Center]

New York, NY, 1979 [Statue of Liberty]

Washington, DC, 1982 [Lincoln Memorial]

https://www.tsengkwongchi.com/





θέλημα

The Angel is the spiritual Sun of the Soul of the Adept… The Angel [is] the True Self of his subconscious self, the hidden Life of his physical life.”
– Aleister Crowley

January was a busy month, full of important moments. Looking back, it's normal to feel a mix of emotions. We face challenges and sometimes hold on to things longer than we should—but these moments are part of our journey. Accepting them doesn’t mean we agree with everything; it just means we understand how we got here and recognize our part in it.

Looking ahead, a rare event is coming in late February 2025: seven planets will align and be visible in the early night sky. This beautiful sight means different things to different people. For some, it's a reminder of how vast the universe is and how small—but meaningful—our place is in it. It can help us gain perspective and step back from everyday worries. Others may see it as a symbol of balance, change, or harmony—a chance to set new goals or simply enjoy the beauty.

In the end, what this event means is up to us. Whether we see it through a scientific, spiritual, or personal lens, it’s an opportunity to pause, reflect, and look beyond ourselves.


C&K Meet Up Announcement

C&K will be hosting a Meet Up on February 16th. For more details, please click on the link below. We hope to see you there!

https://beacons.ai/cameraandkink

The New Year Has Arrived

 
 
 

The new year is here, and while I may not feel fully prepared, I’m excited about the possibilities ahead. I’ve been updating my website to better reflect my vision and creative journey. I’ve also started blogging to share my passions and encourage meaningful discussions, with a comment section for your thoughts. To make staying connected easy, I’ve added a subscription box for updates delivered straight to your inbox.

This year, I’m prioritizing my website as my main platform and moving away from social media channels that don’t align with my values. Think of it as a classic boycott—aligning my actions with my principles. Taking control of how I share my work feels empowering, giving me the freedom to create a space that’s authentic and free from negative influences.

I’ve realized that social media has never quite worked for me. Trying to keep up has often left me feeling drained and unfocused. As an artist, this constant engagement disrupts the deep creative process I need to fully immerse myself in.

Social media has also hindered my creative flow. While inspiration is valuable, too much of it can overwhelm or blur original ideas, sometimes leading to feelings of stagnation or unintentional imitation. And the pressure to showcase my process online often takes away from the joy of simply creating—it can make the work feel less genuine.

By stepping back from social media, using it more mindfully, and focusing on offline activities that nurture my creativity, I’m creating an environment where my ideas can truly thrive. Creativity needs time, space, and freedom from distractions to grow.

I’m genuinely excited to focus on my website as the main place to share my work. This feels like a fresh start, one that aligns with my goals and vision while allowing my creativity to flourish.

Reflections on Photography and Relationships: A Journey of Thought and Intention

As I move into my new space, I am updating my website and refining my online presence. This shift feels like a new beginning, though only time will determine its real impact. While going through my camera box, I pulled out my film and digital cameras, discovering equipment that I no longer use. Out of three digital cameras, only one sees regular use. Part of me wants to keep the others as mementos, but they merely occupy space. Since relocating, I’ve entered a phase of decluttering. At first, letting go was difficult, but once I began, I realized, “This needs to go.”

My film cameras, however, present a different challenge. I struggle to let them go. There’s something timeless and deeply resonant about analog photography. In contrast, digital photography often feels fleeting, leaving me with a sense of emptiness.

This difference reflects my perspective on relationships. Are they as temporary as digital photography—easy to adjust, quick to discard, and efficient but ultimately unsatisfying? Or are they like film photography—intentional, challenging, and deeply significant?

Digital photography offers convenience but sometimes sacrifices depth. The ability to take thousands of pictures effortlessly seems liberating, yet it can feel detached. With so many options, images often blur together. Each photo is quickly taken, reviewed on a screen, and discarded if it doesn’t meet my standards. The ease of editing or deleting contributes to their disposability. This process mirrors superficial connections—always editable, always temporary.

I often find myself endlessly refining digital images—adjusting lighting, retouching imperfections, scrolling through filters. The art feels perpetually unfinished, leaving me unfulfilled. This rush strips away significance, much like relationships that lack commitment or deeper engagement.

In contrast, my film camera embodies permanence and care. Each shutter click is intentional and thoughtful. Film photography compels me to slow down, consider every frame, and trust the process. Without instant previews, I am present, mindful of each moment I capture.

This is how I aspire to approach relationships—with the same thoughtfulness and care. Like film photography, meaningful relationships require patience, vulnerability, and acceptance of imperfections. They demand time and effort, but the results are lasting and profound.

The grain, texture, and flaws in film are not shortcomings; they are what make the image unique. Similarly, authentic relationships are enriched through shared experiences, even when they are messy or imperfect. The process of developing photographs parallels how relationships deepen over time through attention and effort.

Film photography grounds me as an artist, providing a sense of permanence and connection that digital cannot replicate. It reminds me of the importance of being deliberate and present, both in my work and in my interactions with others. This reflection has prompted me to consider the type of relationships I want in my life: fast and easy, or thoughtful and worth preserving?

Just as I choose film to create something enduring, I aim to cultivate relationships that feel intentional and lasting—where every moment is meaningful and every flaw adds depth.

First Friday Event Recap for C&KVF24

Art House || Nov. 1st, 24

The First Friday event for C&KVF24 truly marked a special milestone, both for me and for C&K as a creative platform. After over a year without hosting an event of this scale, it felt incredibly rewarding to bring our vision to life once more and to see how warmly it was received. This show was about more than just putting art on display—it was about reconnecting with our community and reigniting the passion that drives C&K.

Taking a break was essential for me, especially after the unexpected loss of our Instagram account, which had been a significant hub for engagement and promotion. Losing that connection to our audience hit hard, and along with other personal challenges, it made me question whether I could continue with the same momentum. But over the summer, I gained a new perspective. I realized that life won’t wait for ideal conditions. If I didn’t move forward now, I risked losing the opportunity to continue growing C&K in the way I had envisioned.

This First Friday wasn’t just another event—it was a fresh start. Held at the Art House in the vibrant Blue Star Complex, the show was different from anything we’d done before. I chose to focus exclusively on the works of photographers and filmographers, making the night entirely about visual storytelling. This shift allowed the artistry to speak for itself, without any external distractions like live entertainment, which in the past sometimes drew attention away from the art itself. By narrowing our focus, we honed in on the power of images and film to evoke emotion and tell stories in a uniquely impactful way.

Art House || Nov. 1st. 24

The response was beyond what I anticipated. Artists and attendees alike brought so much energy and enthusiasm to the space, transforming it into a true celebration of creativity and community. The support and participation from everyone who attended or showcased their work reminded me why I do this and why it’s worth every bit of effort.

I’m excited to dive deeper into sharing the details of this experience, but for now, I’m simply grateful to report that C&K’s return has been an incredible success. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this unforgettable night.




Alphachanneling

Just learned that one of my favorite artists lost her Instagram account—one she built over 10 years—because of her artwork. Now her ability to ship internationally is at risk, and she could lose her shipping account if she doesn’t meet quotas.

It’s heartbreaking and frustrating to see how easily artists can lose everything due to vague and inconsistent platform rules. No warning, no appeal, just gone—while similar accounts stay up.

This shows how powerless creators can be against algorithms that don’t see the years of effort, passion, and community behind the art. It’s not just an account—it’s someone’s livelihood.

We need better protections for artists online.

https://alphachanneling.com/

A Journey of Incompletion

To save on parking fees at school, I chose to park far away and walk to campus. During these walks, I took a point-and-shoot camera with me to capture the view beneath my feet of the San Marcos landscape.  I noticed the detailed patterns of the San Marcos land, the different textures of the earth, and the bright colors of the plants. With every step, I discovered more of the natural beauty around me, from the dark soil to the tiny plants emerging from the earth.  

78666 is an unfinished project that I have been working on since 2014. The last steps are to scan the film, edit it, and sort it by season. Sadly, these materials have been sitting in a box for ten years, collecting dust and waiting for me to get to them. I could list many reasons for the lack of progress, but I realize that different stages of my life slowed me down and caused changes that took my focus away.

I want to finish this project because I see it as a way to close this chapter of my life. Yet, I often wonder if this project has naturally come to an end. The fact that it remains unfinished symbolizes the challenges I faced during that time.

My life changed suddenly, leading to unexpected situations that changed my path. This realization encourages me to think about how those experiences impacted me, indicating that sometimes it's just as vital to let go as it is to finish what we started.

Click Here: 78666

Point-and-shoot camera, Scanned Film

My Curated Space

I reached out to one of the photographers I have known through a collective, requesting if he would be willing to create a print for my collection, intended for a future gallery space on my wall. Over the years, I have gathered several pieces from photographers with whom I have built connections, and this personal relationship enhances the value of each artwork for me. Knowing that these photographers are individuals I have encountered frequently adds a layer of significance to the pieces, as they represent not just artistic expression, but also the shared experiences and memories we have formed together. This collection is not merely about the photographs themselves, but about the stories and relationships behind them, making each addition a meaningful contribution to my curated space.


Photographer: Christopher Newland

Portfolio: https://www.cmnewland.com/

3 questions to Michael Earney // Photorealism & Hyperrealism Painter

"Within our shared world view perceptions differ greatly from person to person. We can never really know what another sees, even when we agree about what we are seeing. Reality is no more than an interpretation. In many respects the images in my paintings are there to entice the viewer's attention until the perceptual biases loosen and a change occurs. The line between reality and non-reality is readily crossed, given the right stimulus. These paintings of the overlooked and unusual might present an opportunity for opening to the boundless mystery that surrounds us."

Q: Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

A: I am currently working on A to Z of Wildflowers. This follows the A to Z of Weeds and Other Useful Plants, which follows the A to Z of Birds… obviously there is a pattern here, though. I have not done anything like it before. My Magic Faces, Caras Magicas is a collection of the series of Mexican masks I painted. I had no intention to do a book of them. Yet having written short pieces for each of the paintings (which were translated into Spanish) that were posted beside each painting when exhibited resulted in expanding the text and ultimately created the book. Having a didactic streak, all of my work has been a learning process which is then turned into a teaching object; or at least an attempt to pass on some of what I have learned. I have had the tendency to work in series, that is, once I become interested in a subject I explore it as  far as I can. Working in clay and painting I had no thought of involving other media but making films involves many different media, writing, sound, editing, movement, music, etc. This is probably where I came to see that including different aspects of creativity affords more possibilities to express oneself. The latest manifestation of this are the books.

Q: How did you decide to become an artist? Why art?

A: Making art is the only thing I've been good at and enjoyed. I know it's common to hear, "I was born to be an artist”. I never felt this. I didn't make any particular choice. I never called myself an artist until required to put ‘’occupation'' on forms, but I've hardly ever done anything else.

Q: What art do you most identify with? Who are some of the artists you enjoy?

A: I don't spend much time looking at art. I admire the work of all the greats whose work has earned them the recognition they deserve.

 

Young Bananas  36" x 24"

                   Laughing Calavera  48"x31"

                 Star Crown 31"x24"

Ricky's Easter 24"x36"