Looking Within the Shadows: Repeal and Beyond, a mural, created during my Creator in Residence role at Library and Archives Canada, 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Head Tax, relentless registration through C.I. certificates, family separations, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923, repealed after World War II.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.
