BRIEF SUMMARY OF BASEMENT WORKSHOP EARLY YEARS

- Eleanor Yung, co-founder

It was in 1969, or was it 1968, that I experienced first hand helicopters hovering closely overhead and the smell of teargas permeating over the Student Union. Then I saw student protestors, running away from campus police and the smoke filled air, piling into the adjacent Shattuck Avenue. I hurriedly stepped further away from all the commotion and unrest. My brother Danny just left two years before for the east coast, and I was still marred in the Berkeley campus riots, students fighting for Third World Studies and the famed People’s Park. Those were formative years, inspiring, exciting and memorable, the 60s, the decade marked by the civil rights movement.

After graduating with a Sociology degree, I followed both my brothers’ footsteps and came east. As soon as I arrived in New York, Danny put me to task, as part of the nine member team of the Chinatown Study Group. It was during the tail end of the 1969 Chinatown Study¹, his Master's thesis in Urban Planning at Columbia University, a first research study on New York Chinatown’s urban landscape and its demographics. New York Chinatown at that time was a mysterious and unknown place to most people. In actual fact, it was a few blocks of an enclave of an inner city bounded by language barriers, cultural differences, and racial discrimination and exclusion.

After the passing of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965², which lifted quotas for Chinese immigrants, a large influx of immigrants moved to the San Francisco and New York Chinatowns, mostly to join and reunite with families. This inevitably created more crowded living conditions resulting in multiple complex problems. The 1969 Chinatown Study found that any one apartment could be housing many families, and some buildings had one shared bathroom in the hallway for different apartments. Danny’s complete research project can be located at the NYU Tamiment Library. A summary of the study can also be found in Bridge Magazine, (v01_n01), article written by Robin Wu, digitally archived by the WOW Project in Chinatown.³

With a team of eight other graduate students⁴, Danny mobilized fifty bilingual college students going from door to door to interview Chinatown residents and another twenty-five graduate students to conduct building surveys and make site evaluations. The Chinatown Study gave much clarity on the living conditions and hardships of the residents, how they had to struggle to sustain their livelihood and survive in the U.S. It was completed and published in 1970 in line with the 1970 Census collection, which at that time identified people as black, white, or others. Asian was not a category.

In the Spring of 1970, I got a call from Danny to meet him at 54 Elizabeth Street. As I walked into its basement, there he was beaming with excitement, his arms outstretched, motioning the space to me, asking “What do you think!?”

Danny believed that materials gathered from the community should remain in the community, and that accurate data would provide the foundation for relevant and necessary programs and actions. That Spring of 1970, he rented the basement space with a two year lease, to do just that and much more. The physical space, used not only to store materials, but also became a place where many people would gather, particularly college students and young people. With the student recruits for the Chinatown Study and their friends, it became a hub, a hangout place in Chinatown. "Let's go eat in Chinatown...I'll meet you at the Basement" became an often heard phrase. Started by mostly foreign born graduate students and many undergraduate Chinese Americans, it quickly expanded to include others and the term Asian American easily and appropriately adopted.

All ideas and discourses were welcome, and nothing was impossible

Danny Yung welcomed everyone to join the many activities at Basement Workshop, and encouraged them to be creative and to initiate their own projects. The place provided a space where creativity and imagination could thrive, and the youthful energy of that time could blossom into dynamic interactions and activities. There were no set boundaries or limitation or restrictions or hindrance. Creative planning was the norm. The space, both collectively a physical space and for individuals a creative space, was like a blank canvas, where all ideas and discourses were welcome, and nothing was impossible.

In late 1970, Basement Workshop was incorporated and registered with the NYS, and, in 1971, received a non-profit tax-exempt status from the IRS.⁵ With this status, more funds were generated enabling its many budding programs. Many seeds sown into fertile soil were able to flourish. Activities ranged from programs for the immediate Chinatown community to concerns of national issues, for example, the Vietnam War, and in network building across the nation raising awareness of Asian America. It was a robust and creative time. It was a significant period when Asian American activism was becoming, with full potential.

Activities and programs in the early ‘70s of the Basement Workshop can be categorized into four areas, although distinctive yet often overlapping. The first of these is the publication of the magazine Bridge, and efforts to create national awareness and networking.

Building Bridges

The concept of a magazine that could speak to the Asian American population began before Basement Workshop. In the late 60’s, some faculty members and graduate students at Columbia University and other higher education institutions in New York met to discuss concerns of the Chinese American population across the country.⁶ The idea of a collection of materials and news, and to disseminate these to various places in the country was borne at that time.

Bridge Magazine – an Asian American Perspective began publication by the Basement Workshop in 1971. The quarterly magazine aims to build bridges between communities by cultivating a national network, disseminating information to all, and facilitate programs of concern to the communities.⁷

With an Editorial Board of Asian American journalists spearheaded by Frank Ching and Danny Yung,⁸ Bridge covered national and international topics pertaining to Asian Americans, including articles on the news, politics and elections, academia and research, communities and the Asian American movement, sex and gender issues, international issues of concern, as well as the arts, theater, prose and poetry, editorials, and letters to the editors, and with art, graphics, illustrations, and comics.

Some issues of Bridge were timely, for example the issue on the presidential election of 1972, and survey of politicians in regards to their response to Asian American concerns. (1972_v02_n01). In this same issue were an article on the Asian American Movement by Paul Wong, and an article on the Art Mural by Bill Wong, covering works by artists of the Basement Workshop, here represented by Alan Okada.

To raise awareness and facilitate higher education, Bridge reached major colleges and universities, connecting professors, teaching staff, and students in these institutions. In its initial phase, trips were made to Washington DC to raise funds as well as to lobby with legislators to support the formation and institution of Asian American Studies in higher education. Today, major university libraries across the nation have collections of Bridge, and digitized copies had been completed by the WOW Project in NY Chinatown.

In 1974, the US Government, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, (DHEW) funded and published the first official study of Chinese, Japanese and Korean Americans.⁹ Danny Yung responsible for the Chinese American population was also appointed Director of this national Field Study overseeing the study on Japanese and Korean American population. The NY office for this Field Study was housed in one of Basement Workshop space at 32 East Broadway. Data on these Asian Americans became the first official basis for action in Washington DC, and it was the first time, the concerns of Asian America began to exist on the Federal Government’s radar. Looking back it was a milestone; for five years before, while African Americans were fighting for Black studies on campus, Asian American concerns were practically invisible.

Community Activism

While efforts were being made on a national level in building bridges and creating Asian American networking, at home, Chinatown Community Planning Workshop was involved in ideology and politics, and in services in Chinatown. As its name implied, planning was a great part of this branch of Basement Workshop, planning in terms of setting the appropriate ideologies for the community and for Asian Americans at large. While heated discussions on politics took place in the early years, hands-on programs included direct services to Chinatown residents both young and old were provided to the community. These educational, social service, and artistic programming at one time served more than 200 individuals, offering classes, including language both Chinese for the American born Chinese and English for the non English speaking immigrants, Big Brother Big Sisters and tutorial programs for the youngsters, Children Arts Projects in the Public Library and in parks, tax services and citizenship classes for those who were in urgent sometimes desperate needs.¹⁰ Among those involved was Chuck Lee, a teacher of English, who later became one of the primary organizers for the Annual Heritage Festival coordinated by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans¹¹ (CAPA). Jeanie Chin, organizer of the Children Arts Project has become a point person these days against the Mega Jail initiated by then Mayor DeBlasio’s administration in NYC.¹²

Classes for the community were held at an additional space at 1 East Broadway, home to Michio Kaku, now prominent physicist and professor at CUNY. His home was heavily used both as classroom, and as meeting place for political and ideological discussions.

Constant discourses on ideologies and politics, and on the appropriate direction for the organization and the community, splintered members to different fragments. Heated debates resulted in many members forming or joining other groups of various ideologies, including but not limited to Workers Viewpoint, I Wor Kuen (IWK), Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) and Asian American for Equal Employment (AAFEE). The primary focal point remained concern for the Chinatown community and for Asian America at large.

Many members engaged and extended their activities outside of Basement Workshop to include labor and employment demonstrations,¹³ in health and healthcare,¹⁴ safety issues and concerns, local small business and tourism issues. Young people coming through Basement Workshop fed into these other community activities. Chinatown was robust and expanding rapidly. At Basement workshop, Takashi Yanagida, the then executive director, advocated political relevance for the organization.

Information, the foundation of organizations and actions

The Asian American Resource Center began with the 1969 Chinatown Study when materials were gathered and stored, then continued with the Oral History project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1972. Fay Chew, then a student of Social Work, was recruited by Danny Yung to head this project. The Resource Centre headed by Rocky Chin, then a Law student, consisted of a collection of newspaper clippings, articles, researches and academic papers all related to Asian America. Some of these resources helped generate other sources of information, expanding the collection exponentially. Soon after its initial setup, resources included audio and visual documentations as well. An article on the development of the Oral History Project written by Odoric Wou could be viewed in Bridge (v02_n05).

In 1973, the expanding Resource Center materials were moved to larger quarters at 27 Eldridge Street. There, KW Chin and Yee Ling Poon, active members renamed the Resource Center as the Chinese Historical Society. While collecting information may appear to be a comparatively passive activity, nevertheless it played an essential role in providing the groundwork for activities of the other areas. Both historical and current information contributed to community activism. Many activities grew out of the Resource Center while at 27 Eldridge Street with the printing of announcements, flyers, and leaflets calling for action. The building of resources later became the foundation for the Museum of Chinese in American (MoCA).

The glue that made it all possible

Last, aside from the three areas, namely Bridge Magazine, Asian American Resource Center, Chinatown Community Planning Workshop, was the Amerasia Creative Artists group, the artistic arm and an artists collective of Basement Workshop. Most significantly was its publication in 1972, under direction of Arlan Huang and Takashi Yanagida, of an iconic collection of works by musicians, composers, literary, visual and graphic artists called Yellow Pearl. In the form of a square yellow box consisting of fifty-four loose sheets of works, it was both an artwork as well as a historical document. Some prominent contributors were Nobuko Miyamoto, author of Not Yo Butterfly, and Larry Hama, known cartoonist and writer for the character GI Joe and others. Yellow Pearl bears lasting historical value for future generations of Asian Americans as well as all Americans.

This arm of Basement Workshop engaged the community with hand-on activities in photography, video making, graphic arts, silk screening, print making, murals and public art, classes and performances in music, dance, theater, poetry recitals, and exhibition of art works, etc.

The artistic activities by the Amerasia Creative Artists Collective contributed to the robust energetic youthful aspirations of many. These activities served like glue, the glue that helped facilitate other programs and activities of Basement Workshop, rendering them the creative forces essential to any form of action.

What happened next?

Towards the end of the 1970s, the Resource Center/Chinese Historical Society that evolved into The History Project spun off from Basement Workshop under the direction of Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai, and became the Chinatown History Museum. The museum was later renamed as Museum of Chinese in America (MoCA), a major Chinese American museum today. Although under controversy and scrutiny in its connection to the Mega Jail issue, as a major institution today it had a history with its origin in Basement Workshop and its roots in the Chinatown community.

The Chinatown Community Planning Workshop, its many hands-on community classes in education, art, and services, gradually dissipated over time. Some of its members like Jeanie Chin¹⁵ and many others continued their involvement in the development and progress of Chinatown. Members like Lydia Tom, KW Chin, Yee Ling Poon and others were founding members of the Asian American for Equality (AAFE), originally Asian American for Equal Employment. It is now a major housing organization providing low-income housing in New York City. In this mature state, AAFE has resumed its connection to culture and the arts through activities of Think!Chinatown. ¹⁶

In 1981, AsianCinevision¹⁷ (ACV) took over and began the publication of Bridge magazine until 1985. AsianCinevision, a media organization that began as CCTV by members and friends of Basement Workshop spearheaded by Peter Chow, was the pioneer in Asian American film festivals. It produced its First International Asian American Film Festival in 1978, and took over one of the Basement Workshop spaces, 32 East Broadway after the conclusion of the Field Study, through interim hands of filmmaker Tsui Hark.

The dance component spun off in 1974 and became the Asian American Dance Theatre. In early ‘80s, it continued on to include visual arts programming, eventually establishing itself as the Asian American Arts Centre.

In late 1970s early 1980s, what and who remained in Basement Workshop were members of the Amerasia Creative Artists Collective under directorship of Fay Chiang. The programs in exhibitions and performances continued, promoting many artists and their works until the closing in 1986.

* * * * * * * *

From New York to Hong Kong

From Basement Workshop to Zuni Icosahedron

In 1969-70, with the founding of the Basement Workshop, Danny Yung created a space inclusive of diverse voices, which inspired the development of many programs, and the creative growth of many people. These programs flourished and blossomed into generations of activities decades after.

In 1982, Zuni Icosahedron was formed in Hong Kong with Danny Yung at the helm. His intense interest in creative thinking and creative planning since the days of Basement Workshop, continued with many innovative programs and activities.

His interest in the younger generation and in mentoring included the founding of the School of Creativity,¹⁸ the only high school in Hong Kong dedicated to the arts and creativity, and in mentoring many younger art and culture workers within Zuni.

His interest in breaking out from tradition, exploring limitation and questioning the norm, crystallized in mentoring of individuals, most known with the Kun artists from Nanjing, for example Ke Jun. Their innovation and newfound voices matured into new forms of art.¹⁹

In the same practice of “building bridges” and creating communication and cultural exchange channels, cultural and arts networks and platforms were formed throughout Asia and into Europe such as the International Network of Cultural Diversity, Asia Arts Net, the World Culture Forum, the Conference of Asian Foundations and Organisations, and the City-to-City Cultural Exchange Conference.²⁰

Theater performances are almost always multi media productions, using written and spoken languages, texts and subtexts, music, sound, and innovative sets. In more recent years, the use of advance technology became an important vehicle in conveying his messages that are always implicit. They are open ended, encouraging imagination, discussion, and interpretations.²¹ His audience would be given newfound space for exploration and creativity, with no limitation, restrictions, or boundaries. He stays within the scope of creative art and culture, and made no explicit commentaries on social issues, or politics, while the implication can be as wide as anyone’s imagination.

He has continued to create spaces for collaborative and innovative works that bring issues to light, centered identity in the framework of heritage and encouraged cross-culture, cross-discipline, cross- region exchanges. He continues to inspire discussions, pushing people to create and raise their voices.

From his doodling in high school, to the creation of comic strips, which evolved into Tian Tian Xiang Shang (TTXS), it is exemplary of his works providing a platform for others. It is a three dimensional figurine, inspired by Mao Tse-Tung’s saying bearing the meaning of “Everyday Striving Forward”, provides a blank space for creativity. In the classroom, students use it to color, attaching objects, and express themselves. In the professional world of artists²² and designers, their TTXS creations become memorable artworks. In the public spaces, the monumental size inspires imagination/s and aspiration.

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TTXS Comic single frame

 

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TTXS 4 frames

 

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TTXS 4 frames

 

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TTXS 4 frames

 

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Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

children art on 5 inches height TTXS 2019

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Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

children art on 5 inches height TTXS 2019

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Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre 2018

children art on 5 inches height TTXS

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Artwork by Elicser Elliott

20 inches height TTXS

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Artwork by Jessica Volpe

20 inches height TTXS

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Artwork by Kyle & Angeline

20 inches height TTXS

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Artwork by Justin Pape

20 inches height TTXS

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Smithsonian Folk Arts Festival

Washington DC, 2014, 20 feet height TTXS

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Today Art Museum, Beijing 2010

20 feet height TTXS

❮ ❯

Works like the Black Box Exercise project, collaborative theater pieces in One Table Two Chairs, the Belt Road and the GiantMirror Performance Project,²³ the Bamboo Installations, many of his theater productions, all deserve separate pages of discussion.

Danny Yung's creative work from 1970 until 2020, was chronologized and exhibited at his 50 Years Retrospective X-Xperimenting Exhibition ²⁴ from November 2021 through August 2022 at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. This exhibition paid tribute and showcased his creative works stemming from the time of Basement Workshop in early 1970s, to new commissions, in theater, film, video art, installations, visual, and multimedia presentations.

Danny Yung received the Outstanding Contribution in Arts Award in Hong Kong in 2015. In 2014, he received the Fukuoka Arts and Cultural Prize in Japan. In 2009, Yung was conferred the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his contribution to the arts and cultural exchange between Germany and Hong Kong. In 2008, he was honored the Music Theatre NOW Award by UNESCO's International Theatre Institute.

Notes