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Tappie Museum was a project dedicated to documenting
the life of ‘Tappie’, an 83-year-old ordinary American
citizen and long-time resident of Santa Monica. Funded by the Asian Cultural
Council and the
Japan Foundation (Tokyo/LA), I was appointed to the artist-in-residence
programme at the 18th Street Arts Complex in Santa Monica
to produce work in collaboration with local residents and artists.
In the interviews Tappie recounted various stories of his life with his unique
sense of humour. The stories included his birth in China in 1918, his immigration
to America in his childhood, the beginning of his life in Santa Monica, incidents
during the war, his wife whom he met during a trip to Mexico, his other family
members including his children and grandchildren, and his operation for lung
cancer. Among the commemorative objects displayed in the museum are toys and
dolls from the time when his children were infants, together with some old photographs
of Santa Monica.
By touring around inside the museum, visitors are able to survey the life of
this unique individual, who however is not a celebrity but just an ‘ordinary
person’. Through his life story, the relationships among people and place in
the region, and the local history, are articulated. This project was the Ùrst
in which I created a museum dedicated to a local individual.
Postscript
Mr. William Jung (Tappie) passed away on 27 January 2004.
We sincerely pray for the repose of his soul.
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