In Memory of My Father - Amy Cheng

Where is it?

Concourse A

Cheng’s column is nestled between Hammer’s The Naturalist’s Day and Bauer’s Minnich.

About the Art

Dancing in a field of convex spheres, two Chinese dragons pay homage to the major gateway to and from Asia. The red dragon faces north while the green dragon faces south. Although Cheng’s father did not live to see the finished piece, he was proud that Amy included elements of Chinese culture in the design.

The Details

Artist

Amy Cheng

Date

2004

Medium

Mosaic column (smalti, marble, vitreous ceramic plates, gold)

Dimensions

Approximately 10' in circumference (3' diameter) x 17' high

Did you know?

The colors of the dragons are not without intention. In Chinese tradition, the red dragon is associated with luck, creativity, and enthusiasm. Green dragons symbolize rest, prosperity, and harmony.

  • <p>Photo by John Brew</p>
  • <p>Detail, courtesy of John Brew</p>
  • <p>Detail of green dragon, photo by John Brew</p>
  • <p>© Amy Cheng, detail of red dragon</p>
  • <p>© Amy Cheng, photo by Spike Mafford</p>
  • <p>© Amy Cheng</p>
  • <p>© Amy Cheng, photo by Spike Mafford</p>
  • <p>Photo by John Brew</p>
  • <p>Photo courtesy of Don Wilson</p>

About the Artist

Amy Cheng's paintings inspired critic Jonathan Goodman to write: "What Cheng describes is the beauty of natural phenomena whose significance overwhelms even as we fail to completely understand its ultimate meaning." Her artwork speaks to the essential mystery of life and the complex union of spirit, matter, and energy.

“Drawing from the tradition of sacred geometry, I merge Western, Eastern, and Middle Eastern sensibilities to affect an intricately layered sense of space. Some of my recent work uses imagery derived from Chinese folk art as well as mystical and alchemical imagery from the Middle Ages.” – Amy Cheng

Short Bio

Born in Taiwan and raised in Brazil, Oklahoma, and Texas, Amy Cheng incorporates seamlessly elements from her eclectic upbringing into her artworks. Cheng attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned her B.F.A. She received her M.F.A. from Hunter College in New York. Amy has completed numerous public art commissions including a colorfully painted ceramic mural at the Howard Street Station in Chicago and a series of faceted glass windscreens for the Cleveland Street Subway Station in Brooklyn, New York.

Similar Artwork

Work by Amy Cheng

Amy Cheng's recent public art commissions include a mosaic mural titled Celestial Playground for Jacksonville International Airport and a ceramic tile mural titled Nucleic Life Formation for Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

In Memory of My Father - Amy Cheng

The work simultaneously refers to nature, the cosmos, and inner states of consciousness.