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Hilary Price and Rihoko Ueno
Scope and Contents
The papers of New York City-based Asian American artist Ching Ho Cheng measure 6.8 linear feet and date from circa 1950 to 2014, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1970-1989. The collection documents Cheng's art career and life through biographical material; correspondence with friends, family, and galleries; personal business and estate records; printed material such as books, clippings, exhibition catalogues, and magazines; a scrapbook; photographic material mostly of Cheng and his family and friends; artwork in the form of sketches and drawings; sketchbooks, and artifacts.
Biographical material includes artist's statements, biographical writings, lists, life and death documents, a memorial book, naturalization paperwork, and one file of collaborative poetry with David Rattray.
Correspondence includes letters and postcards from Cheng's friends, artists, and family, including Tally Brown, Ira Cohen, Gregory Millard, Vali Myers, David Rattray, and Dui Seid.
Personal business and estate records contain contracts, loan agreements, inventories, and other records documenting income and expenses.
Printed material is comprised of books, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, journals, magazines, newsletters, postcards, press releases, programs, and posters documenting Cheng's career. There are printed materials related to other artists as well.
One scrapbook contains clippings and reproductions of Cheng's work.
Photographic material includes photographs, negatives, and slides featuring portraits of Cheng, Gregory Millard, Tally Brown, Vali Myers, Sybao Cheng-Wilson, and others.
Artwork and fifteen sketchbooks contain drawings and sketches, mostly quick studies of geometric compositions done in pencil, ink, and colored pencil.
Artifacts include a metal box, various fabric scraps, a paintbrush, and a blue enamel mug, which is the subject of one of Cheng's paintings.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Ching Ho Cheng papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2014 and 2016 by Sybao Cheng-Wilson, Cheng's sister and executor of the Ching Ho Cheng estate.
Funding
Sponsor
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Hilary Price in 2015. The finding aid was updated to reflect the addition in 2016.
The collection was fully processed, prepared for digitization, and described in an updated finding aid by Rihoko Ueno in 2024 with funding provided by the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.
