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Louie Gong Louie Gong (born August 8, 1974) is a Canadian visual artist, activist, public speaker, educator, and entrepreneur. His work focuses on Indigenous and multiracial identity and citizenship, exploring race and identity through art, and expanding business leadership and capacity for Native artists.

Gong was born in Ruskin, British Columbia and is Native American (Nooksack), Chinese, French and Scottish. He was raised by his grandparents, father and stepmother in the Nooksack tribal community and in Ruskin. B.C. Gong is the founder of the company Eighth Generation, through which he merges traditional Coast Salish art and icons from popular culture to make statements about identity. He also launched the Inspired Natives Project in 2014 to model respectful ways of aligning with Native themes, aesthetics, and culture -- while building the capacity of emerging Native arts entrepreneurs. His first artist collaboration under the Inspired Natives Project was with Acoma Pueblo artist Michelle Lowden.[1]

In 2011, Gong collaborated with Manitobah Mukluks to design the "LG Gatherer",[2] a limited edition boot that sold out of its first three runs. Louie has also collaborated with Paul Frank Industries on an original design for tote bags, pillows and blankets.[3] Gong designed and, with the help of tribal members, installed a mural for the skatepark of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe in 2014.[4]

Gong graduated from Western Washington University with a masters degree in school counseling and has been working in the education field since he was 18, first with youth from his own tribal community in the public school system. He later became a school counselor in the North Kitsap School District before moving into higher education and administration at Muckleshoot Tribal College.

A former child and family therapist, Louie started addressing the mixed race experience professionally in 2001. He went on to become President of MAVIN, a national non-profit that raises awareness about mixed race people and families, and co-developer of the Mixed Heritage Center. [5]

Gong has been featured in media such as NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, MSNBC.com, Native Peoples Magazine, Native Max Magazine, and Indian Country Today.

Gong has exhibited or had artistic partnerships with the National Museum of the American Indian, The Seattle Art Museum, Wing Luke Asian Museum, and the DePaul Art Museum.

Gong’s merging of art and activism has been the subject of UNRESERVED: the Work of Louie Gong, a Longhouse Media film that screened at film festivals including Festival De Cannes and National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival, and Schuhe Machen Leute, a 2013 documentary produced in Germany.



References

  1. ^ "Michelle Lowden - Inspired Native". Eighthgeneration.com Retrieved 2014-6-18.
  2. ^ Metcalfe, Jessica (January 18, 2012)."Gong Mukluks". beyondbuckskin.com. Retreived 2014-6-18
  3. ^ Keene, Adrienne (June 18,2013). "The Paul Frank X Native Designers Collaboration is Here!" nativeappropriations.com. Retreived 2014-6-18.
  4. ^ Robertson, Kipp. 'It becomes new: Port Gamble S'Klallam skatepark is a work of art. North Kitsap Herald. April 4, 2014. Retrieved 2014-6-18
  5. ^ Mavin Foundation Board of Directors. mavinfoundation.org. Retrieved 2014-6-18.

Louie Gong Louie Gong (born August 8, 1974) is a Canadian visual artist, activist, public speaker, educator, and entrepreneur. His work focuses on Indigenous and multiracial identity and citizenship, exploring race and identity through art, and expanding business leadership and capacity for Native artists.

Gong was born in Ruskin, British Columbia and is Native American (Nooksack), Chinese, French and Scottish. He was raised by his grandparents, father and stepmother in the Nooksack tribal community and in Ruskin. B.C. Gong is the founder of the company Eighth Generation, through which he merges traditional Coast Salish art and icons from popular culture to make statements about identity. He also launched the Inspired Natives Project in 2014 to model respectful ways of aligning with Native themes, aesthetics, and culture -- while building the capacity of emerging Native arts entrepreneurs. His first artist collaboration under the Inspired Natives Project was with Acoma Pueblo artist Michelle Lowden.[1]

In 2011, Gong collaborated with Manitobah Mukluks to design the "LG Gatherer",[2] a limited edition boot that sold out of its first three runs. Louie has also collaborated with Paul Frank Industries on an original design for tote bags, pillows and blankets.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

Gong has also exhibited at or had artistic partnerships with the The Seattle Art Museum, The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience [3] and the DePaul Art Museum.[4]

Gong graduated from Western Washington University with a masters degree in school counseling and worked as a child and family therapist, first with youth from his own tribal community in the public school system. He later became a school counselor in the North Kitsap School District before moving into higher education and administration at Muckleshoot Tribal College.

Louie was Board President of MAVIN from 2007-2009, a national non-profit that raises awareness about mixed race people and families, and co-developer of the Mixed Heritage Center. [5]

Gong has been featured in media such as NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, [6] [7] MSNBC.com,[8], Native Peoples Magazine, Native Max Magazine,[9] and Indian Country Today.[10]


Gong’s merging of art and activism has been the subject of UNRESERVED: the Work of Louie Gong, a Longhouse Media film that screened at film festivals including Festival De Cannes and National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival,[11] Schuhe Machen Leute, a 2013 documentary produced in Germany.[12]



References

  1. ^ "Michelle Lowden - Inspired Native". Eighthgeneration.com Retrieved 2014-6-18.
  2. ^ Metcalfe, Jessica (January 18, 2012)."Gong Mukluks". beyondbuckskin.com. Retreived 2014-6-18
  3. ^ ""Cultural Confluence" at the Wing Luke Museum" (January 17, 2011). Indian Country Today Media Network. http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  4. ^ "War Baby/Love Child" opens April 25 at DePaul Art Museum (April 4, 2103). DePaul Newsline Online. https://newsline.depaul.edu. Retrieved 2104-6-20.
  5. ^ Mavin Foundation Board of Directors. mavinfoundation.org. Retrieved 2014-6-18.
  6. ^ Saulny, Susan (October 19, 2010). "Video From Angle Event Reopens Subject of Race." The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  7. ^ Saulny, Susan (February 9, 2011). "Counting by Race Can Throw Off Some Numbers." The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  8. ^ Stuckey, Mike (May 28, 2008). "Multiracial Americans Surge in Number, Voice". NBCNews.com. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  9. ^ "Top 10 Inspirational Natives" (November 25, 2012). Native Max Magazine. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  10. ^ "Louie Gong Limited-Edition Posters Help Seattle's Homeless Natives". September 17, 2013. Indian Country Today Media Network. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  11. ^ Screenings & Events. http://digitalnavajo.com/client/LonghouseMedia/UnReserved/screenings.html. Retrieved 2014-6-20.
  12. ^ Von Jessica Lütgens. "Schuhe machen Leute - Are you what you wear?" Retrieved 2014-6-20.

[2] -- Louie's Eighth Generation site [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

[21] -- Louie's Eighth Generation site [22] [23] [24] [25]

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