Our collaborative art project began with a lunchtime chat about Nellie’s love of The Monkey King over bowls of ramen in Japantown. We talk of his resilience and fighting spirit, his playfulness and commitment to community.
“There is something about his mischievousness, his power, his searching for the scriptures and doing it with others.”
This mandala, framed in the reflective story of our journey with Monkey King, depicts Sun Wukong’s carefree moment of delight upon finding the Emperor’s Garden of Immortal Peaches.
Through this collaborative work of art, we share our mutual fondness for the immortal Monkey King, whose story has sweetened our journey—as friends, artists, and Chinese American women seeking to uncover, understand, and breathe new life into long-buried history. Channeling Sun Wukong’s curiosity, cleverness and indomitable fighting spirit, we honor our ancestors with our art and poetry, in both the physical and virtual realms.
Nellie Wong & Andi Wong
Our Journey with Monkey King, 2025
Mixed medium collage: paper, rice sack, ink, solar dye, embroidery thread, sewing needle, wire and glass tile, 11” x 14” framed.
CLICK on the photos to learn about our history & journey with Monkey King!