Ching Ho Cheng papers
name: label: Creator
content: Cheng, Ching Ho
label: Names
content: Brown, Tally
label: Names
content: Cheng-Wilson, Sybao
label: Names
content: Cohen, Ira
label: Names
content: Millard, Gregory
label: Names
content: Myers, Vali, 1930-2003
label: Names
content: Rattray, David
label: Names
content: Seid, Dui
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Asian American art
label: Topic
content: Asian American artists
label: Topic
content: Chinese American art
label: Topic
content: Chinese American artists
label: Topic
content: Asian American painters
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: 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.
creator: label: Creator
content: Cheng, Ching Ho
setName: label: See more items in
content: Ching Ho Cheng papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: 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.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Ching Ho Cheng (1946-1989) was a Chinese American artist based in New York City. 

Cheng was born in Cuba but spent most of his life in New York City.  After receiving his BFA from the Cooper Union in 1968, Cheng lived in Paris and Amsterdam, where he had his first solo exhibition in 1976. Shortly after, Cheng moved back to New York City.  He became associated with the Warhol circle, and took up residence in the Chelsea Hotel, where he lived until his death in 1989.

Working in the pop psychedelic style early in his career, Cheng later developed a technique of creating abstract paintings with stencils and torn paper that he treated and soaked. He was in more than fifteen exhibitions before his death, and his work has been collected posthumously by the Hirshhorn, the Whitney, and many other museums.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6.8 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1950-2014
label: Date
content: bulk 1970-1989
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.chenchin
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketches
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as nine series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1970-1993 (0.3 linear foot; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1957-2014 (2.2 linear feet; Box 1-3)

Series 3: Personal Business and Estate Records, circa 1970-2010 (0.7 linear foot; Box 3-4)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1954-2011 (1.1 linear feet; Box 4-5, 7, OV 9)

Series 5: Scrapbook, 1982-1983 (1 folder; Box 5)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1950-1990 (0.4 linear feet; Box 5, 7)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1960-1990 (1linear foot; Box 5, 8, OV 10)

Series 8: Sketchbooks, circa 1970-1990 (0.5 linear feet; Box 6, 8)

Series 9: Artifacts, circa 1970-1990 (0.6 linear feet; Box 6)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: 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.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: The bulk of the collection was digitized in 2024 and is available on the Archives of American Art website. The receipts in the personal business records series have not been digitized.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: 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.