Cascadia Art Museum

This is the first study of the work of Chao-Chen Yang (1909-1969), an important Seattle photographer who gained national prominence in the mid-twentieth century.

Born in Hangzhou, China, Yang received his art training at the University of Hsin-Hwa in Shanghai. After graduating, he became art director for the Government Institute of Nanking. In 1933 he moved to Chicago as chancellor of the Chinese Consulate and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. Initially trained as a painter, he later used photography as his main medium for artistic expression. In 1938 Yang was transferred to Seattle as chancellor of the Chinese Consulate and became actively involved with the Seattle Photographic Society. He was also an influential art and photography instructor and worked tirelessly to advance Chinese culture in the United States.

Yang won numerous awards in important photography salons and became a Fellow of the Photographic Society of America, the Professional Photographers Association of America, and the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was a pioneer in color photography in the Northwest in both advertising and the fine arts.

Exhibition dates: Cascadia Art Museum, November 9, 2023-February 11, 2024

David F. Martin is curator for Cascadia Art Museum and is the leading authority on early Washington State art and artists. His numerous publications have focused on regional painting, printmaking, sculpture, and photography. They include George Tsutakawa: Early Works on Paper and The Lavender Palette: Gay Culture and the Art of Washington State.