Artwork copyright Dean Wong. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Welcome, 1993

Dean Wong
American (born 1954)

Location: Hilltop Heritage Middle School, Tacoma

About the Artwork

Artist Dean Wong's photograph Welcome captures the joyful expression of a young Laotian-American boy celebrating his mother's U.S. citizenship. The image was captured on the Fourth of July, 1993 as part of a naturalization ceremony at Seattle Center.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools.

About the Artist

Seattle-based photographer Dean Wong creates black and white documentary images and portraits with a focus on Asian American communities. Wong was born and raised in Seattle's Chinatown/International District and has photographed its communities for over four decades. He notes that "It is my wish, that through my work, people gain a better understanding of the Asian community and the cultural diversity that is such an important part of our lives in this country."