Biography and Lesson Plans
Bernice Bing (1936–1998), or “Bingo,” was a queer Chinese American Abstract Expressionist artist. Born in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Bing’s early life was marked by adversity: orphaned at the age of six, she lived in a variety of homes during her childhood. In 1958, Bing began attending California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California. Here, under the influence of her professors, she began exploring what it meant to be an American-born, queer, ethnically Chinese artist. Her fascination with East Asian philosophy, especially Zen Buddhism, can be seen throughout her work. In 1961, Bing graduated with an M.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute. A devoted artist and activist, she supported many arts organizations throughout the Bay Area. Bing’s contributions to the New York–centric, male-dominated field of Abstract Expressionism were overlooked during her lifetime, but her work of exploring identity and supporting the arts are contributions that will inspire generations to come.
Download the full teacher packet from the right-hand sidebar.
Lesson Plan includes:
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In this activity, you will create an art piece inspired by the work of Bernice Bing.
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In this activity, you will explore Bernice Bing’s use of calligraphy in her paintings and then create your own!
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Learn about the form of poetry called the pantoum and then write one of your own!
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The imagery on a samurai’s armor expresses that samurai’s identity and source of inspiration or empowerment. Is there an image you connect with most?
Background Information
Tips and resources to inspire sustainable and slow fashion consumption.
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How would you answer Chanel Miller’s “I was, I am, I will be” prompt? Would your answers look like Miller’s, or would they look different?
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Visible from Hyde Street outside the Asian Art Museum are Chanel Miller’s I was, I am, I will be, Jas Charanjiva’s Don’t Mess With Me, and Jenifer K Wofford’s Pattern Recognition.
