Golden Horse Mural Celebrates Chinatown’s Legacy
Chinatown, Portland
Over the years, the number of Chinese-owned businesses have dwindled drastically in Portland's Old Town Chinatown. PSAA teamed up with muralist Alex Chiu and the City of Portland to celebrate the historic Golden Horse Seafood Restaurant on NW 4th Avenue.
Golden Horse is one of the only Chinese restaurants left standing in Portland’s Chinatown. It’s also one of the oldest restaurants in the area, and is a significant part of Portland's history.
“I’m so proud to have had the opportunity to paint for the Golden Horse Seafood Restaurant. It is my favorite Chinese restaurant in all of Portland. I recommend the Peking Pork, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and Japanese Style Egg Tofu. They make an incredible Chicken Sticky Rice, that can only be ordered specially in advance. It’s important for this restaurant to survive and thrive in the area. Please go support them! Thank you Sophy Li, your husband, and staff who were all so kind and supportive. Thank you for letting me paint your walls.” – Alex Chiu
For the mural’s background, Chiu created a basic wallpaper pattern that can either be interpreted as plum blossoms, popular in Chinese design or cherry blossoms, which are a visual symbol of the nearby Portland waterfront. The golden pegasus painted near the entrance is the restaurant’s logo.
The golden dragon is a symbol of Chiu’s personal journey as an artist. When he was an aspiring artist, Alex would visit San Francisco and see large murals of Chinese dragons painted on Chinatown walls. Since then It has been a goal of his to paint one of these dragons.
“I wanted this Golden Dragon to be the best Chinese dragon painting in Portland; something that would make Portland’s Chinatown proud. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. I’m excited to have painted this mural in time for the new year!” – Alex Chiu
