Family is the centerpiece of all Lunar New Year celebrations. Though celebrations vary worldwide, this holiday allows families to reconnect and reminds us of our rich ancestral history. It’s a chance to reflect on our cultural traditions, values, and rituals to pass them on to the next generation. As a child growing up in San Francisco, Donna Lau spent countless days in Chinatown with her grandmother. “It was through my parents’ and grandmother’s teachings of the Chinese New Year tradition and beliefs over the years that left a lifetime impression on my knowledge of what’s most important in life—family, unity, perseverance, resilience, health, and harmony.” Lexus is proud to help bring this message to life in the Ping An Dragon by Donna Lau.
This dragon statue depicts the chronological sequence of the 15-day Lunar New Year activities from the artist’s childhood experience. Carefully stacked oranges with red envelopes, the sweet-filled Tray of Togetherness, red plum blossoms, red lanterns, and the “good luck” banner represent the home preparations for the new year. The tea and food items signify the festivities of gathering with family and friends over traditional Chinese foods. The long string of firecrackers is used to frighten away evil spirits during the grand finale of the Chinese New Year Parade. “Ping An” means “peace and harmony.” We hope it inspires people to look forward to a positive, harmonious future and new beginnings in 2024.
About the Artist – Donna Lau
Donna is a native San Franciscan and a second-generation Chinese American born in the heart of Chinatown. After a 35-year business career, she retired in 2017 to dedicate her time to the community by supporting those in need. In recent years, she volunteered at the UCSF Patient and Family Cancer Resource Center and supported the Art for Recovery team. Through her work with the UCSF Art for Recovery team, she discovered and witnessed the healing power of art.
This exposure to the healing power of art inspired Donna’s interest in creating mixed-media art. While her art of choice has been “heart” photography (i.e., capturing images of natural, non-manmade hearts in daily life) for the past 15 years, she’s begun creating mixed media art over the past year. Donna’s art can be seen on two “2023 Hearts in San Francisco” heart sculptures (supporting the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation), and her art has been recognized by the Self Help for the Elderly Hidden Gems Chinatown Art Project, San Francisco Human Rights Commission “Changing Narratives” Initiative, and the San Francisco CPUC Water Department’s Pollution Prevention calendar project. Most recently, she’s collaborated with the Wildflower Institute (a non-profit dedicated to promoting cross-cultural communities and preserving Chinese culture) on a video montage of Chinatown life.
