For Those Who Call Here Home: Jordan Wong and the Transformative Art Fund in AsiaTown

Artist Jordan Wong’s proposal, For Those Who Call Here Home, was awarded one of the Transformative Art Fund grants, which will enable him to design an eye-catching and engaging outdoor community space at the heart of AsiaTown in downtown Cleveland. By the time he and his team of artists throw a debut celebration event at the completion of their TAF project in September, they will have transformed a former Dave’s Grocery Store parking lot [AsiaTown Square Dancing Lot, 3236 Payne Ave.) into a beautiful public park distinguished by colorful, vibrant art.

A native of Pittsburgh, Jordan Wong lived there for 20 years before coming to Cleveland in 2015 to work at a graphic design studio.  He had earned two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in graphic design and another in business administration at Pennwest California in California, Pennsylvania. The move to Cleveland made perfect sense – until he was fired after less than a year.

“All of a sudden, I was at a crossroads: Do I stay in Cleveland? Do I go back to Pittsburgh? Do I try to find another job or do I start working for myself?” Jordan remembers thinking. “I decided to make the leap and start working for myself, and in the beginning I was doing a lot of design work, logos and identifies for businesses or organizations, as well as commercial illustration, and then probably around 2021, 2022 I transitioned fully into the fine art practice so I don’t do any design anymore.”

The Transformative Art Fund project fits not only a moment in his career, but also a moment for the AsiaTown neighborhood.

“The community has been using that space [the former Dave’s Grocery Store] for different neighborhood events and place-making,” Wong says. “Our project is very much focusing on these new public artworks and installations that tie into the needs the community has voiced for quite some time and contributing these elements to a future permanent park that is in the works.”

That’s why his TAF project and the opportunity to address a glaring deficiency in a neighborhood that is so dear to him has been personally and professionally rewarding to Wong. He and his team that includes Grace Chin, executive director of The Sculpture Center, have heard similar responses and concerns from several community engagement sessions they’ve held.

“There are a lot of moving pieces on this project, and they are going to be pretty large,” Jordan reveals. “This has been in the conversation for a long, long time for the neighborhood. There are no real public spaces like a park. There are no places where people can just go and sit and enjoy the weather. As someone who’s done a number of projects and public installations in AsiaTown, it really resonated with me to use this huge funding opportunity to invest in AsiaTown, especially since I’ve had so many opportunities there.”

The plan for the project includes five large installation elements, two of which will be installed permanently before TAF ends. The others will be incorporated later because they had to account for construction and landscape design that will happen in the near future. It received approval from the Cleveland Planning Commission and Euclid Corridor Design Review in May.

The first major component will be an entrance gate for AsiaTown that will become a significant landmark to welcome visitors into the neighborhood. This was another element requested by the residents. The fate will feature Chinese and other Asian elements such as circular moon gate portals, along with interactive spinning panels and several traditional Asian characters and symbols. The Chinese characters will be symbols that represent perseverance and endurance, happiness, longevity, good fortune as well as peace and safety for the neighborhood.

“So that has been at the core of these elements that we’ve been working on,” Jordan says. “I want to inspire young visitors so I incorporated a sense of inspiration, whimsy, play within these elements, which is kind of natural in the work that I do in my art practice, as well. All of the components are in complete alignment and intersection.”

Additional installations include an artful light box to bring more light at night, seating areas and ornamental planters, and three outdoor ping pong tables that will have die-cut steel nets and vinyl artwork and graphics. The durably constructed tables will be available for use year-round.

“As demanding as the project has been, I am grateful and honored to be entrusted with these TAF funds and to lead the vision of this project,” Jordan concludes. “I am also honored to be working with such great partners as The Sculpture Center, MidTown Cleveland, and OCA Greater Cleveland Chapter.

Light panels for the project will be previewed during Wong’s exhibition at the Sculpture Center, the institutional partner for the project, in August.

For Those Who Call Here Home:
Transforming AsiaTown with an Outdoor Community Space
Lead Artist: Jordan Wong
Institutional Partner: The Sculpture Center
Funding Amount: $449,750

Jordan Wong: I Love the Number 8, But 10 Is Good Too
August 7 – 30, 2025
The Sculpture Center
12210 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
SculptureCenter.org

Artist Talk: Growth and Lessons Learned from the Transformative Art Fund
1 – 2 pm August 23
The Sculpture Center

AsiaTown Square Dancing Lot Celebration / Unveiling
noon – 4 pm Saturday, September 27
3236 Payne Ave
Cleveland