The definitive new biography.

— Smithsonian Magazine


A worthy tribute to a groundbreaking artist.

— Publishers Weekly

What is more amazing: the artwork of Tyrus Wong, or the story of his life? Intertwining both, Fang’s captivating narrative unveils Wong’s immigrant journey to his groundbreaking contributions to Bambi and beyond. 

— Pete Docter, director of Pixar's Monsters Inc., Up, Inside Out, and Soul

Background Artist is simply a must-read for any art or history buff. Karen Fang blends art, Hollywood, California, and American history into a beautiful, important portrait of a beautiful, important life. Packed with vivid details, she brings Wong's fascinating story to life. As essential as it is moving, this book is just wonderful.

— Mallory O'Meara, national bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick​

Karen Fang has created a sweeping and richly detailed portrait of Tyrus Wong that captures both the breadth and beauty of his art and the complexity and often cruel irony of living in a society that simultaneously embraced and tried to erase him. Background Artist is a stunning achievement.

— Pamela Tom, director of award-winning PBS American Masters documentary, Tyrus

A crucial account, brimming with illuminating detail, that brings to light the contributions of one of the unsung creators of twentieth-century popular culture, from Disney to Warner Bros. to Hallmark—and beyond. Karen Fang has given us the gift of a quintessentially American story.

— Michael Lobel, author of Van Gogh and the End of Nature

Through incredible storytelling, Karen Fang effortlessly illuminates historical context through Tyrus's lived experiences of the injustices, restrictions, and complexities of The Chinese Exclusion Act. Background Artist broadens and deepens our perspective and above all humanizes our understanding of not only the past but our present. What a valued gift to our community!

— Li-Shin Yu, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker of The Chinese Exclusion Act

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