‘Azure Dragon’ mural unveiled in Chinatown

Branden Cha, professionally known as “Busyrawk,” is a multidisciplinary creative. He started out as a break-dancer and DJ before expanding to painting murals two years ago. Cha is the creator of The Four Guardians of Chinatown — a mural series project in Edmonton’s Chinatown. The first installation, The White Tiger, is displayed on the wall behind the China Marble Restaurant. On September 28, Cha unveiled the second installation, the Azure Dragon.

Cha explained that there are multiple layers to the mural project. The mural is not only about the “immigrant narratives” in Chinatown, but the other narratives that are present in Edmonton.

“There’s so many layers to [the mural], but it’s also our understanding of settling on Indigenous lands. This is something that [for] many immigrant families it’s a challenge to understand, but it’s definitely not impossible.”

Cha uses multiple mediums to convey the many themes in the mural. Along with the visual aspect there is an accompanying poem, and a QR code link to a short film by Jordon Hon.

“The murals, the film production, [and] the poetry that’s involved in this project were all vehicles to deliver a message. So the message [is] about Chinatown being an inclusive space that comes with shared responsibilities,” Cha explained.

“We must maintain Chinatown to be a place of inclusion for all walks of life,” Cha says

According to Cha, sometimes Chinatown’s name “conveys a message” that it’s only intended for Chinese culture. Through the mural, Cha wants to emphasize that Chinatown is a space for all.

“We must maintain Chinatown to be a place of inclusion for all walks of life. There’s so many more communities that exist in Chinatown. And that’s really what Chinatown is about — coming together.”

The four guardians also represent the cardinal directions. The White Tiger is associated with the west and the Azure Dragon with the east. The upcoming installations of the Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise, are associated with the south and north respectively. Each mural is situated on a wall that faces its associated direction.

Cha described how the end goal of the mural project is to promote tourism in the Chinatown area.

“We’re so quick to paint a negative picture about [Chinatown]. So it’s part of that mission to undo a lot of the misconceptions that are tying around Chinatown. And one of the ways is by encouraging tourism.”

In terms of the next mural installation, Cha isn’t sure which guardian will be next. It depends on the availability of wall space.

On his website for the project, there is a mystery mural. It will serve as the centerpiece for the guardians. He explained that this fifth and final guardian will be a Thunderbird — an important symbol for Northwest Indigenous groups.

“That will tie in some of the practical steps as not only Asian settlers, but immigrants. How can we contribute? What are the practical, tangible steps towards reconciliation?”

While the mural project is multifaceted and contains multiple installations, Cha hopes the message rings clear.

“This project is designed in a way that’s very centered around the message, more so than the artwork itself. That’s the vehicle, but it’s the message that’s really at the core of this project.”