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visual arts by Mark Sloan Spectacular Vernacular Owned and operated Chan by from 1970s, prestigious Leo and May May's the 1920s to the established commercial Francisco's Madam gathering and Studio was a wellstudio, considChinatown. Kai-shek for ered a social hub of San Chiang support struck a pose there while famine relief and the war effort back home. The Chans were part owners in two Chinese grounds master opera opera theatres backfrom and commissioned set designers productions. extraordiof to be painted by No matter how backgrounds nary the colour scheme used in May's the phoalways Studio, or for that matter in other studios around world, the resulting tographs times are almost hand<oloured in black and white, someafterward. Otudio and itinerant photographers have long made a living by providing an escape from everyday life and by helping people look more attractive and prosperous than thej really are. Photographers have been assisted by painters, whose background murals locale and define the customer in the foreground, often creating an illusion of place and time that is neither here nor there, then or now. This collaboration between photographer and backdrop painter appears consistent across cultures. Walk into a photographer's studio in Osaka. Pisa, or Lima, and chances are you will be looking at a painter's rendering of a fantasy world. San Francisco photographer George Berticevich became fascinated by photographers' painted backgrounds in the early 1970s, which prompted his travels to China. Tibet, and India later in the decade. Top photo: "Untitled" (Landscape with Lake and Bamboo), used at May's Studio, on Linen. Studio," Chinatown, San Francisco, circa 1930. Artist Huk Ming Mok. MediumJempura Above:"Untided" (Family of Eight), May and Leo Chan Lee,"The May's Photo Chinatown, San Francisco. (The background in this photo is pictured above.) Circa 1925, Medium: gsp.