Rep. Malliotakis announces winners of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) announced the winner of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition for New York’s 11th Congressional District. Vienna Du, of Bulls Head and a student at Susan E. Wagner High School, took first place with her piece “Resilience.” The work of art will be displayed for one year in the Capitol with other Districts’ winners.

Leo Cheng, who is from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and attends The Brooklyn Latin School, was runner-up with “The Hidden Hero,” which will hang for one year in Malliotakis’ Brooklyn Office.

Describing “Resilience,” Du noted, “Plum Blossoms exhibit their strength by blossoming in the winter under cold and harsh conditions. I interweaved the plum blossom flowers into my hair to demonstrate my strength and resilience as a second-generation immigrant. The blossoming buds also represent new opportunities and a hopeful future.”

Cheng explained “The Hidden Hero,” saying, “The figure in this painting is my mom who is a nurse practitioner. The left side of the painting shows how she fought with COVID in the pandemic, and the right side of the painting represents the freedom of U.S.A.”

Malliotakis recognized the students’ artistic talent and their deservedness of this honor. “Both paintings tell unique stories of strength, resilience, and hopefulness for the future,” she expressed. “I’m delighted they chose to share their talents with us, and I look forward to celebrating their achievements this fall.”