“I really want this story to find anyone who’s never felt ‘enough’ of something,” said Pelletier, “or anyone who had a kind of weird time growing up, figuring out who they are in different contexts, and having to look for the context they feel the most comfortable in.”
Xiaowei Chen is an artist whose intricate drawings are intended to arouse curiosity in the viewer. Originally from China, she currently resides in Boston and seeks to create works that “explore the emotional states of human experience through two very different cultures,” according to a statement written by art critic Lingsui. Her art was recently displayed in the Pellas Gallery’s exhibition “Utopia X Dystopia.” In this particular show, she was highly influenced by Greek philosophers and ancient stories. “I love […]
Place of Assembly is a public art installation by local architect Ang Li, located at 8-12 Hudson street, right in the heart of Chinatown. The interactive display features various stoop-like structures, open for visitors to hang out and sit on, all assembled with repurposed bricks from demolished row homes. Guests from all over Boston came to gather during its November 6th unveiling, hosted by the Asian Community Development Corporation. Li aspired to help preserve and share the neighborhood’s history with […]
Asian Women for Health (AWFH), a community-based network for the wellbeing of Asian women, will be hosting its 9th annual CelebrAsians Survivor Fashion Benefit on Saturday, November 13 from 6 – 7:30 PM. The benefit, titled “From Resilience to Radiance,” after AWFH’s podcast, will be held virtually for the second year in a row. Featured garments will include shoes and sportswear from ASICS, with all funds from the event going toward breast and cervical cancer support and programs, as well […]
Experience Chinatown is a community display of murals, art installations, music and performances to engage the residents and visitors of Chinatown. Held by the Pao Arts Center, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) and Bunker Hill Community College, local artists are bringing their passions to the public for a unique cultural engagement event. Around the neighborhood, window paintings can be spotted in various restaurants, each with unique styles and approaches to Chinese culture. They amplify the excitement of the area, and […]
On August 15, 2021, the town of Quincy celebrated the August Moon Festival in person. The event, hosted by Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. (QARI), saw a multitude of attractions and vendors, from rock climbing and bouncy castles, to cultural performances that included groups of both East and South Asian descent. Despite the Summer heat, droves of families and individuals came out to enjoy the festival. The street was lined with vendors from both sponsoring organizations and local groups and shops. […]
Confetti, a film directed by Chinese Academy Award winner Ann Hu, is at first glance about a young girl named Meimei Chen (Harmonie He). Her story begins in a small town in China, where she lives with her father, Chen (Li Yanan), and her mother, Lan Chen (Zhu Zhu). Almost immediately, we learn that Meimei is functionally illiterate, as we witness her struggle to write her name and read sentences on a school chalkboard. Later in Meimei’s school, an English […]
Company One Theatre and Pao Arts Center held a virtual concert and conversation about a new musical informally titled the “Boston Chinatown Musical,” on August 19. The show was written and performed by Kit Yan and Melissa Li, the 2020-21 C1 PlayLab Pao Fellows, and the artists have given Sampan an inner look at their creative process. “This particular story is based on our own personal experiences in Boston Chinatown,” said Yan. “Melissa’s family lives in Chinatown. Based on some […]
Photo courtesy of ArtsEmerson “A Tale of Three Chinatowns” is a documentary film screened through the Roxbury International Film Festival, in partnership with the Shared Stories series at ArtsEmerson. The movie, which focuses on the survival of Chinatowns in Boston, Washington D.C., and Chicago, will be played from June 23-27. It explores the persistence of Chinatowns in these cities, examining their roles as cultural gateways and as homes to communities of immigrants. Due to urban development and gentrification, many of […]
ArtsEmerson’s feature film “Suk Suk” depicts the poignant, quietly emotional story of two closeted, married men living in Hong Kong in their twilight years, who secretly begin a relationship together. Carrying a poetically shot and intimate narrative, the film, directed and written by Raymond Yeung, will be featured in ArtsEmerson’s Projecting Connections: Chinese American Experiences series, streaming from June 9-13. Through its sensitive depiction of the characters’ lives, the movie offers insight into what it means to be queer in […]
