Oct 2020 - Apr 2021
"Alive & Present: Cultural Belonging in S.F. Chinatown and Manilatown" is an outdoor installation, English/Chinese comic book, and a self-guided "Walking Tour of Belonging."
Chinese Culture Center (CCC) in collaboration with the Chinatown Art & Culture Coalition presents bi-coastal artist Christine Wong Yap to explore belonging and resiliency in Chinatown. Through workshops facilitating community participation and online programs engaging everyone to share stories, Wong Yap encourages the public to reflect on what makes Chinatown so special. With few opportunities to tell the community’s stories, Wong Yap's work illuminates Chinatown’s impact as a “home” and a site for belonging for many一reaching far beyond its 3-by-8 block perimeter and across generations.
The 56-page comic features real contributors’ perspectives on belonging and includes:
3 illustrated maps of 26 places of belonging
5 personal histories: remembrances of special bonds with grandparents, family vacations, and memories of Manilatown and the I-Hotel
4 spotlights on places of belonging: Portsmouth Square, Stockton Street, a boba café, and a youth empowerment program
6 popular art and culture activities such as Lunar New Year, walking, listening, and—of course—eating!
