tigers hotpot together
experience chinatown 2022
Experience chinatown is a festival organized by Pao Arts Center in Boston’s Chinatown celebrating Chinatown’s culture through art and live performances. Artists and local Chinatown busineses are paired up. The intention is to celebrate chinatown and bring more people out to this vibrant part of the city to experience it.
artist statement:
“Tigers Hotpot Together celebrates the vibrant community in Chinatown and the Year of the Tiger. Chinatown has always been like coming home for many people including myself. It has given us a sense of belonging. It’s exciting going out for hotpot with friends. The smell and taste of the broth and food that’s been made with gentle care are comforting and unforgettable. I wanted to capture the feeling of love, community, and joy with my tiger characters. Their warmth and excitement for hotpot and for each other signify the beauty and the coming together of this community. Chinatown has faced hardships, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other forms of art serve as symbols of the hope and resilience we have. This place means something. This place is a home and we’re here to stay.”
photographs by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
Photograph by Mel Taing
process
This was my first mural and I did not want to mess up. Through careful planning and working with Pao Arts I was able to bring life to a vision I had simply sketched one afternoon. I am so thankful for Diya and Ashley in the whole process.
