Where Are You REALLY From?
James Chan
Show EXTENDED to July 7! After Saturday, June 23, open hours will be by appointment and during events only.
Where Are You Really From? is an ongoing research/art project where artist James Chan attempts to learn more about his family history, starting with his dad’s side.
With the exception of his grandparents, Chan never knew how he was related to family members he had met throughout his life. Family reunions were a foreign concept to him and the nearest relatives were thousands of miles way.
Using secondhand accounts, historical research, photos and unreliable personal memories, Chan attempts to document his family’s history before it is lost forever. Along the way, he reflects on key moments in his life regarding personal identity and relationships.
The discoveries, family stories, musings, and difficulties encountered during the project are presented in the form of illustrations and paintings.
About the Artist
James Chan received a BFA in Kinetic Imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University. He plans to continue working on the Where Are You Really From? project to learn more about his family and the history of overseas Chinese.
About the Space
384 Broadway is a temporary art space presented by THINK!CHINATOWN and Chashama. With the mission to increase representation of Asian American artists and themes of concern to our community, this project seeks to test new ways galleries in Chinatown can better engage the neighborhood with cross-cultural and inter-generational practices. This project is not a commercial endeavor and is largely run on the energy of community volunteers.
THINK!CHINATOWN is a collective of neighbors and advocates working to keep Chinatown a vibrant place of inter-generational learning, cultural production & civic engagement. We are here to listen, to respond, and to build Chinatown’s capacities as a strong immigrant neighborhood of NYC. Our mission is to attract & connect resources for Chinatown organizations & businesses using the tools of design & community engagement. Join us in connecting past, present & future to ensure a resilient Chinatown.
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For press images and additional information: hello@thinkchinatown.org
For more information about Where Are You Really From?, or to schedule a visit outside of the posted hours, please contact James at letterboxformat@gmail.com.
