Luka Yuanyuan Yang is a visual artist and filmmaker whose practice, characterized by interwoven documentary and archival materials, addresses themes of identity, migration, and memory, challenging conventional historical narratives and amplifying overlooked voices. During a year-long research trip across the US in 2018, Yang was captivated by the rich history of migration and adaptation in America's Chinatowns. From 1882 until the 1950s, due to the Chinese Exclusion Act and racial discrimination, Chinese Americans were largely confined to Chinatowns. During this same period, Yang began researching the stories of Chinese women in 20th-century American performing arts, seeking to uncover the experiences of Chinese women performers whose stories have been forgotten or misunderstood by history. Yang's exploration of these neighborhoods, the Chinese diaspora, and performing artists has become the central focus of her short films and feature film Chinatown Cha-Cha, and her recently published artist book Dance in Herland. In a time of rising threats to America's Chinatowns, the artist brings generations together through film, dance, and dialogue. For this screening, Yang presents Tales of Chinatown, an exhibition of three of her short films: Cantonese Tunes on Mott Street (2022), The Lady From Shanghai (2019), and Tales of Chinatown (2019). By following her protagonists on the streets, through their communities, and into their homes, Yang amplifies the voices of those often denied the chance to share their own stories--individuals who have been forgotten, silenced, or misinterpreted.
New York City, NY; NYC