Meet the Artist: Gianna Stewart

Interviewed by Christine Nguyen and edited for clarity by Cathy Ching.

“I’ve always loved visiting Chinatown and the energy of it. After this project, I realized that it was a community of activists, artists, and families.”
— Gianna Stewart
Gianna Stewart, creator of Hudson Street Stoop: Storytell and Sway

Gianna Stewart, creator of Hudson Street Stoop: Storytell and Sway

ACDC’s public art initiative, Hudson Street Stoop, engages Chinatown residents and local artists to create interactive, rotating public art installations every 18 months. In ACDC’s efforts to fight against gentrification, Hudson Street Stoop is a site-specific project in One Greenway Park that aims to honor the rich history of Boston’s Chinatown, amplify resident voices, and foster an inclusive space for everyone.

Hudson Street Stoop’s inaugural installation, Storytell & Sway by Gianna Stewart, opened in Chinatown in June 2021. Although Gianna’s proposal was selected in December of 2019, the project had to be put on hold for about a year because of COVID restrictions. When it came time to resume the installation process, a large team came together to help make Storytell & Sway possible: Riverdrive Designs, URSA Plasma, Surfzone Engineering, Central Mass Powder Coating, VMT Construction, Steve, Tim, and Monica, and Bill, Chris, and Edwin of Toledo Construction.

Growing up, Gianna has always embraced her artistic side and fondly recalls drawing with family members. Gianna especially looks up to her grandfather as a creative inspiration, who draws and makes art with wood burning, which involves creating a design on wood with an electrically heated tool. In addition to creating art, Gianna enjoys being outdoors. Intertwining her two passions, Gianna created the vibrant Storytell & Sway as a visually stunning artwork, as well as a place for individuals and families to connect and enjoy the outdoors.

About Gianna

How did you get into public art?

My first public art piece was called Toll With Me. It involved hanging thousands of bells on a chain link fence. After that experience, I was totally hooked because the installation allowed me to observe interactions of anyone walking by, their impressions of the art, and I found that everyone feels ownership when something is in the public. It was such a different experience than creating something for a wall in a gallery. It made me realize that this is what I want to do.

What do you enjoy about creating public art? What can be frustrating?

Public art is site-specific. A piece grows from the site that it’s for, which I find exciting. Anything that you do in public art tends to be something that hasn’t been done in that way before which is exciting too, but you have to find the right people to talk to to ask the right questions to make things happen. I think the pace of figuring all that out is a challenge.

What types of projects are you drawn to or enjoy doing most?

Any place that’s going to have people. I’ve had the chance to do stuff that’s a little more out of the way too where it feels like you’re responding more strictly to the site and less to the viewers who are going to be around it all the time. I think places that are more active are definitely of interest.

A video from the Hudson Street Stoop crowdfunding campaign to support free, community programming.

About Hudson Street Stoop

How did you come up with the idea of Storytell & Sway?

The process for the call for artists was really wonderful. It gave short-listed artists the opportunity to have a community input session and hear from residents what they wanted to see in their park [on Hudson Street]. The main takeaway from that event was people wanted a space where they could play - both kids and adults. There was a lot of talk about how it was mostly a space for dog owners and they wanted a way to intervene in that somehow - to still have it be for dog owners but also be family-oriented.

I mulled over these considerations, and while researching, I read Cynthia Yee’s stories on Hudson Street Chronicles that describe the Hudson Street that existed before the highway was built. It sounded like Hudson was the front porch of Chinatown. Something clicked. I loved swinging on my front porch swing as a kid and thought that’s what was needed to draw people to the grass.

Gianna collaborating with Chinatown residents, shown below.

How did you choose the color yellow for Storytell & Sway?

When I first saw [the park], it was a time of year when it was really gray and I thought, it needs something bright, something that draws you in. And, there’s also the cool vantage point of anyone in apartments higher up looking down on the piece. The thought was to evoke a sunflower popping out of the grass.

Where did the idea to inscribe resident stories and quotes come from? 

The idea to put words into the benches developed as it became a place for storytelling. Cynthia Woo at Pao Arts connected me with Cynthia Yee who of course has amazing stories like the Hudson Street Chronicles. We chatted and had this idea that she would help facilitate storytelling sessions with folks who currently live on Hudson Street. So many neighbors that live on Hudson Street came out and were incredibly generous volunteering their time, sharing their stories, knowing that they would be used for the piece. Volunteers including Crystal Bi, Lily Xie, and A-VOYCE Youth helped document the stories. Tidbits from those stories were selected for the benches. I really wanted the benches to have this sense of enveloping the viewer in stories- like when we were all in that room together, hearing overlapping languages and timelines.

What were some challenges of this process?

We were ready to go last spring and everything just had to pause. We didn’t realize it would be an entire year that we would pause but it was. It kind of worked out because when we picked it back up, the world started to be opening a little bit more, with an emphasis on outdoor activities, and the benches were spaced for social distancing. “A pause is needed” was a tough conversation but a really important one to have.

Hudson Street Stoop: Storytell and Sway

Hudson Street Stoop: Storytell and Sway

On Chinatown

What was your previous impression of the neighborhood? How has it changed since making Storytell & Sway?

I’ve always loved visiting Chinatown and the energy of it. After this project, I realized that it is a community of activists, artists, and families. I have a totally different sense of Chinatown now that I hope everyone can have. The best part has been getting to know the Chinatown community.

What is your favorite aspect of Chinatown? Favorite place to visit?

I love the rhythm of Chinatown. There is constant activity, from an early morning exercise group in the park, to checkers tournaments, to a bustling restaurant scene. There are just cool little pockets everywhere you wander. ACDC’s Chinatown Backyard, on Hudson Street is a spot that I always like to visit when there’s arts programming happening.

“This is what I want to be doing.”
— Gianna Stewart

Meet the Youth Behind “Pandemic Profiles”: Jason Wang and Sabrina Yang

Interviewed by Christine Nguyen and edited for clarity by Cathy Ching.

Jason Wang, co-creator of Pandemic Profiles

Jason Wang, co-creator of Pandemic Profiles

Launched in May of 2021, Pandemic Profiles was a social media project that spotlighted the stories of Asian high school students in the Greater Boston area. This project featured youth who are also involved with non-profit organizations focused on supporting the Asian American community, including Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition and Chinese Progressive Association.

Everyone shared their experiences with virtual learning, the college application process, and the impacts of COVID-related violence and racism in their communities.

Sabrina Yang, co-creator of Pandemic Profiles

Sabrina Yang, co-creator of Pandemic Profiles

ACDC wanted to profile the creators of Pandemic Profiles, Jason Wang and Sabrina Yang. Jason recently graduated from Boston Latin School and Sabrina is a junior at Malden High School. They have both been involved with ACDC’s youth program A-VOYCE for over three years. 

As Youth Interns this year, Jason and Sabrina created Pandemic Profiles because they understood that it has been difficult to communicate with old and new friends during COVID. With each post, “the social media project is aimed to create a safe atmosphere for people to share advice on getting through the pandemic together,” Jason said.

Background With ACDC

How did you get started with A-VOYCE?

Jason: When I first joined A-VOYCE, it was a place to learn about Asian-American history. Eventually, I grew more attached to it. I met a lot of friendly people from different schools. We learned together and we had a lot of fun together. By the end of that summer we were a very close-knit group and that set the foundation of my impression of ACDC.

Sabrina: My sister introduced me to A-VOYCE, which piloted its Summer Leadership Academy (SLA) program in Malden a few years ago. My sister thought it sounded fun and interesting, so she asked me to join her. We did SLA together and I’ve been involved with A-VOYCE and ACDC ever since.

What was your experience like working with ACDC’s staff?

Jason: I really appreciated the support I got from my supervisors. They made the program fun. I loved being able to learn and have fun at the same time, which I think is important. They were supervisors, but it also felt like they were friends. 

Sabrina: The staff is really positive. Throughout my years of being in A-VOYCE and attending ACDC’s events, I feel like the staff is really comfortable to be around. They give off positive vibes and encourage you to participate and be in the space with them. I’m grateful to have someone to support me and be there for me.

Favorites

What are some of your favorite memories from A-VOYCE?

Jason: There was an event called “Stay-cation” where we had a lock-in at the office. I think that was a really impactful time because I enjoyed connecting with staff and past A-VOYCE members. Even though they were alumni, they still participated because they liked the program, which I thought was really nice.

Sabrina: One of my favorite moments from A-VOYCE was the Senior Send-off Celebration. It was fun because we had complete control over the event (except for the budget). My team and I chose the gifts, decorations, and all other event planning parts. The creative freedom was exciting.

What are some projects you’ve worked on in the past that you really enjoyed?

Jason: In my first year, we interviewed a lot of residents in Chinatown to get their input on what they wanted to see improved or added in the neighborhood. We learned a lot about life skills like resume building, public speaking, and communication skills, which all helped me in school.

Sabrina: My favorite project so far was the pedestrian campaign in Malden where we advocated for changes to the roads because there one intersection that was particularly unsafe. Through that experience, I learned more leadership skills, which is why it was one of my favorites. I actually talked to Malden Mayor Gary Christenson and the city’s Walkability Committee. It was an eye-opening project and experience. 


Pandemic Profiles

What was your process for developing Pandemic Profiles?

Jason: We developed a list of who we wanted to interview based on neighborhoods and we did have people from ACDC just because it was convenient. We limited ourselves to three interviews because it would probably be difficult to have more than six interviews dispersed among Sabrina and I to try to gather all that information. Our original list of people we wanted to gather information from was over 10 people but we determined who would give us more information from an educated guess. For the rest of the people, we came up with a survey which was a shorter version of our interview to still get information from them.

Why did you want to make Pandemic Profiles and do you hope it will accomplish?

Sabrina: By sharing these experiences on social media using ACDC’s Instagram, we can engage our community, spotlight youth experiences, and reach out to those who are feeling isolated and going through similar situations. We also noticed there was increased violence and racism throughout the pandemic that targeted Asians. At the time, we felt that the issue had been neglected, so we also wanted this project to feature youth experiences with and reactions to racism and violence, and inform the world that you’re not not alone. We wanted to create a space where people can talk about these issues and feel free to engage with the community around this. 

Residence Lab Artist Profile - Ponnapa Prakkamakul

“Although art cannot solve the problems altogether, it raises awareness for the general public to pay attention and gain a better understanding of the issues, which can ultimately, hopefully lead to changes.”
— Ponnapa Prakkamakul
Photo by Matthew Arielly; courtesy of artist

Photo by Matthew Arielly; courtesy of artist

This week is the last week to check out the Residence Lab exhibit on display at 10 Hudson Street in Boston’s Chinatown! The closing event will be held this Friday! See more details here.

Our final Residence Lab artist interview is with Ponnapa Prakkamakul, a painter and a landscape architect based in Massachusetts. Growing up in an extended family of artists and musicians in Thailand has a strong influence on her artistic creativity. In watching her mother diligently make drawing paper from mulberry paper pulp, silk cocoon, and tree bark, Ponnapa learned that the making of the essence of art emerges before the white paper and continues to evolve beyond artist’s hands. This idea inspired her to use the Earth as a canvas and pursued a study in landscape architecture. Ponnapa started using soil as her main drawing media while earning her master’s degree in landscape architecture with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Family and Background

Where did you grow up?

I am originally from Bangkok, Thailand, where I lived for 23 years. I came to the US by myself in 2009 to attend school in Providence, Rhode Island before relocating to the Greater Boston area in 2011. My brother came in 2017 and decided to stay in California but the rest of my family still live in Thailand.

Are any of your family members artists or musicians?

My father was a self-taught pianist and part-time DJ for a classical music radio station in Bangkok before he met my mother. His family has a print-making studio and a fabric factory, so when we had family gatherings, all the kids would sneak in to play in the studio and factory. My mother is a self-taught artist. Before having children, she he did mostly oil painting, and then changed to acrylic and watercolor because of the smell. She became a full-time artist when I was in junior high school.

Was creativity something supported by your family?

Definitely. It was part of our lifestyle, but not something we were forced or compelled to do seriously. My father used to play a violin to wake me, my sister, and my brother up in the morning for school. It is not like what you think, as he did not know how to play...so it was more like making us get up to stop him from playing! 

 

Inspiration/Process

What or who inspired you to make art and how did you get started?

My mother has a lot of influence on my artistic path. We did a lot of art related activities together since I was really young. My mother told me that there was one time she scolded me and my sister when she saw us tried to break all the oil pastels into small pieces. Then, she noticed that we were trying to make a model of a bridge from these pastel blocks. After that she never told us what to do or what not to do. She just let us explore whatever we wanted. During junior high school until freshman year, I was her studio assistant helping her prepare for solo exhibitions or art fairs doing things such as making labels, hanging work, and making reproduction work. Seeing my mother painting and making her own paper from mulberry pulp at home inspired me to pursue my study in landscape architecture.

What is your preferred medium and why?

Playful Perspective Hopscotch, 2017, a collaborative work between Ponnapa and the Rose Kennedy Greenway; image courtesy of the artist

Playful Perspective Hopscotch, 2017, a collaborative work between Ponnapa and the Rose Kennedy Greenway; image courtesy of the artist

Site is an important part of my work. For painting, I use found materials from the place that I paint, such as soil, plant materials, groundwater, and rust. I use the performative acts of searching, studying, and collecting painting materials to create connections with new places. The textures and colors from these materials also express the feelings and atmosphere of the place for the viewers to experience. For landscape architecture, existing geographical conditions of the site are as important as local materials and cultures.

Which artists or artworks inspire you?

There are a lot!! During summer in 2011, was a studio assistant for Ellen Driscoll, who was then the head of sculpture department at the Rhode Island School of Design. I really admire her work and work ethic, and Ellen was a wonderful mentor. It was a great learning experience working with Ellen and three other studio assistants; Dianne Hebbert, Rose Heydt, and Megan McLaughlin. This experience made me interested in public art and still has a strong impact on my thinking until now. I also admire Yayoi Kusama for her strong belief in what she was doing and how she created opportunities for herself. I really like Gerhard Richter’s work, the blurriness that creates a subtle movement in the paintings, and inspired by Roberto Burle Marx’s work on how he uses painting to inform his landscape architecture design.

What is one piece of advice that you want to share with an aspiring artist?

I actually consider myself an aspiring artist too, so I am not sure if I can provide any advice. However, I can share my personal philosophy which is: keep doing it, be true to what you believe in, and believe in yourself. That is what Ralph Waldo Emerson told Henry David Thoreau when Thoreau said he would like to be a writer: “Trust yourself.”

 

Community

When and why did you decide to highlight the Chinatown community in your art? How do you think art can play an important role in community organizing or activism?

Growing up with a strong connection to Chinatown in Bangkok, I always find Chinatown in any city an interesting place to visit and learn about urban anthropology. My aunt has a fabric store in Bangkok’s Chinatown and my mother used to live there for a while. She always brought me to Chinatown instead of malls when we needed to buy things, so I know the place inside out. I was fascinated by the diverse programs this space can accommodate from being a cultural icon for tourism, a center for social and religious gatherings, to a wholesale business center to import and export specific products. To me, there is a lot to observe and learn from. Therefore, when I travel, one of the places on my to-go list will always be the Chinatown neighborhood. 
Chinatown in Boston has a unique condition that interests me. With its role as a tourist destination and the fact that the area overlaps with a regional public open space (the Rose Kennedy Greenway), this reinforces public perception of Chinatown as a city’s public open space. This condition together with local cultural difference creates a little tension between outsiders feeling unwelcome and longtime residents having concerns regarding their privacy and safety. Then there is gentrification that’s impacting the community.
I have been participating in the Rose Kennedy Greenway’s Play Ambassador program at Chin Park in Chinatown since 2017, and did some collaborative design for hopscotch games on the Greenway. I think there are rooms to introduce more public art in Chinatown area. The best thing about art is that it is very broad with a vague boundary which allows space for personal interpretation and imagination. This creates a grey area where you can touch upon the issues that are sometimes forbidden or uncomfortable to talk about. Although art cannot solve the problems altogether, it raises awareness for the general public to pay attention and gain a better understanding of the issues, which can ultimately, hopefully lead to changes.

How do you want your work to impact the community?

For this project, I wanted to empower local community and make them realize that their collective actions can create changes in their community. I would like the residents to feel that they can also take action and make their viewpoints and visions known through the realm of public/private space. Art can give individuals a feeling of agency, particularly when it is created by and for the residents, or at least with their specific concerns in mind. I hope to see a ripple effect emerging from young generations and see they do the same things (or even bigger) that I did for their community. It is like you planted a seed and wait patiently to see that one day it will be a forest. 

Ponnapa’s Residence Lab installation, “Sampan”, mock up in Chin Park, working with Chinatown residents Warren, Henry (not pictured) and local children to test the layout. In Thai, sampan means a connection. Photo courtesy of the artist.

What was your favorite art project? Why?

I like all projects that I have done. However, this project for Residence Lab was very special to me as we had a lot of community engagement in the design and making process. I believe in the impact of the process as much as the final product and to be able to work on both in one project is ideal. I learned so much working with everyone; my teammates, participating artists and residents, ACDC and BCNC staff, the Chinatown community, my Sasaki Colleagues, and Sasaki Fabrication Studio. Although I am the leading artist, there are tremendous amount of input on both ideas and physical support from so many people who offered to help because they believe in community-based projects. One example is when I had a software technical issue with missing Braille fonts for some contractions in my laptop. Our translator, Amber Pearcy, was on her study abroad program so I did not want to trouble her during her traveling, but we also really needed to laser cut the Braille dots on the plywood within 2 days. I googled online for a translator and emailed Paul Hostovski whose name was the first result that came up. It was the weirdest email to me. However, Paul responded promptly with a clarification of all the missing contractions and really saved our tight working schedule. There are so many moments like this throughout the project that I felt so grateful for. I feel that it really takes the whole community (and its extended community) to have made this community project possible!

“...we had a lot of community engagement in the design and making process. I believe in the impact of the process as much as the final product and to be able to work on both in one project is ideal.”

A Chinatown resident tests out one of Ponnapa’s pieces for Sampan installation; photo courtesy of the artist

Why did you decide to be a part of ACDC’s residence lab?

Last summer I was inspired by the existing Chinese chess board paving pattern in front of the Chinatown gate and wanted to propose an oversize Chinese chess pieces for local people to play with tourists. However, the location is part of a fire lane so we cannot place anything there. Therefore, when ACDC contacted me about public art in Chinatown, I said yes right away. It started with this simple idea, then, when I realized how important this project is to the community and my working goal changed.

Chinatown residents, Warren (left) and Henry (right) were one of 8 Residence Lab residents who were part of the inaugural cohort. Here they stand proudly by a freshly painted component of Sampan in Chinatown; photo courtesy of the artist

Henry and Warren painting parts for the Sampan benches at Sasaki; photo courtesy of the artist

Residence Lab cohort of artists and Chinatown residents

How has the generation you are in impacted your lived experience as an artist?

I feel extremely lucky to be born in this generation where female and artists of color are more recognized than in the past. This really offers me opportunities to use my insights as a female artist of color to express a voice and create work to accommodate existing underserved communities. 

What are your future aspirations as an artist? How would you like for your artwork to grow?

I would like to make my work more interdisciplinary, inclusive, and accessible. I started to explore the idea with this project on small details such as including all generations in the interviews (both children and seniors), adding Chinese and Braille translation, and add a “Queen” piece into Chinese chess  so that players can choose a female representation, instead of simply using two Kings. Another intention is to incorporate sound with my visual work. I actually put some objects found in Chinatown inside the benches so that they would make sound when they rock. Although the implementation is not quite successful yet, I will continue to explore this idea in future projects.

Community members at the Residence Lab exhibition in Chinatown, which unveiled Ponnapa’s Sampan installation along with the other artist and resident teams’ pieces; photo by Katytarika Bartel

What is your favorite art medium and why?

Currently, my favorite painting medium is rust. It is so unpredictable how it reacts to the weather and environment. When I do a rust print using metals, even if I somehow know approximately that it might turn out a certain way, it often gives me a surprising pattern to work on. I found this process similar to landscape architecture that you have a given site with unique existing conditions to work in it is not a white paper. Like what Michelangelo said “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Similarly, with paintings and landscape sites - especially community projects - the designer needs to coax out what the community actually needs or wants to say from within the urban fabric.

What is your inspiration behind your art? What drives your art?  Where do you imagine your art to take you in the future?

As I am also a practicing landscape architect, natural and cultural landscapes together with their relationships with people are always interesting and never fail to inspire me. I am always looking for inspiring landscapes to work on. Therefore, I imagine myself travelling to places with unique natural landscape that shapes the lifestyle of the community in the area. This will also help me reflect back and understand our lives in the city. I just finished my artist in residence at the C-Scape dune shack in Provincetown and will be at Atacama Desert this October. Please visit my kickstarter page to see my latest project! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ponnapa/beyond-the-planet-earth

Thank you, Ponnapa, for being part of Residence Lab and for sharing your story!

Interview with Painter Mary Y. Lee

Mary Y. Lee, courtesy of artist.

Mary Y. Lee, courtesy of artist.

As I closed out my summer internship with ACDC as the Communications Intern, I am honored to share with you a conversation that I had with Mary Y. Lee. Mary is a an artist who exhibited six paintings at the Pao Arts Center that depicted the Chinatown community, including two portraits of former ACDC A-VOYCE youth. I sat for Mary’s work titled “Dare to Challenge”, which is a painting of me wearing my mother’s blazer.

I grew up in a family of Chinese immigrants. One of the strongest people that I know is my mother. She taught me what it means to be humble, driven, and resilient and the value of community and family. She is one of the reasons why I am an intern at ACDC, serving to help Chinatown residents and the Chinatown community. By wearing her blazer, I sought to channel her powerful energy. I had never been painted before, so when I saw my portrait exhibited at the Pao Arts Center, I felt seen. I felt that my family story, which has shaped me and gave me purpose, was validated and heard. Mary painted the phrase “tian xia wei gong,” or everyone is equal under the heavens in the background. This phrase, which is also written on the Chinatown gate, pays homage to the years of oppression and resistance that Asian Americans have endured. I wanted this phrase to be inscribed in my portrait because it reminds me that no matter what happens, no matter how many people tell me to go back to china, no matter how many people discriminate [against] my mom because of her strong accent, no matter how belittled AAPI folx are systematically made to feel, we have a place in America just as much as everyone else. We will never be silenced. I am immensely grateful that Mary was able to give me and other Asian American youth a platform to share our experiences. 

Mary Y. Lee’s portrait of Selina, Dare to Challenge, 2018. Oil on linen. Image courtesy of artist.

Mary Y. Lee’s portrait of Selina, Dare to Challenge, 2018. Oil on linen. Image courtesy of artist.

“We will never be silenced.”
Mary Y. Lee, Josiah Quincy School, 2018. Oil on linen. Image courtesy of artist.

Mary Y. Lee, Josiah Quincy School, 2018. Oil on linen. Image courtesy of artist.

Thank you Mary again for having a conversation with me about your story and your experiences as a Chinatown community artist. Thank you for using your art as a tool to empower and narrate the stories of the inspiring people who compose this neighborhood.

Residence Lab Artist Profile: Katytarika Bartel

Photo: Artist and community activist Katytarika BartelTaken from their instagram @katytarika

Photo: Artist and community activist Katytarika Bartel

Taken from their instagram @katytarika

Katytarika Bartel is a filmmaker, youth worker, and community artist. They co-founded ANGRY ASIAN GIRLS, a community organization that gives a platform to a group of individuals dedicated to changing the way the AAPI community is represented. They also teach media and design to youth at the Castle Square Tenants Organization’s youth program. Katy’s work specializes in identity politics, recognizing identity as a powerful vehicle for change. Along with Lily Xie, Crystal Bi, and Ponnapa Prakkamakul, Katytarika Bartel is a driving force in our Residence Lab program. We are so excited to feature her as part of our Residence Lab Artist series.

Thank you Katy for taking the time to come out to the ACDC office for an interview. It was so inspiring and meaningful hearing about your experiences as a LGBTQ mixed-race artist!

Selina Li: Where did your family immigrate from?

Katytarika Bartel: “My mom emigrated from Bangkok, Thailand when she was about 21 years old. She landed in California where she met my dad, who is a second-generation immigrant of German descent.”

SL: Was Boston the first place that they landed?

KB: “I was born in California and then moved to New York City. My family lived in Harlem for a while and then spent some time in Connecticut. I’m kind of all over the map. When people ask me where I’m from, which is often, I don’t really have an answer because I moved 10 times as a kid. Having one home is not really a familiar thing to me and that is a perspective that I bring with me. So far, I have lived in Boston the longest. I write a lot of poetry around the question, ‘Where are you from?’ because I think there’s a shared experience behind the question.”

SL: Because you’ve moved around a lot, what does the word “home” mean to you now?

KB: “I love exploring the concept of home. In our Residence Lab discussions, I do a lot of work with my team around the idea of home, what it means, and how home might not be a place. Home for me is where my mom is because I didn’t identify much with my Thai background growing up. I suppressed it because I was always ashamed of my identity, especially while attending a predominantly white high school in Connecticut. I thought, ‘I don’t want to be different at all.’ People were constantly telling me that I didn’t look Asian, so I thought I shouldn’t identify with that part of my background. I had a lot of feelings about being in-between identities.

Now, I have embraced the parts that I used to feel ashamed of, and I feel most at home with my mom. The food that she cooks for me and the way she holds and makes space feels like home. She’s always been my grounding place.”

SL: Were there any artists or musicians in your family?

KB: “My dad was an artist. His career was based in architecture and engineering, but in his free time, he was a painter. He painted a lot, but he never pursued that as a career path. He probably didn’t think that painting was practical as a profession. He passed away this year from cancer, and at his funeral we displayed his artwork. Some of his friends never knew that he was a painter because he never shared it. My mom is also very artistic but would never identify as an artist.

My family didn’t encourage me to be an artist. I don’t think they were super psyched when I told them I wanted to study film. I didn’t feel supported by them until my film was screened at the Boston Asian-American Film Festival.”

SL: Who inspired you to make art for the first time? How did you get started as an artist?

KB: “I didn’t know I wanted to be an artist until I went to college. I went to study creative writing and I never thought of myself as super artistic. I realized quickly that I very interested in art and activism and the link between the two, so I transferred to Emerson College. However, there’s so much privilege at Emerson, especially white privilege. There’s a pipeline of students whose parents already work in the film and theatre industry, so they have this advantage over others. The conversations that I had and the people I met were very interesting. It fueled my art.

I made my first documentary at Emerson. I was inspired by some of the Asian American folx that I met while studying at Emerson. It was cool to learn from all these queer AAPI femmes doing filmmaking. I picked up a camera and I’ve been exploring film ever since.”

SL: What medium are you most comfortable with?

KB: “My voice and my camera are the two mediums that I am the most comfortable with. The first type of art I did was slam poetry, which I did in high school as a hobby. I went to Brave New Voices, which is a national slam poetry competition. I have performed spoken word poetry in Boston at different venues. I use my voice in art for public organizing, activism, and slam poetry, while my camera is the tangible medium.”

SL: What kind of poems did you write about?

Pictured: A poem that Katytarika wrote in 2017 called “re-gifting”Photo from their IG: @katytarikaCheck out more of Katy’s powerful poetry here: https://www.katytarika.com/poetry

Pictured: A poem that Katytarika wrote in 2017 called “re-gifting”

Photo from their IG: @katytarika

Check out more of Katy’s powerful poetry here: https://www.katytarika.com/poetry

KB: “The first poem I ever wrote about was being mixed-race and navigating that. Looking back at it, I think there was so much I had to learn about myself. I was very confused and conflicted with my identity, so most of my poems were about being mixed-race and queer. Slam poetry is a way of giving myself space to speak. For example, East Meets West (EMW) Bookstore in Cambridge was one of the first places that I had felt like home in Boston and that I could be seen on a stage. They house the longest running Asian-American open mic event in New England. Four years ago, one of my best friends, Dahn-Bi, made me come with her. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s so many Asians here. Everyone’s making art. Where has this been in my life?’ It was incredible. Slam poetry and EMW have been huge inspirations for the work that I wanted to do. I featured friends from EMW in my documentary, Re(Orient).

SL: And is it the same for photography and videography? What or who do you take pictures and videos of?

KB: “I always take pictures and videos of others. Whereas in spoken word, it’s always about myself. It’s always my learned experience, because I don’t want to speak for anyone else. But, the cool thing about the camera is that you can tell other people’s stories for them in a way that is visual, relatable, and engaging. You can give them a platform that they might not already have.

In this short documentary shot in Havana, Trinidad and Viñales, Afro Cuba Libre attempts to explore how racism (or anti-black sentiment) is manifested socially, culturally and economically on the communist island of Cuba. According to the Cuban government, racism does not exist because there are no races. Everyone is Cuban. Thus talking about race in Cuba is a complex subject. Afro Cuba Libre aims to uncover just one layer of a multi-tiered conversation. Directed, produced, & edited by Shaynah Ferreira and Katytarika "Kate" Bartel

I’ve been doing video work for a while, and my videography has always featured Asian-American artists and activists except for one documentary I did in Cuba about race. My videography work almost always highlights local activists and my photography work is an offshoot of that. I’m a self-taught photographer. I’ve been documenting every Asian artist and activist that I can think of in ways that are affordable, accessible, and beneficial for the subject who I’m featuring.”

SL: Who inspires you to make art?

KB: “All of my friends inspire me. I thought about this question for a while too because I have insecurities about being self-taught in my mediums. I eventually earned a journalism degree at Emerson. I did not finish my film degree, so I don’t know the technical aspects of everything in film. I often have this imposter syndrome when I’m making film, even though my work has been featured in film festivals. I don’t know elite photographers and filmmakers. I don’t see myself represented in most of the people who have ‘made it.’

I draw inspiration from both artists and non-artists in my community. For example, Jeena Hah, the Programs Manager at ACDC, inspires me all the time. The young people who I work with inspire me. People who are passionate about what they do and who work for the community inspire me.”

SL: Why did you decide to highlight the community and Chinatown in your art?

Ricky Orng is a Lowell-based poet and designer working to bring community together. Ricky is an accomplished spoken word performer, bi-weekly host of Untitled Open Mic in Lowell, and a Gemini. This is episode is part of RE(ORIENT), an ANGRY ASIAN GIRLS original documentary series highlighting Asian Pacific Islander-American (APIA) artists and activists in Boston. Filmed, directed, and edited by Katy Bartel, the series aims to challenge singular-narrative representation of Asian Americans in art and media through its three subjects: poet and designer Ricky Orng, activist and artist Dahn Bi Lee-Hong, and singer-songwriter Haezy. ​ RE(ORIENT) was an Official Selection of the Boston Asian American Film Festival in 2018.

KB: “For Re(Orient), which is a documentary series I produced, I interviewed my best friend Dahn-Bi who co-founded Angry Asian Girls with me. I also interviewed Ricky, my partner, who was a volunteer at EMW Bookstore, and is a spoken word poet and designer and the singer-songwriter Haezy Choi. I thought it would only be shots of their art, but while interviewing them, I realized that I couldn’t encompass their work and who they are without featuring their communities. For Dahn-Bi, I couldn’t capture them without filming the Angry Asian Girls team working in Chinatown. Same thing with East Meets West bookstore--the community built that place. For Haezy, her audience was everything to her, and she talked a lot about finding community in Boston. These three episodes started as a short documentary series but turned into 20 to 30-minute episodes. I realized that community is also part of identity.

“I realized that community is also a part of identity.”

A lot of the Chinatown community is East Asian, yet despite being Southeast Asian, it still feels like home to me. My mom and I go grocery shopping in Chinatown, and I have many meaningful memories of Chinatowns around the U.S. Being around the language and the food here and working with youth in Chinatown who have similar experiences to my own means a lot to me. I want my art to capture that essence of home for others to see and for other to find.”

SL: What role does your art play in community organizing and activism?

KB: “There’s a lot of community organizing and activism in my work with Angry Asian Girls (AAG). We started off as a collective but grew into a community organization. We realized that a collective is very internally centered and focused on the artists, whereas an organization is focused on what’s around us.

Pictured: Katyarika with co-founder Dahn-BiPhoto from @katyarika

Pictured: Katyarika with co-founder Dahn-Bi

Photo from @katyarika

Dahn-Bi and I met through the Asian American Women’s Political Initiative (AAWPI). We were interns there and both interested activism and disrupting politics, but in a different way than AAWPI’s approach. There were seven AAPI women in our cohort and at the time, we were all angry at how silenced we were while at the State House. There was a lack of opportunities and lack of representation, aside from ourselves.

To fundraise for AAWPI’s next cohort, Dahn-Bi and I drew from the cohort’s collective experience and frustrations at the State House. We decided to make and sell ‘Angry Asian Girls’ t-shirts. Sales took off and we made $3,000 that summer. We realized that selling the shirts were strictly a business interaction and we didn’t want to start a brand. We grew AAG to accomplish what we really wanted--to give back and create space through community events. It started with the two of us and now we are a larger community. We hold space for the many people from the queer and AAPI community, Asian American women and non-binary identifying folx.

Art can impact the community in a lot of different ways because you are creating a space that facilitates joy, which is powerful. I think when people hear of ‘Angry Asian Girls,’ they only think, ‘You’re angry. You’re radical. You’re organizing.’ We are these things, but our events subvert those perceptions. Our events are also positive and safe spaces that hold joy, make art, and create.”

“Art can impact the community in a lot of different ways because you are creating a space that facilitates joy, which is powerful. ”

SL: How would you want your work as a videographer, photographer, and poet to impact the community?

KB: “I want more people to recognize what poetry can be. I teach slam poetry in the spring at Castle Square and I love when young people see that poetry isn't just what they learn in school. When I show youth a video of a slam poetry performance by my friends, their eyes light up. Being a youth worker, I think if growing up, I had a mentor who also identified as artistic--if I had different supports--my path would have looked very different.

Slam poetry is like music and storytelling combined in a creative way that most people are unfamiliar with. I feel so strongly that poetry should be given more platforms. I also want to make videography and photography more accessible. Teaching low-income communities photography or videography and providing them with the proper resources can help them thrive in the digital age.”

SL: What is your favorite art project and why?

KB: “What I’m doing in Residence Lab is quickly growing into my favorite art project! We are working in the lot near the Chinatown Gate (10-12 Hudson Street), and I walk by that space all the time. I used to live in Chinatown because was previously the only place I could afford to live. I think it’s really exciting to transform a space that’s been referred to as the ‘piss lot’ into something beautiful, and more importantly, something meaningful that was created by and for the Chinatown community. I believe that the residents and community members care about this space so much more than any developer would.

“I believe that the residents and community members care about this space so much more than any developer would.”

We work in teams with Chinatown residents and our team talked a lot about how to make the space interactive. We decided to build on the themes of ‘play’ and ‘oasis.’ We are constructing nine large wooden boxes that can be rolled around. Each facet will feature photos of all the participating artists and residents who helped create the space, and stories about Chinatown that explain why this neighborhood is home for some of them on the boxes.

What I’m doing in Residence Lab is becoming one of my favorite art projects because I’m always thinking about how I can make photography more community oriented. Expanding the process and end-result beyond the photographer-subject dynamic can be hard.”

SL: What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of the Residence Lab experience?

KB: “The most rewarding aspects are working with the residents and then eventually seeing the art in its full glory. I would hate if I was only asked to make the space ‘look pretty’. That approach that allows an artist to enter the community and impose what they think it needs without input from residents.

Pictured: Katytarika’s photoshoot with Joyce and her familyPhoto from @katytarika

Pictured: Katytarika’s photoshoot with Joyce and her family

Photo from @katytarika

Many workshops within Residence Lab have guided and shaped the artists' relationships with the residents, and the program provided a space and outlet to work with residents in ways that I never have as an artist. For example, I proposed plaques, but Joyce, one of the residents said, ‘I have kids and I think it would be fun if they could interact with it.’ That was how we came up with the idea of movable blocks. Our idea included a plan where the blocks could also form a stage, which was inspired by another resident, Maggie, who noticed that Chinatown doesn't have a stage area. This was a cool need to learn about, so the most rewarding aspect was the process.

The most challenging part so far was cutting wood at a hardware store for our blocks, but it is also rewarding to work hard to bring something come to life. While we have a relatively small budget, it’s exciting because I’m not the only ‘artist’ doing the work. It's a collective effort.”

SL: What are your aspirations as an artist? How would you like your art to grow?

Pictured: Katytarika with Crystal Bi from Moon Eaters CollectivePhoto from @katytarika

Pictured: Katytarika with Crystal Bi from Moon Eaters Collective

Photo from @katytarika

KB: “I never thought I’d get this far as an artist. I feel like I’m finally in a place where I can start making strides. I want to create long-term projects and make waves in those inaccessible, elitist circles where you don’t see a lot of people like me represented. I want people to know that anyone can rise if they are intentional about it.

I think that we can be giving more to the Chinatown community like what Residence Lab offers. Residence Lab teaches me about how residency, communities, and art should be done. The program offers childcare, stipends for artists and residents, food, and it’s structured in a supportive way. It was a pleasant surprise for me to be supported in this way with all these resources. It’s an important community-oriented approach to preserving Chinatown. Residence Lab challenges the gentrifying pressures encroaching on Chinatown’s borders and within Chinatown. Residence Lab also explores how to take preventative measures. I love this concept of activating space along the borders of Chinatown as a means of protecting the community through art.”

Thank you again Katy for the thoughts and feelings you put in the work you do to serve and empower the Chinatown community. We are so lucky to have you in our team.

To see the work that Katy and the other Residence Lab group has worked so hard on for the last few months, come to the Hudson Lot this Friday (August 23rd) at 5:30pm!