千絲萬縷 Tied Together by a Thousand Threads

呂明穎 Shaina Lu & 伍綺雲 Yvonne Ng

Located on the facade of 15-25 Harrison Avenue.

Mural in 2017. Photo by artist Shaina Lu.

Read the Globe article highlighting the mural

Completed in 2017, Tied Together by a Thousand Threads is a mural created through ACDC’s ANCHOR strategy to use community-centered public art to combat gentrification in Chinatown.

Artist, Shaina Lu (呂明穎), captures Yvonne Ng (伍綺雲)’s multigenerational experience as a Chinatown resident. Yvonne’s mother, Consuelo, and son, Enrique (偉民), blow bubbles depicting Chinatown’s past and present: a home for Chinese immigrants and laborers, its former reputation as a textile hub and red light district, and its current fame for food, living cultural traditions, and struggle with gentrification.

From left: Jeena Chang (staff), Yvonne Ng, Jennie Chang (ACDC youth alum), Enrique, and Debbie Chen (former staff) at the mural unveiling in 2017. Photo provided by Yvonne.

This pilot program has developed into ACDC's broader “placekeeping” strategy to activate underutilized areas in Boston's Chinatown with and for residents.

Learn more about our placekeeping efforts

“The bubbles in the mural represent the joyful yet ephemeral nature of our collective experiences as Chinatown rapidly changes. Tied Together reminds us that shared and intergenerational experiences connect us to the social fabric of Chinatown. ”

Youth artists painting the 2017 ThinkChinatown Project, a mural currently on display on the facade of 15-25 Harrison Avenue. — Youth artists painting the mural in 2017. Photo by ACDC staff.

The mural is a community project made possible by the Asian Community Development Corporation, Yvonne Ng, Shaina Lu, Vivian Ho, Jennie Chang, Eileen Chen, Yanjing Huang, Lina Huang, Chloe Chau, and all the donors and volunteers who made this mural and its restoration possible. Special thanks to Jeena Chang and Debbie Chen for their guidance in bringing the mural vision to life.

Tied Together is one of ACDC’s ANCHOR placekeeping projects. Its intent is to extend the cultural footprint along Boston Chinatown’s northern edge.

Following the unveiling of the mural, we asked Chinatown residents to share how their stories and family history connect to the mural. Watch our short film below.

Video by Shawnie Wen.

In 2023, ACDC organized an effort to restore the mural with original artist, Shaina Lu, to honor the mural's fifth anniversary.

Thank you volunteers: Anh Thứ, Anna, Ada, Cara, Chloe, Christina “Teeny”, Emma, Ga Tsung, Ivy, Jazlynn, Jennie, Jennifer, Josh, Kaitlyn, Laura, Lee-Daniel, Lina, Martin, Minseo, My, Rebecca, Tiffany, Trisha, Quyen, and Yen Nhi Chit.