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.
Video filmed and edited by The Chinatown Project
Completed in 2017 and restored in 2023, 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.
This pilot program has developed into ACDC's broader “placekeeping” strategy to activate underutilized areas in Boston's Chinatown with and for residents.
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.
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.
Photos by Lee-Daniel Tran
thank you to our 2023 Mural restoration donors!
Baljaa Borgil
Jennie Chang
Joseph Diaz
Jin Xun Goh
Rita Grossman
Jeffrey Hsi
Jarone Lee
Kelly Leung
Katrina Lin
Yaou Liu
Solomon Lutze
Suzanne Metro
Yvonne Ng
Eileen Ng
Tyler Nguyen
Daniel Park
Aya Ross
Linda See
Michelle Sit
Thomas F. Stack
Kevin Su
Harrison Sujo
Julie Vinomano
Cynthia Yee
Emily Yu
Yuhan Zhan