Neon Was Never Brighter
Neon Was Never Brighter, an afternoon and evening event curated by Candace Huey of re.riddle, will be presented by Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative (CMAC) on Saturday, April 30, 2022. As part of this event, residents of Chinatown and the city-at-large, as well as tourists will participate in a variety of activities. These include NoodleFest, produced by collaborative partner Chinatown Community Development Center, interactive art installations, activations, and immersive experiences created by more than twenty local Asian Pacific Islander artists. Offering a glimpse into the future of an historic neighborhood, multiple blocks will entice visitors with artistic expressions following the theme of Chinatown personified. As a testament to the neighborhood’s longevity and posterity, Neon Was Never Brighter seeks to explore the lifeblood of Chinatown.
Curatorial Statement: Neon Was Never Brighter reflects on Chinatown's resilience and fortitude–by honoring its unique history and diverse cultural landscape–whilst affirming an initiative of optimism and hope for the future. Neon is a metaphor for Chinatown’s brightness and strength; a light fully aglow, embodied and represented through its people.
As such, Neon Was Never Brighter focuses on the notion of Chinatown personified. It celebrates the unique neighborhood identity by symbolically giving it a face, body and voice. Through its people and place, Chinatown breathes and lives. We seek to feel its pulse, still beating as a testament to longevity and posterity.
The themes and activations included in the event are embedded in broader social practices and speak to the intersection of visual art, media, history of Chinatown, API narratives and cultural traditions, rituals and ceremonies, and a community oriented activity that remarks on new beginnings and future prosperities.
This event kicks off the first of many forthcoming programs that aim to build momentum and excitement for CMAC’s Edge on the Square, the region’s first Asian Pacific Islander contemporary art and media destination. Located at 800 Grant Avenue, the space will leverage the power of art and culture for social and economic recovery. Edge on the Square will galvanize public and private philanthropy as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a cultural entity that celebrates equity and belonging in a manner that opens hearts and changes minds in healing a fractured nation.
