This past week, I visited the Chinese American Museum’s (CAM) “(de)Constructing Chinatown” exhibit as part of the MPA Committee series on arts and culture in Los Angeles. It was fascinating to relearn an important part of California’s past: Chinese immigrants.
The main part of the museum contained historical artifacts and provided a narrative of the Chinese American experience over the past 150 years as it relates to California and Los Angeles. It was an especially unique experience to attend the exhibit with some of my fellow MPA and MPP classmates from China!
(de)Constructing Chinatown features local artists through their photographs and artwork. The exhibit shows Los Angeles’ Chinatown as an ever-changing part of our city’s rich cultural landscape. Seeing this contemporary art juxtaposed with the permanent, historical exhibit provided me with a poignant perspective of a Chinese American’s heritage and the legacy being left for future generations.
After leaving the museum, we walked through Chinatown and stopped for a delicious lunch.
If you would like to see (de)Constructing Chinatown for yourself, the exhibit will be on display until November 4th.
– Kimberly Squire, 2nd Year MPA
Check out these MPPs at (de)Constructing Chinatown!
Photo Courtesy of Kimberly Squire
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