What could the heritage future of Chinatown look like? The ChinaTOwn digital symposium, presented by Prof. Linda Zhang of Ryerson School of Interior Design, will begin the discussion by looking at the history and origins of architectural motifs that we now recognize in Chinatowns today. From the first Chinatown in San Francisco, to the world’s fairs that fascinated visitors with false portrayals of Chinese culture, the symposium will explore exactly what defines the “Chinatown-ness” that we know today, and how we arrived at that definition.
The symposium will also introduce some of the realities and challenges faced by Toronto’s existing Chinatowns today, as businesses are forced to move out and new policies affect the livelihood of these communities. These findings will be presented as part of our speakers’ bodies of work, art and activism. Throughout the symposium the project will connect back to the exhibit installations to help us respond and develop what a heritage future might look like for chinatowns in Toronto. Join us for this digital symposium exploring the past, present, and possible futures of how we define and develop Chinatowns.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/myseum-intersections-2021-chinatown-symposium-tickets-148521173829