The Political Potential of the Chinatown Storefront

"Artist Singha Hon's gorgeous rendition of this motif for 2026 queers the image of galloping horses by bringing in images from New York Chinatown's working class. In her painting, the horses gallop together but tend to each other, more an image of mutual aid than military conquest. In the body of a foal are the shadows of two elders with a baby, and in the other horses, we see a couple holding hands on a city bench, a statue of Guan Yin, and a bowl of noodles."

"Abrons Arts Center is once again hosting From Chinatown, With Love, a mutual aid initiative where art highlights and supports local businesses in Chinatown. This year's theme is "Storefronts as Sites of Cultural Resistance," and a centerpiece installation, titled "Everyday Objects Introduction," features a storefront of its own."

"Artist Michelle Moy's portraits of local business owners sit alongside everyday objects like a bottle of Lee Kum Kee premium soy sauce and bamboo steamers, as well as more niche objects like a special scooper and stuffed dragon from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and a DVD of Wang Hongxin's class on advanced double nunchaku."

Abrons Arts Center hosts its annual Lunar New Year mutual aid initiative, featuring art that highlights and supports local Chinatown businesses. Artist Singha Hon's painting reinterprets the traditional motif of eight galloping horses—symbolizing strength and victory—by incorporating imagery from New York Chinatown's working class community. Her work emphasizes mutual aid and collective interdependence rather than conquest, depicting horses tending to each other alongside representations of elders, families, and cultural symbols. The centerpiece installation, "Everyday Objects Introduction," showcases portraits of local business owners alongside everyday items from Chinatown establishments, including products from Lee Kum Kee and Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. This year's theme, "Storefronts as Sites of Cultural Resistance," underscores how these businesses serve as cultural anchors.

Read at Hyperallergic