On May 6, in collaboration with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Lenora Lee Dance, Pao Arts Center premiered Meditations on the Power of Community. This short film, commissioned by Gardner Museum, features choreography by Pao Arts Center 2021 Artist-in-Residence Lenora Lee Dance and was filmed by Weiying Olivia Huang. The film features interviews with members of Boston’s Chinatown community in response to the exhibition Shen Wei: Painting in Motion.

Watch a recording of Meditations on the Power of Community featuring a conversation with Weiying Olivia Huang, filmmaker, Lenora Lee of Lenora Lee Dance, Paul W. Lee, Board President of Asian Community Development Corporation, Cynthia Woo of Pao Arts Center, and moderator Susan Chinsen, Creative Producer/Engagement, Founding Director/Boston Asian American Film Festival, Emerson College Office of the Arts, ArtsEmerson.

Read more about Lenora Lee Dance and the artistic process on this project!

Full Film Credits:

Artistic Direction: Lenora Lee

艺术指导: 李小玉

Choreography / 编舞: 

Lenora Lee (李小玉) in collaboration with cast:

 Naoko Brown (原田尚子), IJ Chan (陳加恩),

Flora Hyoin Kim, and Johnny Huy Nguyen 

Interviewees / 采访人物:

Pieranna Cavalchini, Peggy Fogelman, 

Paul W. Lee (李宝罗), Lydia M. Lowe (駱理德), 

Rhea Vedro, Cynthia Woo (胡善怡), Cynthia Yee (余麗馨)

Sound Mixer / 声音混合: Eric Taylor

Sound Engineering / 声音处理: Joel Wanek 

Costumes / 服装 : Lenora Lee / 李小玉

Chinese Translation / 中文翻译 : 

Weiying Olivia Huang / 黄维英

Music / 音乐 :

Tatsu Aoki, with Kioto Aoki, JoVia Armstrong, Mwata Bowden, Suwan Choi, Coco Elysses, Jamie Kempkers, Paul Kim, Avreeayl Ra, Melody Takata, Edward Wilkerson Jr., Hide Yoshihashi  

Songs / 歌曲: “Conscription”, “Look at Our Time”, “Nobi – the other side”, “Move-meant” (from the first album MIYUMI Project by Southport Records), “An Eye Opener for Angels” and “Dynamite MHB” (from album Raw and Alive Volume II) 

Courtesy of Asian Improv Records / 由亚洲即兴唱片提供

Images / 图像: Shawn Read, Cynthia Woo (胡善怡), Cynthia Yee (余麗馨), and Christine Nguyen courtesy of Asian Community Development Corporation  

Murals / 壁画：

Chinese dragon mural by Enivo (14 Tyler Street)

“Tale of an Ancient Vase” by Bryan Beyung (22 Tyler Street) 

“Chinatown Heritage Mural” by Wen-ti Tsen and Zuo Yuan, (Oxford Street)

The Mayor’s Mural Crew / Boston Youth Clean-up Crew

(Adjacent to the Chinatown Gate)

ISGM Community programs created in partnership with Pao Arts Center are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and Barr Foundation ArtsAmplified initiative

Education and community programs receive support from the Vertex Foundation, the Rowland Foundation, The Lubin Family Foundation, The Beker Foundation, Liberty Mutual Foundation, The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation, Thomas Anthony Pappas Charitable Foundation, and the Janet Burke Mann Foundation

The Gardner Museum receives operating support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.