Ping Pong Tables of Chinatown: A Celebration of Diversity and Nature
The People of Chinatown by Stephanie Li
Flora and Fauna of Chinatown by Jenn Duan and Katelyn Lipton
Location: Mobile throughout Chinatown
Dates: September – October 2024
Ping Pong Tables of Chinatown: A Celebration of Diversity and Nature will feature two painted ping pong tables, which will be transformed into mobile and interactive art installations to encourage intergenerational gathering, play, and wellness.
Each artist is inspired by fond memories of growing up playing ping pong: Katelyn and her Korean grandparents bonding across language barriers and generations; Jenn enjoying ping pong as the first sport they played together with their parents; and Stephanie playing ping pong with her family after dinner to relax and have fun.
These tables will feature different themes. One table will depict Flora and Fauna of Chinatown, encouraging people to familiarize themselves with and appreciate the plants and birds coexisting in the community. The other table will focus on People of Chinatown, celebrating the people who live, work, and visit this neighborhood. The artists will invite the community to gatherings throughout the process, from live painting to ping pong tournaments.
Ping Pong Tables of Chinatown: A Celebration of Diversity and Nature is part of the Un-monument | Re-monument | De-monument: Transforming Boston Project presented by Pao Arts Center, curated by Lani Asunción, and funded by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and the City of Boston with the support from the Mellon Foundation.
About the artists:
Jennifer (Jenn) Duan (they/she)
Jennifer Duan is Chinese American interdisciplinary artist based in the Boston area. As an artist, Jenn focuses on visual storytelling, mental health advocacy, and the simple joys of living. Her work strives to bring out the joys of celebrating Asian American identities and find a happy medium between art and advocacy for marginalized communities.
Headshot Credit: Mel Taing
Katelyn Lipton (she/they)
Katelyn Lipton is a Korean American artist rooted in community building. She is a printmaker, illustrator, sculptor, and muralist and creates artworks that weave themes of her diasporic Korean identity with her background in environmental studies and regenerative farming. Katelyn is a freelance illustrator and collaborates with farms, community organizations, and small businesses to uplift their work.
Headshot Credit: Mel Taing
Stephanie Li (she/they)
Stephanie Li is a Chinese American illustrator, muralist, and storyteller raised and living in the Boston area. Through her work, Stephanie hopes to help people feel a little less alone in this world and to use art to explore what healing can look like. Her work is inspired by her love of nature and fantasy.
Headshot Credit: Alice Li
