Where We're From Exhibit Program

Where We're From Student Advocates for the Arts Presents: Beyond Infrastructure: A Look into the Cultural Impact of Carry-Outs in DC & NY

The Gottesman Libraries Opening Ceremony December 5th, 2019

7:00pm to 9:00pm

Exhibition Dates December 5th, 2019

February 16th, 2020

525 W 120th St. NY, NY | Offit Gallery, 3rd Floor

Order of Events Viewing .............................................................. 7:00pm to 7:30pm Speech ............................................................... 7:30pm to 7:45pm Cont’d Viewing & Refreshments ................... 7:45pm to 9:00pm

Brooklyn, NY

Washington, DC

China

To request disability-related accommodations, contact OASID at oasid@tc.edu, or (212) 678-3689, (646) 755-3144 video phone, as early as possible.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE “Carry-outs are an active fight against displacement simply through their very existence.”

Carry-Out / noun / Pronounced / curry-out / As Modele Oyewole once stated in Complex magazine, “America may run on Dunkin’, but the heart of Washington, DC beats to Chinese carry-outs.” For decades, carry-outs have become a staple in many urban communities, especially those nestled within the DC area and New York City boroughs such as Brooklyn and Manhattan (Harlem).

Despite taking root in traditional Chinese-American cuisine, carry-outs have managed to become a frequent common ground for youth to socialize, making our historically Black neighborhoods feel like home.

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In DC specifically, these carry-outs have become cultural landmarks in Black neighborhoods. However, as the city continues to experience high rates of displacement within majority Black neighborhoods, not only are carry-outs at stake, but so is DC’s title as a Chocolate City.

Where We’re From aims to protect these carry-outs from gentrification through a curated, photographic journey of belonging. The exhibition proclaims that although infrastructures may disappear, an individual’s story and experience may never be forgotten.

As a result, Where We’re From captures the unique experiences and heightened senses that are aroused within a carryout through 20 distinct photographs, one short-film, and 10 printed Chinese poems. The photographs specifically give the primary storytellers, Nayion Perkins and Jenée Daria, an opportunity to share their own experiences at these culturally rich infrastructures among those who are unfamiliar with their importance to DC and Brooklyn natives.

Alongside Dorsey Photos’ photographic work, Nayion Design and the Chinese Calligraphy Club provide additional visual aids that offer a holistic view of what belonging to a specific place means to us all, including testimonials from DC natives themselves and manuscripts written by ancient Chinese poets whom specifically express feelings of being homesick among others.

Ultimately, Where We’re From invites viewers to clearly identify Perkins’ and Daria’s story of belonging as an intentional, outward declaration of culture, commentary, and resistance. This invitation allows Perkins, Daria, and viewers alike to express a form of agency that no cultural or political issue—especially like that of gentrification—can ever eradicate.

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Modele Oyewole. “Wings and Mumbo Sauce To Go: A Guide to D.C. Carryouts.” Complex, February 3, 2011, https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/02/wings-and-mumbo-sauce-to-go-a-guide-to-d-c-carryout/.

Who We Are Tia Dorsey is an artist, curator, and photographer from Washington, DC. Dorsey is currently in her second year of her master’s program in arts administration at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her work, including the black & white photography series, what once was, focuses on dismantling preconceived notions regarding the presence of black bodies in changing spaces that were originally shaped by and for them.

Ultimately, Dorsey aims to protect these spaces through her work, culminating in a master’s thesis that is designed to serve as a call to action for the proper preservation of localized black culture.

Nayion Perkins is a designer and digital content strategist from Washington D.C. In 2018, Perkins launched the (202) Capsule through his co-founded brand, “The Pack.”

The capsule is a collection of clothing, photography and art that highlights the effects of gentrification and violence on DC’s rich, localized culture—an intersection that Perkins has witnessed first hand as a native.

As a designer and content creator, Perkins aims to develop content strategies that will simultaneously help introduce facets of DC culture to non-natives while giving DC natives a chance to celebrate and reminisce on what makes DC’s culture so unique.

Calligraphers Wuyue (Katniss) Chen is from Suzhou, China. She started learning Chinese calligraphy at the age of 9, but her favorite calligrapher is Zhengqing Yan. Chen admires him not only for his unique abilities in calligraphy but also for his integrity and contributions to the country.

Ziwei (Vivian) Cheng is a Master of Science student in Applied Analytics at Columbia University. She has been learning and practicing Yan Zhenqing’s style in Chinese calligraphy for over 5 years.

Qianhe Ji is a first-year Master’s student in Arts Administration. She has been learning Chinese calligraphy since she was 7 years old, which is when she began writing seal script, clerical script, regular script, and semi-cursive script. Overall, calligraphy is deeply rooted within her daily life.

Wen Lei is a first-year Master’s student majoring in Communication and Education. She has been practicing calligraphy for about 4 years and has been learning Kaishu (regular script) systematically for about a year.

Jingyi (Jason) Pan is a second-year Master of Arts student within the Economics department at Columbia University. Obsessed with the rich metaphysical culture behind Chinese calligraphy, he has been practicing this ancient art pratice as a way of life for years.

Fei Wang is a first-year Master’s student in Arts Administration. She has been practicing calligraphy with pen for over 10 years, and has recently developed her interest in Chinese calligraphy with soft brushes.

Jingyi Wang is a second-year Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. She has been learning how to write Chinese calligraphy for over 10 years.

Juye Wang is a Master’s student in the Learning Analytics program at Columbia University. She has been learning calligraphy for 6 years now and her favorite calligrapher is Xizhi Wang.

Yumeng Zhang is the former President of the Chinese Calligraphy Club and a TC alum (TESOL major). She has practiced calligraphy for more than 10 years, but her favorite calligrapher is Mengfu Zhao—one of the four well-known calligraphers of Kaishu (regular script).

Xinyuan (Daisy) Zhu is a current Master of Science student in Applied Analytics at Columbia University. She has been learning Chinese calligraphy since she was 7 years old and has been learning different styles such as Xing (running script), Zhuan (seal script), and Li (clerical script).