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CONTEMPLATE: AN EXPLORATION OF DUAL IDENTITY THROUGH FOOD
This summer, Chinatown London is celebrating Asian ingredients and at the heart of the campaign is CONTEMPLATE, a free exhibition open to the public commissioned with young fine art photographer, Marcella Chan. The exhibition will be running from 9-14 July 2019 hosted at China Exchange in Chinatown London.
Raised by Chinese parents in rural Somerset, Chan explores her East Asian and British identity through mismatched ingredients and kitchen utensils from both East and West, producing colourful displays of food combinations that aren’t quite what they seem.
Chan explains: “I enjoyed playing with the colours, textures and perceptions of the foods whilst injecting a little humour to make these images accessible to all. Juxtaposing British and Asian ingredients has allowed me to draw parallels and remove the unfamiliar. I’m excited to see the reactions from visitors and hopefully inspire them to be more adventurous.”
Exhibition timings:
Tuesday 9 July: 12pm – 7pm
Wednesday 10 July: 12pm – 5.30pm
Thursday 11 July – Saturday 13 July: 12pm – 7pm
Sunday 14 July: 12pm – 4pm
This is a non-ticketed event, but please do let us know you’re interested by clicking ‘register’ below
If your feeling inspired and want to try something new, free recipe cards featuring some of Chinatown London’s top restaurants, such as JinLi, Golden Phoenix and Baiwei, will be available at the exhibition.
Also, if you follow @Chinatownlondon and add the hashtag #RawToRecipe you can be in with the chance of winning one of Chan’s bespoke photographs!
Marcella Chan Biography
A recent photography graduate from the University of Bournemouth, Chan’s work centres around themes of discovery and exploring dual identity and nostalgia through personal experiences. Her Grandfather, Po Hing, arrived in England by ship in 1959, where he worked in a restaurant in London, before opening several restaurants in Weymouth. Bringing over his family in 1972, they set up a takeaway which Chan’s parents (Kwai Lan and Hang Yan) continued to run before opening their own in Somerset. Food was integral to Chan’s childhood and family history and has become a tool to explore her personal identity. Chan’s pieces depict and unearth staple Asian ingredients, using bold colour combinations and amusing equivalents.