New York: Fashion designer Alexander Wang has partnered with Ying Wang to launch The Wang Contemporary, a new cultural center dedicated to promoting Asian and Asian-American creativity. The venue will open at 58 Bowery in New York’s Chinatown, becoming the first Chinese-American owned space in the historic domed building that is more than a century old.
The Wang Contemporary aims to serve as a creative hub for art, design, music, and performance. The initiative will provide a platform for both established and emerging artists while also functioning as a gathering space for the local community and global audiences. The founders say the project focuses on accessibility, collaboration, and supporting diverse artistic voices.
Alexander Wang explained that growing up as an Asian American, he rarely encountered creative spaces that reflected Asian stories and perspectives. He said the new center is intended to reclaim cultural space and provide opportunities for the next generation of artists to gain visibility, support, and community.
Ying Wang highlighted the significance of establishing the center in a historic Chinatown building, saying it represents cultural continuity and resilience while providing a lasting home for Asian narratives.
To celebrate its opening around Chinese New Year, the art collective MSCHF will present an interactive exhibition titled “20,000 Variations On A Paper Plane.” From February 20 to 22, red and gold paper planes will be released every hour between noon and 6 p.m. from the building’s central dome.
The installation will be accompanied by a live piano performance by composer Yeonjoon Yoon, whose evolving score will shape the atmosphere of the event.
Each paper plane carries a randomly selected English noun chosen from a list of 5,000 words, creating a unique fortune-like experience. Visitors can pick up and unfold a plane to reveal its message, turning the installation into an interactive artistic encounter.
The event will be open to the public free of charge, with visitors encouraged to register online in advance.
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