Langara College Design Formation Students Collaborate on Exhibit 'Raised in Chinatown'
Raised in Chinatown is a new exhibit exploring Chinese Canadian youth culture in Vancouver from the 1910s to 1960s. Langara College students in the Design Formation program have collaborated with the Chinatown Storytelling Centre (CSC) to present the exhibit, which is on display until June 2023.
"The CSC provided our students a wonderful opportunity to work with a real client and through an actual design problem that would be built and experienced by the public," said instructor Scot Geib. "It created a kind of ‘accountability’ the students don’t necessarily have in a typical design studio. Further, Raised in Chinatown enabled the students to work with multi-cultural stories and material that often gets missed in our daily discourse."
"We hope visitors to this exhibit will gain a deeper appreciation for the creative and courageous spirit of Chinese Canadian youth, especially given the difficult circumstances of widespread anti-Asian racism, exclusion, and other cultural barriers,” said April Liu, Manager of Public Programs and Education at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre. “Chinese Canadian youth played a key role in building a sense of belonging for the community; they were trailblazers who broke down barriers to assert their voices and presence in mainstream Canadian society."
The CSC is the first permanent space of its kind in Canada with programming, exhibits, and interactive kiosks dedicated to sharing the indelible stories about the past, present, future, and living heritage of Vancouver’s Chinatown.
"We are particularly grateful to Langara College and the Design Formation students for bringing the exhibit to life. We are all so impressed by the students’ stunning design work,” said Carol Lee, chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, at the recent opening event. “They really brought to life the youthful spirit of Chinatown. We are particularly impressed by the beautiful title sign that lights up, referencing the historic neon lights in Chinatown!"
Design Formation is a two-year, multidisciplinary foundation design program that prepares students for further specialized studies or entry-level jobs in fields ranging from visual merchandising to event, graphic, or interior design. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the design process and exposes students to various aspects of the field, allowing graduates to explore their own creative paths with a broad set of skills and experience. Students graduate with a diploma and a professional exit portfolio.