Haosu Pei

24h, Chinatown.

Photography

2022

Digital Photography

The series "24h, Chinatown" is a documentary and social observatory photographic project that explores the social realities in Toronto Chinatown.

“What is Chinatown, an ethnic enclave? A home away from home? Or it is simply a place where red lanterns are hanged up and the Chinese new year is celebrated? When I was a 16-year-old boy who just arrived in Canada on my own for high school, I used to wander around Toronto Chinatown, taking photos and thinking about home. It was one of my first photographic practices and my first taste of loneliness and nostalgia.This project explores the social realities that form the very identity of present-day Toronto Chinatown. It is a discussion based on the history of immigration, struggles and multiculturalism of the Chinese community in Canada. It is a tribute to my culture, the community of Chinatown and the Chinese Canadian community.”