May 5 – 26, 2023

Opening Reception: May 5, 2023, 6-9pm
Talk: May 11, 2023, 6-7pm by Christopher Phillips

Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 1-6pm

Westbeth Gallery
55 Bethune Street
New York, NY 10014

In 2013, I received a New York Fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) and headed to New York to take up my residency. I lived in Apartment 355G of the Westbeth social housing complex, a celebrated artists’ community. The Westbeth building has 384 rooms, one of which is owned by the ACC headquarters in New York.

Westbeth was established in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Arts and the J.M. Kaplan Fund, who transformed the 13 buildings of Bell Labs into a model artists’ residence. Since 1970, Westbeth has provided art workers with spaces at preferential rates where they can apply to live and set up studios for life.That has made it a home for actors, writers, directors, painters, dancers, musicians, and other types of art workers, who have a profound impact on New York’s cultural life. Residents have included photographer Diane Arbus, stage actor David Greenspan, dancer Merce Cunningham, video art pioneer Nam June Paik, and Robert De Niro Sr.; movie star Vin Diesel spent his childhood there.

Tom Duncan. Photo: Isa Ho

At the end of October 2012, Hurricane Sandy swept across the eastern United States, causing heavy losses, and in January 2013, I arrived at Westbeth, which was then still recovering from the disaster. The artists there had lost none of their passion for life, despite the serious damage and disruption the storm had brought to their lives.

Westbeth Project, as a creative project, is an examination of life. Living in this time of rapid change can make us all feel uneasy, excited, and curious about the outside world. As we face a future full of uncertainty, I explore in this Westbeth Project the possibility of a different way of looking at things.

Karen Santry Photo:Isa Ho

Westbeth demonstrates the importance of long-term policy planning in several ways. First, Westbeth’s development process began in 1967 and took several years, requiring sustained planning and policy support to achieve. As the first federally-funded artist housing project and the first cultural institution and architectural landmark recognized by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, Westbeth has a significant historical impact. Second, Westbeth has become a cultural center and vital resource for artists and the LGBTQ community in New York City and beyond. Providing artist housing and creative spaces for the community, as well as serving as a venue for art exhibitions and performances, Westbeth’s impact extends beyond individuals and local areas, having profound effects on the community and cultural ecology. Finally, to maintain its long-term sustainability and development, Westbeth requires its own long-term planning and management, as well as policy support, such as federal funding and landmark preservation.

is a microcosm of the city, representing the amount of effort and accumulation needed to make New York City what it is today. Its charm and allure make it a destination for many. Overall, Westbeth serves as a successful example of how long-term planning and sustained policy support can promote community and cultural development.

This exhibition embodies my memories, which I share with the artists. I captured the essence of these beautiful and powerful people in my own way. The exhibition showcases a selection of works from 2013 to the present, including photography, videos, and documentaries, as well as a new NFT installation created in collaboration with artist Chen, Zhao-Hua. Additionally, the exhibition features portraits of the artists displayed alongside their work at the Westbeth artist housing.

After the three long years of the pandemic, being able to return to the Westbeth exhibition and meet the artists was a deeply emotional experience, with many artists having passed away. The sadness and longing had been reflected upon for a long time. Perhaps I will never see many of them again, but their works and stories continue to be passed down, still influencing the world. This may be the value of life and art.