Mulberry Street 2020 (Chinatown, NYC)

"What pulls me to Chinatown is the history and legacy that the community and its residents carry with them. To me, these qualities are best captured when the tourists are gone and only its residents are left after the sun has gone down. 

"Most of the photography I've seen of NYC’s Chinatown has been shot during the day. However, I’ve always been drawn to urban night photography and the utilization of streetlights as a studio, and the lamps used by the fruit vendors on Mulberry and Canal create the perfect street studio setup.

"Ultimately, I chose this photo because it best captures what Corky taught me and many others to do: To document the present day lives and struggles of Asian Americans."

About the artist

Kyle Lui is a NYC based freelance photographer, with a focus in documentary photography. He is interested in topics involving race, immigration and housing. He is currently a student in the JustArts Photography Program run by the Red Hook Community Justice Center. Kyle’s work is heavily influenced by Corky Lee’s mentorship and his philosophy of wielding photographic justice by preserving and documenting the lives of Asian Americans. Kyle is currently working on a project documenting the stories of children of immigrants of color.

• Website: https://kyle-lui.com/ 
• Instagram: @bykylelui