The traditional motif of eight galloping horses (八骏图) in Chinese ink paintings symbolizes power, triumph, and strength. With the commencement of the Year of the Horse in the current Lunar New Year cycle on February 17, the common wish shared is “may success arrive with the horse” (马到成功). This year has certainly started with a pace far from leisurely.
Artist Singha Hon reimagines this iconic image for 2026, infusing it with elements of New York Chinatown’s working-class community. Her painting features horses galloping together, embodying mutual support rather than a military charge. Horses, being herd animals, naturally suggest cooperation. Within a foal’s form, shadows of elders with a baby emerge, while other horses reveal a couple on a bench, a Guan Yin statue, and a bowl of noodles, symbolizing collective strength, resilience, and refuge.
Abrons Arts Center hosts the exhibition From Chinatown, With Love once more, as part of a mutual aid initiative celebrating and supporting Chinatown’s local businesses. This year’s theme, “Storefronts as Sites of Cultural Resistance,” features the installation “Everyday Objects Introduction.” It includes portraits by artist Michelle Moy of local business owners along with familiar items such as Lee Kum Kee soy sauce and bamboo steamers. Unique pieces, like a scooper and a stuffed dragon from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and a DVD of Wang Hongxin’s nunchaku class, add personal touches.
Viewers are invited to stand before a mirror boasting “Best Seller. Hot Deal! $2,026.” On a chilly night, this reflection offered a sense of renewal. Just like the exhibition’s everyday objects, visitors are recontextualized into the New Year, shedding the hardships of 2025. It’s a time to join the horses in their gallop.
The exhibition also features community-crafted red envelopes from the recently concluded Year of the Snake, adorned in black and gold. Stamps from artists in Cambodia and Japan depict other zodiac signs like the pig and rooster. Graphic posters by Bill Chow and Masami Miyamoto showcase the Year of the Monkey in 1980 and the Year of the Dragon in 2012. These artistic representations, alongside Singha Hon’s work, highlight the dual significance of Lunar New Year animals, melding institutional relevance with personal, community-driven narratives.
From Chinatown, With Love is on display at Abrons Arts Center (466 Grand Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan) until March 22. The exhibition is a collaborative effort organized by W.O.W. Project and Abrons Arts Center, in conjunction with Midnight Project and Lucky Risograph.
