Artist Alley: Caroline Xia on From Wenzhou
On returning to her roots, tracing family history, and finding belonging across generations
Written by Helen Gui
Photographed by Shisun Lee
Leslie Xia (left) and Caroline Xia (right) in front of their exhibition, From Wenzhou, at The Hub.
Caroline Xia and her sister Leslie grew up immersed in the everyday life of New York’s Chinese immigrant communities, but the story of their roots leads back thousands of miles to Wenzhou, China. Following the death of their maternal grandmother in Wenzhou, the sisters returned to their family’s hometown for the first time in nearly twenty years. What can returning to where you come from reveal about who you are?
That question sits at the heart of From Wenzhou, a multi-media project exploring mourning, memory, and “the search for belonging” across generations. When Welcome to Chinatown exhibited selected works as part of Artist Alley, the project took on another layer of meaning, bringing a deeply personal story into conversation with the Wenzhounese community in New York. Below, Caroline Xia reflects on her connection to Chinatown, her practice, and what it means to carry a family story forward.
“ The Wenzhounese diaspora is truly spread all over the world, that so many of us yearn to reconnect, and that so many of us have found a home here in New York.”
About the Artists, Caroline and Leslie Xia:
Caroline Xia (she/they) is a Chinese-American photographer and filmmaker born, raised, and currently residing in Queens, NY. Caroline's photography practice spans documentary, fine art, commercial, and editorial work.
Leslie Xia (they/them) is a queer Chinese-American art director and graphic designer. Their personal work focuses on race, gender identity, and social justice.
How would you describe your artistic practice to someone discovering it for the first time?
Caroline: My photo work explores identity and community through photography. Drawing from my experiences as a Chinese-American growing up in Queens, I create intimate, often cinematic images that explore personal memory and collective experience.
What's the story behind the work you showed at Artist Alley?
Caroline: From Wenzhou was an exhibition to celebrate the photography book we created following the passing of our maternal grandmother in Wenzhou, China. The work documents a return to our family's hometown after nearly twenty years away. The journey to Wenzhou became an opportunity to reconnect with our roots and reflect on who we are, where they came from. The work included seven photographs selected from the book and a video installation.
What's your personal connection to Chinatown, whether it's family history, memories, or something
you discovered along the way?
Caroline: Born and raised in Queens, New York, Leslie and I grew up in Flushing, one of NYC's largest Chinese immigrant communities. I also spent much of middle and high school going to Manhattan’s Chinatown, eating at Chinese bakeries and dumpling spots, window shopping at the Elizabeth Center, and getting film developed at Eliz Digital. These places became an important part of how I experienced growing up between Queens and Manhattan.
What impact did showcasing your work here have on you or your future plans?
Caroline: Being able to showcase at Welcome to Chinatown opened up the audience to more people. A librarian from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Thomas J. Watson Library attended the release and acquired a copy for the collection. It is especially meaningful to me that the book can now be accessed by a wider audience as a record of my family’s personal Wenzhounese history and experience.
What’s your favorite moment and/or memory from your time at Artist Alley?
One of my favorites memories was meeting so many Wenzhounese people throughout the night, and it was such a reminder that the Wenzhounese diaspora is truly spread all over the world, that so many of us yearn to reconnect, and that so many of us have found a home here in New York.
About the Author: Helen Gui is a writer and researcher based in the Lower East Side, New York. Her work spans art writing, cultural research and the curation of narratives and experiences. More at helengui.com
