Asian Night Market wraps with mural in Chinatown

To conclude the eighth edition of the Asian Night Market in Montreal, a new mural is being painted on the wall of Poincaré bar in Chinatown.

At 60 feet wide and 20 feet high, it’s quite impressive.

Created by artists Bryan Beyung and James Lee Chiahan, this mural celebrates both Canadian and Chinese cultures. The Asian Night Market committee hopes this vibrant artwork will inspire Montrealers to revisit and explore Chinatown.

“The first Chinese arrived more than 100 years ago, and they were only [allowed to] live and also do business in Chinatown in the neighborhood. So for me Chinatown is the resiliency of a community and they’re able to have a beautiful mural, a portrait of Chinatown, it’s a way to underline the resiliency of this neighborhood that has been through different challenges,” explained Winston Chan, Asian Night Market committee member.

The backdrop takes its cues from an old porcelain vase, showcasing classic Chinese designs like dragons and peonies, along with Canadian touches such as pinecones and blue jays. Meanwhile, the centerpiece, with its painterly style, brings out the rich fusion of Chinese and Canadian cultures.

“The background with the blue and white motif, that’s a very traditional Chinese kind of motif, pulled from old ceramic vases, like from the Ming dynasty. And the idea there was to portray like the idea of a bit of a disconnect from culture, from the Chinese culture as like diasporic, first second generation Chinese immigrants. So there’s like a bit of fragmentation of our roots, but still something that’s very beautiful and recognizable,” said Chiahan. “And the center portion is more of just a portrait of Canadian Chinatown.”

“I’m super excited. Yeah, it feels like a huge honor to be in the heart of the city, basically. It’s my culture. Yeah, it feels good.”

Beyung adds, “Like a scene and also a winter scene. So there’s this good contrast of what’s actual and what’s more in the past, right? Traditional art.”

Beyung is one of the Asian artists who painted the May an Old Song Open a New World mural a decade ago at the corner of René-Lévesque and St-Laurent boulevards, and has a lot of memories tied to this neighborhood.

“I was born and raised here. Chinatown is like a second home. I don’t go as often now, but when I used to be a kid, like every birthday, wedding, I used to always be in Chinatown,” said Beyung.

Chinatown residents and business owners say they have seen growing challenges in the area after the closing of the homeless shelter at Complexe Guy Favreau in October.

But some hope that the new mural will bring vibrancy to the neighborhood. Committee member Winston Chan believes that the new mural will bring vibrancy to the neighborhood.

“Come and visit Chinatown to encourage our merchants, our restaurants but also come to enjoy and see the, to feel the vibe in Chinatown and also to see the beautiful mural we have here,” said Chan.