Pinch of Us

Pinch of Us is a series of transcultural, participatory workshops that transform the domestic ritual of dumpling-making into a communal art experience. Rooted in the Lunar New Year traditions of my Taiwanese family, the project treats dumplings not just as symbols of prosperity, but as vessels for shared labor and unguarded kinship.

The Experience

During each workshop, two instructors from diverse backgrounds introduce dumplings from their respective cultures, demonstrating unique folds and flavor profiles. While the fillings and dough are prepared in advance, the real work begins on-site: participants and instructors roll, fold, and cook together.
The setting is designed to dissolve traditional hierarchies. Every individual shifts fluidly between the roles of maker, server, guest, and host. Through the collective acts of folding, eating, and cleaning, participants become equal co-creators—sculpting nourishment from scratch to build a temporary community.

Cultural Fusion & Metaphor

Mirroring the multicultural makeup of New York City and Utica, New York, instructor pairs guide participants to blend culinary traditions — Korean mandu with Turkish manti, Italian ravioli with Chinese pork and chives—so that heritage and hybridity meet in the same dumpling. Rather than striving for technical mastery, the project embraces the imperfect and the playful. Here, the dumpling becomes a metaphor for the multicultural self: what lies inside, what wraps around it, and how it is ultimately shared.

The Vision

Playfulness offers a gentle entry point for dialogue and mutual care. By stepping away from overt political themes, the project cultivates presence, warmth, and joy. It is an invitation to slow down, work with our hands, and simply be together.
Ultimately, Pinch of Us turns an intimate family ritual into an ephemeral, connective artistic experience. It extends my broader practice of exploring cross-cultural commonalities and differences—refracted through heritage and interdependence, using food as a multisensory, relational medium for storytelling, exchange, and shared vulnerability.

October 3, 2026 with David (Data) Chigholashvili and Rowan Renee at FiDi Creatives
August 26, 2026 with Asia Sztencel (Poland) and San(USA/Thailand)/ Nanabi (Restaurant) at Sculpture Space, Utica
August 16, 2026 with Büşra Bü (Türkiye) and Eunjoo Song (South Korea) at FiDi Creatives
June 8, 2026 with Ming Lin (USA) and Sasha Plotnikova​ (Ukraine) at Essex Market
May 30, 2026 with Duffy Fan Du (China) and Steven Mygind Pedersen (Denmark/UK) at Sunview Luncheonette
May 17, 2026 with Asia Sztencel (Poland) and Vu Thien An Nguyen (Vietnam) at Westbeth Gallery
May 16, 2026 with Bang Geul Han (South Korea) and Juan Pablo Caicedo Torres (Colombia) at Essex Market


The 2026 Pinch of Us workshop series is realized with support from the New York State Council on the Arts and Sculpture Space, Inc.