In their riotous tracks: Screen media and placemaking in Vancouver's chinatown

Abstract

This article examines the impact of screen media and digital technology on creative placemaking efforts in Vancouver's Chinatown. It reviews interdisciplinary research on placemaking as relational, networked practices that navigate conflicts and aspire towards social inclusion while operating in an urban context where diverse populations are engaged in daily interactions that cross ethnic and linguistic boundaries. A discussion of the placemaking initiatives of the collective Youth Collaborative for Chinatown (YCC) illustrates the ethos of grassroots placemaking practices in Vancouver's Chinatown and the way they intervene into competing discourses of heritage, multiculturalism, and gentrification. The main case study analyzes 360 Riot Walk, a historical walking tour in Vancouver's Chinatown designed by media artist Henry Tsang, focusing on the project's use of screen media and digital technology to provoke experiences of discomfort and unbelonging. The conclusion reflects on the importance of feeling “out of place” in placemaking efforts that engage with traumatic histories.