Appreciating the historical, contemporary and future significance and influence that Asian culture has on us all, a diverse dream team of leading creatives has come together to help how best they can, in the face of the horrific rise in Southeast Asian hate and anti-East rhetoric.
Welcome The Communitea Shop, a store dedicated to raising funds for the LCCC (the London Chinese Community Centre), following the threat of its permanent closure and the subsequent fundraiser to keep it open.
Teaming up with Roomfifty to produce and sell the products, Communitea has gathered 55 artists to create unique prints in the name of the LCCC and firmly counter racial hatred whilst they're doing it – even if the creatives have not been a direct victim of anti-East and Southeast Asian hate themselves. "Our brief is simple; to draw upon one's ties to Chinese/ESEA culture," one of the core members of Communitea's 'communiteam' Kenn Lam explains, "pushing the point that anyone can have a connection with these cultures and that consequently if an ESEA person is hurting, we all hurt."
With this in mind, alongside a phenomenal catalogue of Asian talent, including Zipeng Zhu and Helen Li, to name a few, Communitea features the likes of Marylou Faure, Inga Ziemele, Butt Studio, Hato, Charlotte Mei, OMSE, Thomas Hedger, Danielle Rhoda and more. Available at Roomfifty at a starting price of £20, the prints are available together with the unique offering of the 'Communitea Bag' – a teabag donated by LCCC's kitchen that can be purchased for £45,000. The high price would cover the community centre's fundraiser in one fell swoop and would financially see them through the entirety of the coming year.
The resulting prints are beautiful, both in their compositions and the significant sentiment of the project as a whole. With a tendency of kindness, compassion, and community, Communitea is symbolic of the creative industry's power, generosity, and, most importantly, a paradigm of its responsibility. "I hope the art show will send out a positive reminder that there is still plenty to be inspired by," Communitea member Geo Law concludes. "And that many people around the world enjoy parts of Asian culture that have permeated all cultures, from food, music, fashion and film."
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