Grace Lau's exhibition 'Portraits in a Chinese Studio' opens at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery on January 13, 2025. The show features photographs taken in Hastings and St Leonards between 2005 and 2025, depicting local people posed on mock traditional Chinese furniture with modern items like mobile phones and plastic bags, creating a contrast between past and present. The project was funded by Arts Council England and supported by John Hansard Gallery, and runs until March 29, 2026.
The exhibition matters because it uses portraiture to critique imperialist visions of the 'exotic' Chinese, reversing the colonial gaze by positioning Lau as the photographer documenting her subjects in southern England. It also fosters community dialogue about identity, culture, and belonging, while representing local residents in a museum setting. Lau's work, held in major collections including the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern, adds to the show's significance as a contemporary art project with historical resonance.