Siyan Wong: Make It 10 Cents
5PM
Make it 10 Cents is a painting exhibition to raise awareness and to support a one-day pop-up redemption on May 26th in Chinatown. This pop-up simulates the passage of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill by redeeming all materials at the 10-cent rate.
Siyan Wong’s paintings depict elderly low wage workers who collect cans to survive. Each of her social realist paintings, in vibrant colors, captures a fleeting moment that exudes the human experience of living – depicting lives whose efflorescence is held back by the politics of their days. Together, they show the human spirit always venturing toward a better life.
Through these paintings, she gives visibility to the work of the historically marginalized, and puts a spotlight on the cans and bottles that end up in costly landfills that devastate our environment. The individuals appearing in her paintings are elderly Chinese immigrants in Chinatown and the Lower East Side who worked in garment factories, restaurants, and homecare before turning to rummaging for cans and bottles on the streets.
Wong states that, “Art is only as powerful as the inspiration for actions that comes from it. ‘Make It 10 Cents’ is an art exhibition about doing right by our vulnerable population of elderly and working poor, and to protect our environment that is experiencing rapid, severe degradation driven in part by failure in policies.”
Opening & Silent Auction: Tuesday 4/14/26, 6 pm
Location: Welcome to Chinatown
Regular Hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Duration: April 14 - May 29, 2026