Chinatown Metro station
Dance of the Bride by Yumei Hou
These two metal screen sculptures are massive translations of Yumei Hou’s paper-cutting practice, executed in stainless steel using a laser and painted a vibrant red. “Yangge: Dance of the Bride” and “Yangge: Dance of the New Year” both take their names from the Yangge (Rice Sprout Song) folk dance from the northern provinces of China.
“Dance of the Bride” depicts a Manchu wedding celebration with the figures of a bride in a sedan chair, musicians, stilt walkers and fan dancers prominent.
Dance of the New Year
“Dance of the New Year” includes characters from the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” including Tang Monk, the Sand Monk, the Pig, and the Monkey King, as well as the figures of the New Year’s dragon and lion dancers.
Yumei Hou is based in Chinatown. She has studied and practiced ancient Chinese paper-cutting techniques for several decades in the United States and China. Yumei Hou was the recipient of the Chinese Cultural Center Visionary Artist Award in June 2022.