Rong Xin Book Launch: On Flushing, Immigrants, and Beyond

The launch of Rong Xin, a publication that takes a shopping mall as a microcosm of Flushing, capturing its intricate details within. Organized by the publisher te editions and hosted by initial research, Rong Xin’s first launch event brings together curatorial and editorial perspectives. Starting with Rong Xin Plaza, the discussion expands into the multifaceted dimensions of Flushing, exploring how artists engage with issues of community and immigration through their artwork and written words. The artist duo Mamahuhu (Yuki He + Qianfan Gu) — 马马虎虎 — who created “Flushing Polyphonous 法拉盛多重奏” for the exhibition three years ago, will present a new performance, “Old News Broadcast 旧闻联播.” The performance explores the stories and lived experiences of Flushing, sharing some of the neighborhood’s backstories, transformations, and vicissitudes over the years. Copies of Rong Xin will be available for purchase at the event. More about Rong Xin: English title: Rong Xin Chinese title: 荣欣 Published by te editions Contributors: Herb Tam, Lu Zhang, Xiyadie, Ryan Muchen Wang, Xueli Wang, Janice Chung, Anne Wu, Ou Ning, Yuki He and Qianfan Gu from Mamahuhu Editors: Michael Guo, Kechun Qin, Herb Tam, Lu Zhang Designer: Sixuan Tong The name Rong Xin comes from a mall in Flushing that cannot be found on any map. The facade of the mall immediately brings people back to 1980s and 1990s China. Shops stand side by side, dominated by a massive, eye-catching wall covered in recruitment and rental notices. This is indeed the very first landing spot for many new immigrants arriving in New York, where they get SIM cards, search for jobs, and embark on their new, uncertain journeys. In 2023, nine artists/collectives held an exhibition titled “Home-O-Stasis: Life and Livelihoods in Flushing” inside Rong Xin Plaza. The artworks were ingeniously interwoven with the daily details of the mall, creating a subtle dialogue between art, the vibrant bustle of everyday life, and the surrounding reality. Finding ourselves once again in 2026, amid a tempest of screenings and deportations targeting immigrants, how should we engage in conversations about this complex and volatile community? Rong Xin is not only a microcosm of this community, but also a tangible thing that people can hold onto amidst the maelstrom that is our reality. Rong Xin invited ten artists and scholars (Herb Tam, Lu Zhang, Xiyadie, Ryan Muchen Wang, Xueli Wang, Janice Chung, Anne Wu, Ou Ning, Yuki He and Qianfan Gu from Mamahuhu), including participating artists, to re-create works spanning short stories, games, self-narratives, interviews, and photography. Through various details, the book outlines the trajectories of new immigrants from arrival and wandering to employment and settlement. Through the nuances of reading and design, one temporarily traverses the intersecting streets and alleys of Flushing, finding a transient sense of security. ____________ Title image: The front and back covers of Rong Xin. Courtesy of te editions. Image in text: Rong Xin. Courtesy of te editions.