Project by Cuishujun Zhang
My idea is that the concept unfolds in three vertical parts, establishing a rhythmic connection through space. By unpacking this structure through historical background and the livelihoods of Arab Americans at the time, including stage performances, educational lectures, and the trade in Oriental goods, the project reveals how a filtered image of Arab Americans was formed in the United States, one that was shaped by external perception rather than lived reality.
Facing an urgent need for identity in a new land, the inner spirit and solidarity of Arab immigrants found expression through literature and publishing. Newspapers, literary magazines, and poetry collections created a sustained voice that resisted misrepresentation and affirmed self-definition.
Today, efforts continue to preserve the first mother colony and the spirit embodied by its three buildings. The museum functions as a translator of space, uncovering the deeper meanings behind the exhibitions and the cultural seeds planted by Arab Americans in New York. Although only one landmark church remains, through contemporary literature, art, and archival practices, the traces and poetry of Arab American history continue to resonate across time.
