SHIHUI ZHOU
The owner of LATITUDE Gallery New York creates a safe space for Asian artists to showcase their craft.
Image courtesy of Shihui Zhou
Situated in the heart of Chinatown, at the intersection of Bayard and Elizabeth Street, lies an intimate art gallery called LATITUDE Gallery New York.
In March, LATITUDE featured the work of mixed-media sculptor Tinglan Huang for her solo exhibition, Soft Box. As visitors entered the space, they were immersed in the artist’s eclectic environment of craft wood and plastic container sculptures wrapped in yarn, an installation of reed baskets in the corner, and other experimental creations by Huang.
“My first intention for this gallery is that it would be a space dedicated to supporting Asian artists and to form a community,” says Shihui Zhou, founder and owner of LATITUDE Gallery. “So every program, every exhibition supports that, no matter the medium.”
Zhou believes that Asian artists should not be expected to only produce “traditional Asian art or high category work,” nor boxed into any stereotypes that may exist around Asian artists in the modern art world.
Mixed-media sculptor Tinglan Huang’s exhibition, Soft Box. Photographed by Michaela Zee
“A lot of friends of mine in the art world are looking forward to that as well,” she adds. “A lot of art and artists — where they're coming from is not [always] politically charged. It's a constantly changing moment.”
Shihui Zhou is a Brooklyn-based artist originally from Dalian, China. Prior to opening LATITUDE Gallery, Zhou honed her artistic skills in textiles. “My more profound memories of my relationship with textiles and fashion are pretty important to me,” she says. “I have memories of making Barbie doll clothes. I know it sounds cliché, but I definitely made all that stuff. Even the little pillows or comforters for the dolls.”
After receiving her MFA in fashion from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2018, Zhou moved to New York to start a residency at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn.
“I considered myself a lucky artist; I got into this residency, met a lot of peers, was accepted into this textile community, and I was in a lot of shows,” Zhou recalls. “But I realized that a lot of my friends, who are very good Asian artists, sometimes don't get as many opportunities.”
Zhou values building relationships with fellow Asian artists, and this became her main inspiration to open her gallery. During her curation process for each exhibition, Zhou searches for emerging artists through her community, friends, open applications, and even social media.
"But I realized that a lot of my friends, who are very good Asian artists, sometimes don't get as many opportunities."
In January 2020, Zhou opened LATITUDE in a studio space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Later that month, after some renovations and DIY installations, she hosted a soft opening for her first exhibition, Uncertainty, featuring the works of eight Asian artists (including herself). “The identity of the show was based on the uncertainty of the gallery or the uncertainty of just being an artist, or immigrant artist, in a foreign country,” Zhou says.
Two months later, “uncertainty” became the literal state of her gallery as COVID-19 forced her to close her doors indefinitely.
During quarantine, Zhou lived in her gallery to avoid paying rent for two separate spaces. Rather than letting the pandemic consume her with setbacks, she viewed this isolation as a chance to reassess her intentions for her gallery. “We really want to have a solid foundation and a voice that has a long-lasting impact.”
Artist: Tinglan Huang. Photographed by Michaela Zee
And two years later, after moving from Brooklyn to Manhattan, LATITUDE has now featured over 20 exhibitions since its inception. Nestled between a bakery and restaurant, LATITUDE welcomes any visitor or passersby navigating the bustling streets of Chinatown.
“Sometimes the walk-ins ask a lot of interesting questions and we form great friendships,” Zhou says. “This neighborhood is really what our gallery needed — we are joining the community, but also building a more specific art scene with it. I definitely feel at home here and I love all the visitors.”
Outside of managing her gallery, Zhou is hoping to return to her textile artwork, such as installations or pieces involving weaving and screen printing. Last year, she even purchased a loom for herself to rekindle her passion for the craft. "There's something about textiles for me. Not just as a profession, but also as meditation. It has this quality that's very beautiful and calming. When I want to clear my mind, I weave."
For now, Zhou maintains a tight schedule; she takes the J train from Williamsburg and spends the majority of her day working in her office at the gallery.
"This neighborhood is really what our gallery needed — we are joining the community, but also building a more specific art scene with it."
Her dedication to maintaining an inclusive space for artists of Asian descent — especially Asian immigrants like herself — is at the forefront of Zhou's mission for LATITUDE Gallery.
LATITUDE Gallery New York is located at 64A Bayard Street.
