YAYI x CURRY SICONG TIAN
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FILM TITLE:
IT IS NOT SPRING, UNTIL ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM
一朵花，不是春
“ IT IS NOT SPRING, UNTIL ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM ” (a quote from Shui Mak Ka, one of the factory workers initializing the 1982 Garment Strike) is a homage to
the overlooked and objectified laboring body of Asian Immigrant Women in the western world, with an eye on the garment factory owners and workers within the New York
garment production sector as a representation of the US social panorama.
With reference to the French philosopher Gaston Bachelars’s topo-analysis theory from his literature work The Poetics of Space — a form of research that examines the
intimacy of objects and spaces; the working space itself becomes the representation of one’s identity, cultural behaviour and a kind of consciousness. Thus, this
collaborative project aims to explore the poetic relationship between these women factory worker’s invisible social identity, the workspace, movement and fashion in the
Chinese diaspora in America, dating from the 1970s to present times.
YA YI - IT IS NOT SPRING, UNTIL ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM. from Curry Sicong Tian on Vimeo.
Based on my personal experience growing up as a Chinese immigrant, as well as through my working experience as an Asian fashion designer in the US, I have been
closely exposed to the lives and workspaces of Asian immigrant sewers and garment factory workers in the recent years. Aside of undesirable working conditions,
unlawful working hours and underpaid rates, their names and workmanship have been rarely credited by the industry nor celebrated designers.
Artist Statement
The first wave of Chinese workers came to the United States in the 1800s to work in jobs such as agriculture, mining and railroad construction. However, immigration
came to a halt in 1882 when the Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese people from entering the U.S. It was the first non-wartime law to bar immigration based on
nationality.
Chinese immigrants were not eligible for citizenship until 1943, over 60 years later. The 1965 Immigration Act helped create a pathway for Chinese to immigrate to the
United States through the reunification of families and attracting skilled workers. This lead to the second wave of Chinese immigration during the 1970s and 80s.
In the 1970’s, New York City was in an economic slump and crime was high. Many industrial buildings were closed down. Chinese entrepreneurs took the opportunity to
open up their own garment factories, following in the footsteps of other immigrant groups such as those of Jewish and Italian heritage. Asian workers from China, Korea
and Southeast Asia increased the New York garment trade by 265 percent between 1970 and 1980.
On Mott Street, over 20,000 garment workers — almost entirely women — once marched down the center of Chinatown to Columbus Park on a warm Spring day in 1982.
They donned union hats and raised picket signs to press for the renewal of their union contracts. United, immigrant Chinese American women called for workers’ rights
that would forever impact U.S. labor history.
In fiery speeches that were met with enthusiastic applause and cheers, women leaders exposed the plight of working women, and extolled the Chinatown community to
carry on with the struggle for better wages and better working conditions.Within hours, dozens of garment shop owners called the union, finally agreeing to renew the
workers’ contracts. That day, Chinese women won a historic victory in labor rights, securing wage increases and benefits for tens of thousands women workers in the city.
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FILM TITLE:
IT IS NOT SPRING, UNTIL ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM
一朵花，不是春
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DIRECTOR
Curry Si Cong Tian @curry_tian
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Yayi Chen @ya__yi_official
PRODUCER
Joyce Yueyi Xing @xingjojo @osmanthus_studios
CO-PRODUCER
Dante Jiayu Liu @dantejiayuliu
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Wenkai Wang @wwenkaiw
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Bruce Puyu Wang @bruce_wang_lee
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1st ASSISTANT CAMERA
Evan Feng @evan_feng_
CAMERA PA
Shanshan Zhang @shanshan___zhang
GAFFER
Han Wang @han_2001203
KEY GRIP
Jason Chew @chewchomp
BEST GIRL
Cassie Yunzhi Zhang @cassiezyz
BEST BOY
Yu Jiang @yuyuyu.mov
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Vivienne Liu @vivienneliudesign
ART GRIP
Nicholas Brester @nicholasbrester
ART PA
Roku Jingwen Long @roku.long
Anson Li @qectus
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FASHION DESIGN BY
Ya Yi Studio @ya__yi_official
ACCESSORY DESIGN COLLABORATOR (HANDBAG & SHOES)
Andrée Kong @andree_archive
STYLIST
Kellen Kauffman @kellen_______
STYLING ASSISTANTS
Jasmine Zhang @jasminekkzhang
Angel Pan @anangelorsmth
Luwenxi Song @luwenxis
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HAIR STYLIST
Shin Arima @shinarima
ASSISTANT HAIR STYLIST
Rika Shimojyo @rikaringjiji
MAKE UP ARTIST
Mitch Yohei Yoshida @mitchyoshidamakeup
ASSISTANT MUA
Emma Fuka Ando @emmakeup1102
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CHOREOGRAPHY BY
Erin Maher @erin.m.maher
Grace Yi-Li Tong @graceytong
LEAD PERFORMER
Leah Ogawa @leahogawa
PERFORMERS
Erin Maher @erin.m.maher
Grace Yi-Li Tong @graceytong
Hong Lin @hong.lin.liii
Xin Min @viaxmin
Ariel Ziyi Cui @arielpunnk
Leah Ying Lin @__leah______
Zhiqing Zhang @princessofchinatown
Vinca Minor @vinca_minor
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STILL PHOTOGRAPHER
Boyang Hu @boyang_h
STILL ASSISTANTS
Stefy Lin @stefy.lin
Yichen Zhou @yichen_815
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EDITOR
Qiyan Li @liqiyan2013
CO-EDITOR
Xiao Han @xiiiaoh
VFX ARTIST
Shengluo Zhang @zshengluooo
COLOR BY
Reason Studio
COLORIST
Roy Sun @coloristroy
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Ricky Yuecen Cai @rishepp
MUSIC BY
Chamberlain Zhang @chamberlainz