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In 2017, Yang Song, a massage worker in Flushing, died after she jumped from a window trying to flee a police raid; shortly after, Red Canary Song was created to build community and advocate for the decriminalization of massage work. Starting this weekend, an exhibit at the Storefront for Art and Architecture in Nolita is honoring the work of Red Canary Song through an exhibition that delves deep into themes of immigration, sex work, and policing.
Part art show, part celebration, and part community space, "Flower Spa: Solidarity Outside In," will run from January 20 through February 17 at 97 Kenmare Street. The exhibition includes artwork and testimonies from massage workers in Chinese and Korean, as well as the documentary Fly in Power, which tells the story of a Korean massage worker.
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Awareness of undocumented AAPI massage workers increased after the 2021 spa shootings in Atlanta, in which eight people — most of them migrant massage workers — were murdered. Across New York City, dozens of migrant workers do similar work in spas and massage parlors in Manhattan's Chinatown and Flushing. Through its testimonies and visual depictions, "Flower Spa" sends a poignant picture of how massage work among migrants is often a product of dire economic necessity, and how language barriers and immigration status makes these workers particularly susceptible to joining the underground economy.
"'Flower Spa: Solidarity Outside In' delves into entangled practices of placemaking while navigating issues of commercialism and fetishization, domestic violence and survival," exhibit organizers explained.
One of the standout features of the exhibit is its ability to convey the presence of the massage workers while maintaining their anonymity, such as a wallpaper design with the handprints of Red Canary Song's members. And for those who would like to contribute in more tangible way, the last day of the exhibit will be dedicated to hosting a fundraiser.
The opening reception will take place on Saturday, January 20 from 4pm-6pm and you can RSVP here. The exhibit will be will be open Wednesday-Saturday from 12pm-6pm until February 17.