Memory and Place—Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History

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What if buildings are more than just bricks and mortar, but keepers of secrets and history? The protection of cultural sites like Vancouver’s Chinatown helps us understand our connection to place, the past and the future. In showcasing Chinatown’s unique architecture through watercolour, Donna Seto connects art, memory and place while honouring the neighbourhood as an irreplaceable living heritage site and cultural asset for all Canadians.

About the presenter: Donna Seto

Donna Seto is a writer, self-taught artist and occasional academic. Growing up, Donna accompanied her parents on regular ventures through the bustling streets of Vancouver’s Chinatown, where they bought groceries, ate dim sum, purchased newspapers and visited her poh-poh. Her childhood, heritage and long-lost passion for art influenced her new book, Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History (House of Anansi, 2025). She holds a PhD in political science and international relations but dreams of being a poet.

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