#CIDLoveLetters 2.0: "Panama Hotel" by Mary Jean Gilman

The rapid changes to the Chinatown-International District are shocking, and I grieve over them. Development continued apace during the pandemic, while we were isolated at home and occupied with basic survival.

Buildings of historical and cultural import deteriorated aggressively. Many have been demolished, and stark towers that don’t respect the history or welcome traditions now loom overhead. This uniform sterility engenders fears that the shared culture and heritage of the C-ID could be wiped away so easily.

My interest is in places that contribute to community identity, whether threatened or cherished. It is important to be able to inhabit these spaces, physically, visually, emotionally. The Panama Hotel and The Hong Kong Apartments are good examples of places that offer a vision of the homogeneous society that nurtured its successors. These familiar places are a vital part of the daily scene. The continuity of culture should be acknowledged and accessible, not buried. Is this the sunset of C-ID’s identity as a cultural repository, or will the community essence be resilient enough to survive and thrive? That’s what I think about while I’m painting.