A South Dallas café transforms into a free art museum for AAPI Month, blending matcha, memory, and immersive works by Taiwanese artist Anthony Huang.
A South Dallas café transforms into a free art museum for AAPI Month, blending matcha, memory, and immersive works by Taiwanese artist Anthony Huang.
A South Dallas café transforms into a free art museum for AAPI Month, blending matcha, memory, and immersive works by Taiwanese artist Anthony Huang.
DALLAS — In the heart of South Dallas, a café hides an unexpected surprise behind its doors. Step inside Hyphen Space, and you’ll find more than just matcha lattes and cozy seating — you’ll discover an immersive art experience that blends culture, memory, and community.
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Hyphen Space has been transformed into a temporary, non-traditional museum featuring the work of Anthony TungNing Huang, a Taiwanese contemporary artist known for his contemplative installations across the globe. This marks Huang’s first exhibition in Dallas.
“I’m so grateful that Dallas is starting to build up enough of an art scene to attract amazing artists like Anthony Huang,” said Christina Hanh, a Dallas-based curator who connected with Huang through the Cedars Union Art Incubator.
The exhibition, titled Ex(spiro), uses monotype printmaking techniques — delicate works crafted by hand and aided by gravity. Huang carefully cuts each piece and applies them directly to the café’s walls using a method called Chine-collé, a French term meaning “Chinese collage.”
“This work is secretly about my memories,” Huang said, “but I also want people to read the work by themselves because we all have different experiences in life.”
As visitors walk through the café, they are invited to fully immerse themselves in the art — quite literally. The prints surround the space, wrapping the walls and ceiling, creating what Huang calls a “meditative experience.”
The sensory journey doesn’t stop at the visuals. In a unique twist, unlike traditional galleries, patrons can sip on drinks inspired by the artwork itself. One matcha and black sesame drink, Within the Misty Forest, was crafted to reflect the mood and tone of Huang’s installation.
“It makes me tear up, actually,” said Alyx Nguyen, co-owner of Hyphen Space. “As a Texas-born Asian American, I didn’t get to see much of the Asian American experience growing up.” To be part of something like this is empowering for Nguyen.
The exhibition runs through the end of May, offering a chance for locals to experience a cultural celebration that engages both the eyes and the palate.
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