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Rhode Island
New mural in Providence honors lost Chinatown and historic drag queen – The Boston Globe
“This project felt like it was specifically invented for me,” said Lauren YS, the Los Angeles-based artist who painted the mural. “We’re on the street corner that used to house the Chinese Merchants Association, was Chinatown, and is now a queer neighborhood. That cross-section of identity is what I practice within.”
YS said they have worked on plenty of projects in Chinatowns across the United States, as well as painted murals in LGBTQ+ neighborhoods. “But never has it actually intersected,” they said.
The 85-foot-wide mural is located at 40 Snow St., a building owned by Paolino Properties, and faces the Dark Lady, a storied gay nightclub that regularly hosts drag and dance parties. The Avenue Concept, a nonprofit arts organization responsible for many of Providence’s murals, worked with the city and Paolino Properties to hire YS for the commissioned piece.
Unlike many muralists, YS did not project an image of a rough sketch of the mural onto the building at night. They drew the mural out by hand.
In addition to Renault, the mural features other elements that honor Providence’s LGBTQ+, Chinese American, and Southeast Asian communities — which often intertwined in local lore.
Born Antonio Auriemma, Renault performed in 42 countries and across the US, including frequently at Carnegie Hall in New York. His costume collection was valued at $50,000, according to the Providence Public Library’s archives ― worth about $1.1 million today. A writer at the Dallas Morning News noted it included a replica of Marie Antoinette’s wedding gown and a kimono “covered with roses of gold hand embroidery.”
The mural also includes a figure holding a pair of scissors and a piece of thread, which is meant to honor Perry Watkins, who in 1939 became the first Black costume designer from Providence on Broadway. He attended Hope High School, where he and a friend illustrated a newspaper called The Foolscape, and he was awarded a scholarship to study art at the Rhode Island School of Design. This figure in the mural is also holding a fan adorned with the name “Port Arthur,” a Chinese-American restaurant and dancehall known as a haven for the city’s Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
The Tow family opened Port Arthur on Weybosset Street in 1921. The restaurant’s third floor was an elaborate banquet hall, and musician Bobby Hackett, who later played with Frank Sinatra, honed his craft playing in a six-piece band at the restaurant while he was a teenager. During World War II, Port Arthur became popular with sailors and soldiers, and Shore Patrol considered it such a problematic spot that it was nicknamed “blood alley,” according to the book “Lost Restaurants of Providence.” Port Arthur closed in 1965.
The two middle figures in the mural blend ancient Chinese opera with modern drag, said YS.
“For centuries in China, only cis men were allowed to perform,” said YS. “All the crazy femme types were played by cis men. So my ancestors have been doing drag for forever.”
One of the opera performers is wearing a name tag that says “Luke’s,” referring to Luke’s Chinese American Restaurant, which was located directly behind Providence City Hall from 1951 to 1990. This same figure is also holding two playing cards — the king of hearts and the queen of spades, which YS said represents “Kings & Queens,” a gay bar in Woonsocket open from 1977 to 2002.
A dangling, gold charm bracelet and purple earning with a cursive letter “B” honor the late Beatrice Temkin. Temkin, who was often called “Bea,” was a pioneering local LGBTQ+ ally, and The Beatrice, a nearby hotel owned by her son, former mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr., is named after her.
The red curtains painted on either side of the mural represent the local theaters downtown, YS said, and the arches reference the now-closed Chinese restaurants and dancehalls that were central to the theater experience from the 1950s to the 1980s.
“Public art is fundamental to Providence, and this mural will not only beautify downtown, but also tell a powerful story of our community’s rich history and vibrant diversity,” said Mayor Brett Smiley.
The city paid $65,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to commission the mural, which will be part this year’s PVDFest festivities, according to Joe R. Wilson Jr., Providence’s director of Art, Culture, and Tourism. PVDFest, the city’s signature arts and culture festival, will take place Sept. 6 and 7.
In the mural, Renault holds lavender blossoms — (which have become a symbol of empowerment for the LGBTQ+ community) — and YS pointed to the rainbow Pride flags nearby. There are obvious signs of the queer community around downtown today, they said, but hardly anything references what used to be a thriving Chinatown built by working-class families.
“It makes me really sad that there is no Chinatown here,” said YS. “We feel sort of displaced if there’s no hub.”
“This piece nods to the immigrant history that built these neighborhood blocks,” added YS. “Maybe, someday, Providence will rebuild it.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.
Why is the flag at half staff? These are possible reasons
The flag of the United States of America is flown at half-staff on several occasions, generally marking that the country is in mourning
On Friday, May 15, flags will be flown at half-staff across the United States to commemorate Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Recognized each year since 1962 as part of May’s National Police Week, the national observance pays tribute to United States law enforcement officials who gave their lives in the line of duty, whether at the local, state or federal level.
“United in gratitude, we recommit ourselves to supporting those who keep the peace in our neighborhoods, and we offer our heartfelt appreciation for the service they render to community and country,” reads a proclamation from President Trump. “Their steady presence brings calm to our streets, their dedication preserves the order that allows our Nation to flourish, and their unwavering vigilance is the reason families across America can rest under the promise of a safer tomorrow.”
In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, the flag of the United States at all public buildings and grounds across the country and its territories – including in Rhode Island – will fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, May 15.
Why are flags flown at half-staff?
According to the official website of the U.S. General Services Administration, flags typically fly at half-staff when the country or specific state is in mourning. Observances include national tragedies, days of remembrance and deaths of government or military personnel.
The president, the state governor or the mayor of Washington, D.C., can order flags to fly at half-staff.
Half-staff vs. half-mast
While half-staff refers to lowered flags on land, half-mast refers to those at sea. Both refer to a flag being flown beneath the top of its staff as a sign of respect.
RI’s Verdi Productions films ‘Bad News On The Doorstep’ in Providence
Verdi Productions wrapped filming of Tom DeNucci’s “Bad News On The Doorstep” early on May 23 in Providence.
Verdi Productions’ secret horror movie, “My Boyfriend is a Demon,” now filming in Rhode Island, is no longer a secret as Chad A. Verdi, the East Greenwich production company’s president, has announced the cast and given an outline of the movie’s plot.
The ensemble cast comprises veteran actors and rising young talents. The story follows Mary, a lonely, small-town girl who creates a fake Instagram account that pretends to be boyfriend, a guy too perfect to be real. Mary puts so much effort into making him “real” that he shows up at her door one day.
The cast includes:
- Mattias Ferrell, son of comic actor Will Ferrell and known for “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
- Coco Arquette, daughter of Courteney Cox and David Arquette and known for “Cougar Town.”
- David Arquette, known for his work in the “Scream” film franchise.
- Rosanna Arquette, David’s sister and Coco’s aunt, known for “The Moment.”
- Bailey Sloan, known for “Ragamuffin.”
- Jack Champion, known for “Avatar.”
- Ever Anderson, known for “Peter Pan & Wendy.”
- Vinnie Hacker, known for “Euphoria.”
- Josephine Reitman, known for “Juno.”
- Savannah Lee Smith, kown for “Tunsel Town.”
- Lisa Yamada, known for “Elle.”
- Ty Law, known for “Friday Night Lights.”
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is written and directed by first-time director mishka.
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is filming in Providence
The movie began filming in Rhode Island in April and has rented Providence’s Cranston Street Armory for the month of May to use as a studio.
The producing team for Verdi Productions includes Chad A. Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba, Michelle Verdi and Sera Verdi. Executive producers include Ketchup Entertainment and Kinolime.
Good morning! Happy Thursday! Today will be pretty unsettled with the chance for showers and t’storms. Friday will still be damp with showers and drizzle, but the weekend still looks amazing!
The one good thing with the rain, for allergy sufferers at least, the pollen levels will be lower. In fact, both today and tomorrow, the tree pollen counts will be low locally. Do expect a spike in the pollen count for Saturday and Sunday with the dry weather.
INTERACTIVE RADAR: Live Pinpoint Weather 12 Radar »
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” FLIGHT TRACKER
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” POWER OUTAGES
TODAY
Hour-by-hour forecast for today…
We’ll have some showers around during the morning commute today, but the greatest chance for showers and t’storms will be after 9AM and before 5PM.
Showers and thunderstorms could slow travel around mid-day. Rain could fall heavily at times.
A line of showers and t’storms will be sweeping across the area through the afternoon as a slow-moving weather systems moves through the region.
Highs today will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s with southeast to east winds of 5-15mph.
“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” BEACH AND BOATING FORECASTS
TONIGHT
Showers are still possible this evening; although they won’t be as numerous.
TOMORROW
That low center will be nearby Friday morning, and we’ll be stuck with a damp, cool windflow. Expect drizzle and showers in the morning and possibly some lingering showers in the afternoon.
Highs Friday will only be in the 50s. The average high this time of year is in the upper 60s.
LOOKING AHEAD
Then…there’s the weekend. Saturday looks amazing with lots of sunshine and dry weather. It’ll be warmer, too, with highs in the 70s.
-Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo
T.J. Del Santo (tdelsanto@wpri.com) is the weekday morning and noon meteorologist for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Threads and BlueSky.
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