Morris Lum “Tong Yan Gaai” Book Signing

Over the past decade, Chinese Canadian photographer Morris Lum (born 1983) has embarked on an extensive exploration of the Chinatown communities scattered across Canada and the United States. Focusing on the architecture and evolution of these enclaves, Lum delves into how “Chinese” identity is shaped and expressed through their structures. Using a large-format camera, he has captured Chinatowns in cities such as Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and Boston. Through his objective lens, Lum chronicles the rapid transformations these communities face, documenting the shifting architectural and economic landscapes. His colorful photographs offer a poignant visual record, spotlighting both historical and modern-day cultural landmarks—small family-owned businesses, iconic Chinese restaurants and vital community organizations—that define these neighborhoods.

Morris Lum is a Trinidadian-born photographer and artist whose work explores the complex hybridity of the Chinese-Canadian experience through photography, form, and documentary practices. Lum’s work has been exhibited and screened across Canada and the United States. Currently, he is focused on a cross–North American project examining the transformation of Chinatowns, capturing the evolving architectural and cultural landscapes of these Communities. Morris is an Assistant Professor in the Visual Studies Department of the Daniels Faculty of Architecture Landscape and Design, University of Toronto.