Heart, heat and heritage on display in Steffie Yee’s exhibition at Maitland Regional Art Gallery

A playful and deeply personal tribute to childhood and cultural identity, Chinese Restaurant Playground by local artist Steffie Yee will be a highlight of Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s winter program, on display now through to 24 August 2025.

A nostalgic love letter to her childhood, the exhibition invites visitors into the colourful world of Yee’s upbringing in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Branxton, NSW. Blending themes of childhood, imaginative play and cultural identity, it explores what it means to grow up Chinese-Australian in a regional community. 

Maitland Regional Art Gallery Deputy Director Courtney Novak says, “This exhibition offers a rare and heartfelt insight into the experiences of Chinese-Australian families in regional areas.

“Beyond its playful memories, Chinese Restaurant Playground delves into themes of migration, resilience and cultural identity, capturing both the joy and significance of Yee’s upbringing.”

Combining stop-motion animation, hand-drawn sketches, restaurant memorabilia and retro ephemera, Chinese Restaurant Playground recreates the lively atmosphere of life behind the counter. The centrepiece is a looping animated film that brings to life vivid childhood memories, from rollerblading through the restaurant to drumming on pots and pans and peeking at customers slurping wonton soup.

A striking sculptural work titled Wok features a larger-than-life wok suspended mid-air. The piece symbolises the heat and energy of the kitchen while paying tribute to migrant families whose restaurants have become essential parts of their communities.

“Growing up in my parents’ restaurant, I saw it as both a family business and a second home,” Yee says.

“Through animation and archival materials, I wanted to share the story of my childhood as a Malaysian-Chinese kid in Branxton.”

Also featured in the exhibition are Yee’s hand-drawn storyboards, original menus and local oral histories that celebrate the lived experiences of Chinese-Australian families in regional New South Wales. 

“A Chinese restaurant is often seen as an aesthetic, not a place filled with real stories and people. It’s important to humanise these spaces and go beyond the novelty,” Yee says.

As part of the exhibition, visitors are invited to a guided tour with artist Steffie Yee, followed by a special in-conversation event with comedian Jennifer Wong and guest Danny Yam on Saturday 26 July, exploring the stories behind regional Chinese restaurants. For full details and bookings, visit the Gallery website.

The guided tour and in-conversation event are free to attend, but bookings are essential. Find out more at mait.city/ChineseRestaurantPlayground.