Sichuan
Benjamin Li
Opening hours:
11:00 - 23:00
Address:
Warmoesstraat 17
Benjamin Li has created three screen prints specially for Sichuan Amsterdam. The works are based on his personal archive of sugar sachets from Chinese restaurants. The works can be seen at three Sichuan locations: Lange Niezel 24, Warmoesstraat 17, and Zeedijk 103. The silkscreen prints are signed by the restaurant staff and this is documented on film. This makes the restaurants and the people who work there part of Benjamin's archive.
Benjamin Li is a conceptual artist based in Rotterdam. His work pushes on questions of identity, representation, displacement, everyday life, foodways and a sense of home. He currently approaches these questions centrally through an exploration of the Chinese restaurant.
Since 2014, Benjamin has visited over 1.000 Chinese restaurants across the Netherlands in an endeavour to build an archive of this restaurant. Benjamin finds beauty in this topic, but for him it is also a way to come to understand his Chinese roots and family history. Many of his family members, including his parents, have worked in the restaurants as a way to survive and integrate into Dutch society.
About Location
Sichuan Amsterdam is part of a long-standing family history in the center of Amsterdam. The restaurant currently operates five locations. It focuses on delivering consistent food quality and service. Sichuan Amsterdam works according to three guiding principles: “the flavor of the dishes”, “the ambiance of the restaurant”, and “the hospitality of the staff”.