-028 Webson Ji
If there is one thing that you can change in a previous project of yours, what would it be?
Story after story just naturally flooded into my head when I read this question, and I interpreted it as, "What is your biggest regret in one of your projects?" But then I paused. I went through my stash of juicy stories (yes, I did save a few in case I ever found myself at an awkward exhibition opening) from all these years working in the art industry, but I let them go and decided to share something calmer, more intuitive, and more reflective of my current stage of deconstructing and rebuilding.
I want to interpret this question a little differently—not necessarily as doing one thing differently to get a better result, but doing one thing differently to arrive at an okay result while keeping my self-esteem and self-respect intact. The answer is simple:
Set boundaries.
When I first started the idea of building Li Tang Community in early 2020, it was the beginning of the pandemic. As someone who lived in New York City and experienced the whole thing, I had only one simple thought:
If there is no one out there supporting us, maybe we can at least support each other.
The pandemic hit our community hard. It took me a long time to revisit the fear and vulnerability from that period. It was a different, yet incredibly difficult time for Asian communities. Women were pushed onto subway tracks and killed. There were elderly people who were attacked, stoned, and even set on fire. A father had his face slashed in public. The Atlanta spa shootings. The stabbing of an Asian family in Texas. There was so much hatred and violence.
Living in New York at that time was a nightmare. I was verbally provoked on the street myself, and I witnessed plenty of "Go back to China" bullshit. I somehow thought being a big dude would keep me safe, but anti-Asian racism didn't care.
I asked myself:
What do I need as an Asian person in this darkness?
Safety. Freedom. Hope.
Then I told myself:
Okay. Let me see what I can do. Maybe there’s something I can bring to the table.
So I started my journey to support, to help, and to share hope. Maybe it wasn't much, but I believed that together we could build something for ourselves.
I gave too much of my time, connections, resources, and energy, yet I forgot that I was just a regular dude working a full-time paycheck-to-paycheck job while trying to support my own artist career in the first place.
Looking back, I realized something I didn't understand back then:
Compassion without boundaries becomes self-sacrifice.
As Li Tang Community gradually gained recognition and built a reputation in the industry, some people began to treat us very differently. Two things really stood out to me because I didn't set boundaries from the beginning.
1. The magic word: FREE.
From day one, I held onto the belief that artists should not have to pay submission fees or participation fees for a professional art exhibition or event.
However, years of working as an arts administrator taught me a lesson I never expected: fees are not always about making money. Sometimes they're simply a filter. They separate people who are genuinely committed to their practice from those who are only seeking attention.
You wouldn't believe the kinds of situations and crazy stories we went through after receiving hundreds, then thousands, of free submissions over the years.
2. Artist to artist.
As Li Tang continued to grow and receive more positive feedback from the industry, being "easy to work with" unexpectedly became a double-edged sword. There will always be people who want to take advantage of Li Tang's goodwill. If things don't happen the way they expect, they start throwing around comments like, "You guys are not professional," or "Li Tang isn't a professional organization anyway."
Back then, I always tried to explain. I would tell them that I was an artist first, not an arts administrator, and that I had learned everything from scratch. If there was anything we could improve, I would apologize and do my best to make the initiative better.
But year after year, I kept seeing the same type of people show up, while the overwhelming majority of artists remained supportive, kind, and collaborative toward one another. That's when I realized it wasn't simply about artists being difficult to work with.
It was often ego against goodwill.
As we're leading the team into Li Tang's next chapter, I'm much more determined to set boundaries and work with the right people. The pandemic is long gone. There are far more opportunities now than there were back then. Galleries, museums, and institutions are back, and new organizations continue to emerge every year. I'm proud that Li Tang fulfilled its role during that difficult chapter—to inspire, connect, and bring hope to our community when many of us needed it most.
But it's a new era now.
Instead of asking how Li Tang can keep giving more, I'm asking a different question:
How can Li Tang continue inspiring artists, arts professionals, and future cultural leaders with new approaches, new mindsets, and new resources?
And for me, that begins with something I wish I had learned much earlier.
Compassion without boundaries becomes self-sacrifice.
It took me years to learn that. That's why this time, I'll choose compassion—with boundaries.
Echoes of Home: A Retrospective Exhibition of the Li Tang Community, RIVAA Gallery, New York, NY, August 26 – September 8, 2023, Photo credit: Cheng Gong
Artist panel discussion, Echoes of Home, RIVAA Gallery, New York, NY, Photo credit: Cheng Gong
On Broadway Street Group Exhibition, A Space Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, June 23 – July 13, 2024
Artist panel discussion, On Broadway Street Group Exhibition, A Space Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Collective Marks and Strokes of Imagination: Li Tang Community 5th Anniversary Exhibition, THE BLANC, New York, NY, May 10 – 30, 2025, Photo credit: THE BLANC
THE BLANC x Li Tang Community Independent Curatorial Projects Exhibition, Photo credit: THE BLANC
THE BLANC x Li Tang Community Panel Discussions #1 – “Unpacking Visibility”, Moderator: Chiarina Chen, Speakers: Ami Park, Han Qin, Sizhu Li, Zhen Guo, Photo credit: THE BLANC
THE BLANC x Li Tang Community Panel Discussions #4 – Independent Curatorial Projects, Moderator: Webson Ji, Speakers: Phil Zheng Cai, Seoyoung Kim, Photo credit: THE BLANC
About Webson Ji
Webson Ji is a New York–based cultural producer, nonprofit arts leader, and curator. He focuses on contemporary Asian art, Asian diaspora cultural ecosystems, institutional development, public programming, and the evolving relationships between artists, institutions, and communities. He holds an M.A. in Sculpture from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a B.F.A. in Public Art from the China Academy of Art.
He is the Founder and Director of Li Tang Community, a New York–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the Editorial Director of Asian Art Contemporary, an independent editorial platform dedicated to contemporary Asian art. He oversees exhibitions, editorial initiatives, and strategic partnerships. His work has included collaborations with Sasse Museum of Art, RIVAA Gallery, A Space Gallery, THE BLANC, Metropolitan Art Atelier, and Kyungsung University, as well as projects presented at New York Art on Paper and the Shanghai HIAF Art Fair. He has also participated in jury panels for international exhibitions and open calls.
Webson Ji was named to the All America Chinese Youth Federation's Top 30 Under 30 list in 2021 and received the organization's Top 10 Outstanding Chinese American Youth Award in 2026.
All images courtesy of the artist.