Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s-2000

Welcome to Dream Factory — where pop stardom, migration, and music history collide.

This bold, genre-defining exhibition celebrates the golden age of Cantopop and Mandopop — the iconic sounds that took Asia by storm and sparked a global music revolution.

On view from May 28, 2025 at the Chinese Canadian Museum, Dream Factory dives into two unforgettable decades of pop — from idol fandoms to fashion flashpoints — and reveals Canada’s unexpected starring role in launching these sounds onto the world stage.

For generations of Chinese Canadians, these songs echoed through living rooms, karaoke bars, and car stereos — becoming powerful symbols of home, longing, and identity across borders.

Tracing deep cultural flows between Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, and Canada, the exhibition captures the nostalgia, resilience, and creativity of a diaspora that shaped — and was shaped by — the music of its time.

Curated by Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee with Yilin Chen and Bofei Zhang.

Highlights

Fashion Meets Music

Dream Factory spotlights the bold vision of six Canadian fashion designers, including Stephanie Kong and Vancouver Chinatown tailoring store legend, Modernize Tailors. From vintage glam to streetwear edge, their work celebrates the creativity born at the intersection of Canadian and Hong Kong culture — with standout designs by Bev Huynh, Charlotte Chang, Ric Yuen, and Tina Tam, who give Cantopop and Mandopop a fresh, contemporary spin.

Legendary Sounds

Immerse yourself in a floor-to-ceiling LED sound wall, pulsing with custom-built 1980s-style speakers, as a video projection playlist brings beloved stars like Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, and Faye Wong to life. Their electrifying cover songs, rock ballads, and dance hits of the 1980s stir deep nostalgia — a soundtrack of longing, rebellion, and joy that defined a generation.

Contemporary Art and Film Commissions

The exhibition unveils a show-stopping stage installation by internationally acclaimed artist Ming Wong, created in collaboration with Liam Morgan — a vibrant tribute to the spectacle and drama of Cantopop performance culture. Featuring vibrant new visual artworks by Bagua Artist Association and Ho Tam, inspired by the bold aesthetics, emotional intensity, and nostalgic glamour of Cantopop and Mandopop. Also premiering a new documentary by Black Rhino Creative, capturing the iconic sound, star power, and cultural legacy of a movement that connected generations across borders.

This exhibition would not be possible without the generous support of the Province of British Columbia and Din Tai Fung. We thank them for their commitment to cultural celebration and community storytelling.