Mahjong and Its Cultural Forms
September 14—November 22, 2026
Sprague Gallery
An exhibition and public program exploring mahjong as a cultural form, through the presentation of visual materials and community archive alongside a series of game play days and public events.
Across many diasporic communities, mahjong has long functioned as informal networks where communities exchange advice, resources, gossip-care, and knowledge. Often overlooked as sites of cultural production, these spaces have operated as oral archives, fostered intergenerational relationships, and cultivated collective care practices.
Mahjong and Its Cultural Forms foreground these histories while exploring how a new generation of Los Angeles artists, musicians and cultural organizers are reimagining mahjong as both an ancestral practice and cultural art form. Presented through a mahjong parlor and a series of public workshops, the exhibition invites visitors to learn the game while engaging with its episodic histories across visual arts, cinema, literature, and popular culture.
At the heart of the exhibition is an ensemble of mahjong game forms, ranging from familiar table top settings to larger than life tiles. By positioning gameplay as both social gathering and performance, the exhibition expands on the history of mahjong beyond its rules and strategies to foreground the cultural and feminist histories embedded in the game.
Throughout the exhibition, the community will host public lessons and programs, blending traditional game play with contemporary music and nightlife. The Claremont community is invited to join MM in laying the table in a larger-than-life mahjong experience.
Mahjong and Its Cultural Forms is co-organized by Assistant Professor in Architecture Jia Yi Gu with Angie Lin of Mahjong Mistresses and East Never Loses. The exhibition and program co-hosted by HMC Humanities Social Sciences and the Arts, The Intercollegiate Feminist Center for Teaching, Research and Engagement, and the Intercollegiate Media Studies Program. Related Programs
Related Programs
Mahjong Office Hours
Thursdays in October @5:30-7:30pm Shakespeare Theater
Faculty and community members host informal two-hour mahjong workshops / office hours in the Sprague Art Gallery as part of the exhibition Mahjong and Its Cultural Forms organized by Prof. Jia Yi Gu and Angie Lin of Mahjong Mistresses. These sessions will offer students, faculty, staff, and community members a chance to drop in, learn the basics of mahjong, practice playing, and spend time together around the table. Partnership with 5C Board Club TBC.
Call for Teachers
Sign Up to Host Office Hours
House Rules: A Conversation with Nicole Wong and Angie Lin
October 12, 12:30-1:30pm House Rules: A Conversation with Nicole Wong and Angie Lin
Shakespeare Theater; Sprague Art Gallery
Hosted by Intercollegiate Media Studies, Nicole Wong (author of Mahjong: House Rules Across the Asian Diaspora) and Angie Lin gather for a presentation of various house rules that have shaped families and generations.
Mahjong Night — Main Event
November 5, 2026 @ 6-9pmShakespeare Theater
An evening to learn mahjong and play collectively, gathering for larger than life mahjong, Taiwanese pop songs with live DJ, and food and drinks by Gu Groceries. The program offers a welcoming space for intergenerational play and connection with vibrant social traditions surrounding mahjong.