You Are Beautiful, Chinatown

Title: You Are Beautiful Chinatown
Artist: Matthew Hoffman
Partner: Latent Design
Location: You Are Beautiful Plaza, West 23rd Street & S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL
Installed: 2016
Materials: HDPE Plastic
Dimensions: Two panels, each 4 ft x 16 ft (approx. 8 ft x 16 ft overall)

About the Installation

Installed in 2016 in Chicago’s Chinatown, this version of You Are Beautiful was the first to feature both English and Mandarin 你很美麗 (Nǐ hěn měilì). Created in collaboration with Latent Design, the two-panel installation spans approximately 16 feet wide and stands as a permanent outdoor work at the intersection of West 23rd Street and South Wentworth Avenue.

Over time, the piece has become part of the neighborhood’s identity. The surrounding plaza is now recognized on Google Maps as “You Are Beautiful Plaza,” reflecting how the message has been embraced by the community and woven into the daily fabric of the area.

Public Response