The little-heard voice of Vietnamese women comes across loud and clear in “Changing Identity” – the first major artistic study of women artists from Vietnam. Their works, which are exhibiting at The Crow Collection of Asian Art through May 27, 2007, portray their culture, experiences and beliefs in order to challenge both traditional notions of “woman” and of “Vietnamese artist.”
Artists in Vietnam are gaining notice, but remain relatively unknown on the international art circuit. This is particularly true for Vietnamese women artists whose culture subjugates them to their roles as devoted daughter, wife, and mother before self. This marginalization is compounded by the West’s perceptions of them as war victims and under the male gaze as made iconic in Miss Saigon and A Scent of Green Papaya.
“To be a woman, an artist and Vietnamese is a “triple bind.” Already marginalized, a woman who is also Vietnamese is subject to additional prejudices as a minority. If you add to that being an artist, a woman’s identity becomes more obscured and isolated,” said filmmaker and scholar Trinh T. Minh-Ha.
Passionate about maintaining their own identities, the women make their voices heard through artistic expression. The exhibited works span a variety of media, including vibrant watercolors on rice paper, ink paintings reminiscent of calligraphy, riveting installations, breath-taking photography and more. Though the mediums might be considered traditional, the artistic themes are anything but that. Rather, they express non-conformity and self-preservation. Exhibitor Chau Giang expresses her struggle to balance expected family roles with self and career in a painting of her in the middle and two strings extending to her husband and son. “Now my body belongs to my son, but I won’t let him suck away my soul,” said Giang.
“One of the objectives of The Crow Collection of Asian Art is to shine a light on part of the world that is often overlooked in our Western culture,” said Amy Hofland, Director of The Crow Collection of Asian Art. “Changing Identity is a special exhibit because it calls attention to the tremendous talent of these Vietnamese artists. It is our great pleasure to exhibit their beautiful work.”
This run of this exhibit is timed well to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May.
The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art contains more than 600 paintings, objects of metal and stone, and large architectural pieces from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Over 300 works are on display in the galleries including precious jade ornaments from China, delicate Japanese scrolls and a rarely seen 28-foot by 12-foot sandstone facade of an 18th century Indian residence.
Organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC, and supported in part by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and the Henry Luce Foundation. Educational activities made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation, Hanoi office, and fiscally administered by the Institute of International Education.
-Images available on request-
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