NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Ogden Museum of Southern Art will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon with Hoa Tay (Flower Hands), an exhibition which centers emerging and established Vietnamese-American artists working throughout the American South. Opening March 15, Hoa Tay will showcase twelve artists who use diverse media and styles to forge their own distinctive vision, conveying narratives of the Vietnamese Diaspora, both personal and universal.
On April 30, 1975, the People’s Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front of Vietnam seized the city of Saigon, which definitively marked the end of the Vietnam War with the surrender of the Republic of Vietnam. Subsequently, this resulted in a mass exodus of Vietnamese people who were forced to flee their country due to political persecution. One and a half million people risked their lives crossing borders into the neighboring countries of Laos and Thailand, while others embarked on treacherous boat voyages in the pursuit of sanctuary. A large portion of the Vietnamese diaspora sought refuge throughout the United States, initially relocating to any region offering sponsorship. Many of these refugees permanently settled throughout the American South, including enclaves in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina and the District of Columbia. The Gulf Coast was a particularly favored destination due to the similar subtropical climate and access to familiar shrimping and fishing industries.
The anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, or Black April, is often viewed as a somber emblem for the loss of war, homeland and family. It is simultaneously regarded as the initial establishment of Vietnamese communities within the American cultural landscape. The generations which followed have had to grapple with the effects of displacement and assimilation into American culture, all while facing systemic racism, anti-Asian sentiment and the weight of collective trauma. At the same time, the Vietnamese-American people have demonstrated tremendous resiliency and determination. Vietnamese-Americans have significantly influenced the region’s culture through their contributions to the culinary arts, beauty industry, literature, fine arts and music. Half a century later, the catalytic influence of the Vietnamese community is an integral force in the evolution of a new Southern identity.
Collaborating Curator Uyên Đinh expresses, “Above all, Hoa Tay provides a space for Vietnamese people in the American South to be proud of the diaspora’s creative output and achievements, honed through years of hardship and resilience. This exhibition would not have been possible without our New Orleans community, whose trailblazing works and tireless efforts forge a fearless vision for the future. Along with Selina McKane and Bradley Sumrall, I am thrilled to present this energizing exploration of Vietnamese culture in the American South.”
In Vietnam, a child is praised if they have many whorls on their fingertips. Similar to the rings that grow every year on tree trunks to mark a passing age, the more circles a Vietnamese child has on their fingertip, the more artistically gifted they are believed to be. Hoa tay, loosely translated to “flower hands,” are considered the marks of ingenuity, spirit and talent in the arts. Even among those with hoa tay, no one has the same fingerprint patterns. The artists in this exhibition are no exception—each bringing a singular vision to their studio practice.
Selina McKane, Curatorial & Exhibitions manager of Ogden Museum of Southern Art, said, “Hoa Tay (Flower Hands) is of a particularly historic nature, not only pertaining to the 50th anniversary, but as it bears witness to the on-going and evolving creative renaissance within the Vietnamese Diaspora in the American South. I am deeply humbled to present this special exhibition during this moment alongside my co-curators, Bradley Sumrall and Uyen Dinh.”
As a whole, the work in this exhibition often contends with complex notions of displacement and the formation of a unique cultural identity. Using a broad range of media and styles, these artists parse through the nuanced duality of their own unique Vietnamese-American experiences within the equally fraught history of the American South. Through that exercise of self-examination, each of these artists confront the past, embrace the future and bridge the reconciliation of both. The task of looking inward and forward at once seems impossible yet necessary – an exploration in rebirth that is ofen a byproduct of grief. The act of witnessing comes in unexpected forms, as these works wrestle with an inherited legacy that is both violent and resilient. Through material and form manipulations, these artists extract the truths and experiences of both visibility and invisibility, delicately balancing a path forward through sometimes fond, sometimes treacherous memories. But above all, it is a path forward. With this selection, Hoa Tay (Flower Hands) brings these artists into dialogue with one another as a tribute to this monumental moment of fify years in the United States.
Hoa Tay is curated by Selina McKane (Curatorial & Exhibitions Manager, Ogden Museum of Southern Art), Uyên Đinh and Bradley Sumrall (Curator of the Collection, Ogden Museum).
Artists in Hoa Tay (Flower Hands) include: Brandon Tho Harris, Christian Ðinh, Đan Lynh Phạm, Kenny Nguyen, Kimberly Ha, Lien Truong, Loc Huynh, Marion Hoàng Ngọc Hill, Millian Pham Lien Giang, MyLoan Dinh, No-No Boy and Vi Tuong Bui.
Special exhibition merchandise including accessories, postcards and a tee-shirt will be sold in the Museum Store and online. Exhibition-related programming will be announced closer to the exhibition open date.
The museum is located at 925 Camp St. For more information visit ogdenmuseum.org or call 504-539-9650.
