"Creating Identity, Defining Culture, and Making History from an Art Exhibit: 'Unfinished Story: A Tribute to My Mothers" by Professor Valverde was definitely an interesting read. The persistence and power of the staunchly anti-communist forces within the Vietnamese community in America is pretty astounding. While their protests may be a bit muddled in terms of their overall goals and demands, they have effectively instilled the fear of being labeled a communist within the Vietnamese community. Journalists, artists, and academics alike feel this fear...but as Valverde writes, the tides seem to be turning, and people are getting bolder instead of meeker in the face of being called communist sympathizers.
One example Valverde mentions is Chau Huynh, an artist who was attacked for an art piece some claimed to be communist propaganda. In that particular piece, Huynh had painted the Republic of Vietnam flag in three pedicure basins, which offended many anti-communists. Their protests took on a bullying tactic, and Huynh feared for her safety for a period of time. After awhile, however, that fear became replaced with anger, and Huynh became adamant in not backing down and not censoring her artwork.
This and other examples Valverde writes about signifies that there is hope that eventually the Vietnamese community will no longer feel they have to censor themselves, as more and more people refuse to be silenced by the fear of being called a communist.
What do you think of Chau Huynh's artwork? And do you think there is any validity in what her protesters were saying?
Felicia Peng
Section A01
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