Pedicure Basin Art

Reading Reflection #7

Melody Ly

Section A01

May 10, 2015

In Professor Valverde’s “Creating Identity, Defining Culture, and Making History from an Art Exhibit: ‘Unfinished Story: A Tribute to My Mothers’,” Chau Huynh’s art work was used to emphasize the struggles in understanding Vietnamese American identity. I felt the piece with three pedicure basins plugged to outlets on the wall in the color of the former Republic of Vietnam’s flag is important to anybody that interacts with Vietnamese Americans. Huynh’s inspiration for “Connections,” the title of the piece, was wanting to create something that would symbolize the connection between the Vietnamese in the new world States and those still in old world Vietnam. I feel it is very important for people to always remember their past and to have an outlet that will allow its representation. This was Huynh’s method of expressing that, but her community invalidated it when they said it disrespected the lost country. To argue, I would say the piece brought light to what losing that country meant for its people. When the Vietnamese had to flea their home country because of the soon to be present communist force, they had to relocate to an absolutely foreign area and had to find some sort of income. The Vietnamese Americans found success in the beauty business and only then were they able to thrive and remit money back to family in the home country. Huynh’s piece is a reminder of the identities Vietnamese Americans found for themselves amongst the struggles they had to endure. If other minorities learned of success stories of one group or family, should and how would it influence them in their struggles as new Americans?

 This image demonstrates another struggle Vietnamese Americans faced in addition to developing their identity and culture. Many had to take advantage of the beauty industry to support their family.