Anahi Rivera 

Week 7 Blog 

The article “Creating Identity, Defining Culture, and Making History from an Art Exhibit” by professor Valverde was one of my favorites. I thought that Chau Huynh’s art work “Connections” was vey brilliant. As i read the article i wasn't sure what the pedicure basin represented. Then I thought that the outlets on the wall represented the Vietnamese people who fled on separate boats during the war. Vietnamese Americas who saw that image could have been disrespected by it because of the way it could be interpreted. It was after i read Huynh’s story when i realized that the basins represented her mother and other Asian women who have worked in nail salons. I then came to the conclusion that sometimes we are so blinded by the things we see without asking for the story behind it. Different people misinterpret the things they see and attack the artist without knowing. This article served as an eye opener that made me realize that not everything is “bad” instead it is put out there on purpose and to find its purpose we must first sit back and analyze it without judging.  

What would have helped Huynh's art work not be judged so harshly? How can artists incorporate  explications in their art work?  Would that help the audience to not misinterpret what they see?