Former President Gerald Ford officially declared the end of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam at a speech in Tulane University’s very own Devlin Fieldhouse in April 1975; Saigon fell only a week later. Preceding the end of the war, many Southern Vietnamese people fled to the Southern United States.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art created an exhibit named “Hoa Tay (Flower Hands)” to showcase the stories of these Vietnamese-Americans. The exhibit lasted from March 15 to Sept. 21.
Initially, I was expecting a solemn atmosphere within the exhibit. However, immediately upon entering, I was greeted by the music of Vietnamese-American musicians, which encapsulated the ambience of the exhibit well, with the song’s lyrics reminiscing while the instrumental remains upbeat. While the art offered reflection on the past sorrows of war and assimilation, the artist’s pride in their background was on full display.
Alongside the music, beautiful paintings illustrated the struggles of leaving loved ones behind, as well as vivid commentary on historical conflicts and societal issues. While these paintings represented grave issues, the artists deployed bright colors. In doing so, the pieces invited viewers to analyze the works and read the associated text.
In one display, a photographer compiled images from their family’s time in Vietnam and pictures from the American press’ portrayal of the war. The photos contrasted life in Vietnam before and during the war. Some photos depict children playing on the beach, families eating dinner and other leisurely and playful activities. The press’s photos captured the horrors of the war, showing bodies, fires and prisoners of war. In putting these images side by side, the photographer disrupted the American idea of Vietnam as a chaotic war-ravaged state.
Another artist highlighted the Vietnamese nail salon industry. Christian Ðinh achieved this with his piece “In the mud, what is more beautiful than a lotus?”, a porcelain sculpture of two hands posed as they would be in a nail salon. It utilized pearlescent glaze to connect the pearl industry of the Mississippi River to the use of pearls for decorations in Vietnam. This expression is triumphant, demonstrating great pride in the success that Vietnamese-Americans have achieved in nail salons, while also emphasizing the connections between American and Vietnamese cultures.
This exhibit was a beautiful representation of the challenges and triumphs that Vietnamese-Americans experienced after evacuating. It also offered the chance to reflect on a period of hardship. My favorite aspect of the exhibit was the immense dignity that emanated from all the art on display. When viewing these pieces and reading through the curatorial text, I could feel each artist’s pride in their Vietnamese-American background, and it was beautiful to see.