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 My installations are about reexamining oneself in a familiar environment.

 Growing up in Hanoi, Vietnam, summering in Fargo, ND, and attending Interlochen, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing different worlds which offer very different perspectives on life: the ever-changing, robust city of Hanoi, to the vastness of Fargo, to an art school in the middle of the woods. 

Like re-reading a book, by exchanging between different areas, I am able to see things in a new light. The familiar route back in Hanoi that my life used to rotate around, now becomes this special event that I only attend when in the mood for celebration. 

When celebrating, everyone becomes cheerful. With each footstep, following an intimate path, the environment sometimes just opens up. Wandering and seeing familiar places in a new light was the basis of my installations in the library and rotunda, and as I continue to work on both of these installations side by side, they become their own thesis. Like a dialogue, the ideas evolved, and soon after, the library and the rotunda moved past me and became something for everyone, a bridge that brings out and emphasizes information and stories. 

This happens through conversations with others. In the library, I had extensive conversations with Leland(the librarian) about the library. We discussed the space, what it is meant for, and the importance of such a place. In these talks, I grew an appreciation for the librarians’ work, in their consideration for placement, categorization and curation of knowledge. They shape the way we navigate through seas of information, and turn abstract ideas into concrete realities. Always “In Progress…”, the library project evolved, starting with a wrapped shelf to turn into a cloud-like fabric installation. The see-through, mesh-like quality of the turquoise fabric connected to the ceiling, shapes around the upper landscape and allows one to put themselves in there and have some fun creating their own thoughts. In collaboration with Leland, the installation refreshed the saturated environment. 

The LA rotunda, on the other hand, is a gathering place for eight faculties and for the students who take classes there. Different from the library, knowledge comes from the people who teach in these environments. Something that I have learned while working in the library was the importance of talking with people who use the space. Chatting with the librarians, I deepened my understanding of the importance of the library. Through Donut, I got to understand why the faculties teach. By connecting with each teacher and gathering their statements, I was able to display hidden information that might not have been tangible in the first place. Using energetic see-through green banners and soft, stretchy light pink fabric that contains the teachers’ statements, they wake up the stagnant and tired space. An abstracted table in the middle with an interactive element that allows the students to reflect on what they are excited to do in class that hopefully creates a stronger sense of purpose. Shared with everyone else to create walls like those love-lock bridges. 

Through my exploration and personal perception of the environment, I work with others in finding a fuller outlook of the places my pieces are installed in. Creating in both the library and the rotunda allows me to learn as I go.