Wolpert Gallery
Gatlinburg, TN
Houston, TX
View a 3D Walkthrough of this Exhibition
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
COALESCENCE means to come together. This installation illustrates the synergy that is created when cultures coalesce at a place where a meaningful exchange of dialogue creates a new legacy of form, symbolized by the latest edition of The Im-ple-ment Archive. The Im-ple-ment Archive is an evolving collaborative exploration of hand tools, utensils and other pieces of equipment, with artist Ellen Kleckner and myself as the primary collaborators. Inspired by my experience as a Vietnamese-American, this particular installment of The Im-ple-ment Archive augments the existing narrative preserved by the Wylie House Museum by introducing a visual language of familiar and recognizable materials and compositions in the guise of utilitarian objects.
The considered placement of the im-ple-ments within the kitchen is intended to encourage an expansion of one’s worldview. It may seem initially curious that these peculiar contemporary objects have been integrated into a historical site. However, my attempts to give the im-ple-ments a place within the context of the Wylie House Museum and amongst its artifacts mimics the experience of navigating the complicated terrain that non-white Americans must traverse.
Taking ques from existing artifacts in the museum, I drew from my memories of home to create im-ple-ments that parallels my contemporary Vietnamese-American narrative with the history represented by the Wylie House Museum. These im-ple-ments encapsulate my interior experience as a diasporic minority in America. They illustrate how I perceive my very existence. They are divergent amalgamations of ubiquitous materials, textures and compositions. The way they spark a feeling of uncanny familiarity mirrors the curiosity that can be ignited by someone foreign. It is tricky to confidently call them by name, though the urge to assign one is impetuous. Their exact utilitarian function is not clear, but the impulse to project potential uses can be hard to resist.
The im-ple-ments display a semblance of attempted imitation, a survival mechanism that I often employed growing up. Upon a more thorough inspection, the im-ple-ments can surprise with unmet expectations. For instance, a ceramic spoon head may taper off to a knitted and poly-fil stuffed handle. When picked up, the handle is unable to support the weight of the spoon head, which hangs downward flaccidly. The object is recognizable enough; however, it does not perform in the way that is anticipated.
The context of the kitchen is significant as it is the most communal space in a home. It is arguable that an effective way to understand or experience a culture is to learn about its food. It is as essential to one’s culture and history as it is to life itself. Presenting an installation of im-ple-ments in the kitchen is a nod to the inevitability of cultural progression through intersectionality.
Flex Gallery, Cherry Building
Cedar Rapids, IA
