Bamboo Women wittily catalyzes the labyrinthian intersection between the narration of women throughout Vietnamese history and the traditional emblems seen within its culture.
The 9 panels feature heroines, poets, and writers as a nod to their sacrifices and contributions as national figures who triumphed over the reigns of social standards to effectuate their passion and a sense of agency as independent women. Reveling in adept execution, it risks presenting the most minuscule flaw which (potentially) lies in the humility of its visual presentation.
The composition is an active vessel for a manifesto that illuminates the comparable nature between Vietnamese women and bamboo trees by virtue of their kindred characteristics, in conjunction with paying homage to these figures and the foundation they established for women's representation.
Lyrical sonnets written by the featured poets resemble buttresses for the structure–their density proposes the magnitude of the collection along with the allegorical effort required to maintain the figures' recognition to boot. Social “framings” of women's representation over time offer fragments of an encyclopedic and involute record, and only by stepping back from such skeletons could one fully attain a comprehensive picture.
Documentation of Initial Wood Model
Installation at The Jacob Lawrence Gallery UW
