In the chapter “Defying and redefining Vietnamese Diasporic Art and Media as seen through Chau Huynh’s Creations” Kieu-Linh Valverde illustrates the lasting emotional effects of the Vietnam war upon the Vietnamese diaspora. She focuses on Chau Huynh’s art and her publications within Nguoi Viet Daily, in addition, to the Pedicure Basin controversy and protest (Valverde 91). Art, as well as, the media plays a role in shaping public opinion in addition to defining whether or not is acceptable within society. Valverde highlights the tensions within the Vietnamese American community, where there is a stigma against presenting communist ideologies. The consequences of this would be self-censorship, in addition, to the division of the Vietnamese community which is shown in through protest and fear of one another. However, as Valverde points out, " it is counterintuitive: by alienating the people who can help us better understand the special history of the refugee experience" (Valverde 112). Through artist such as Chau Huynh that are willing to speak out, we are able to see the full experiences of those within the Vietnamese diaspora. This reading relates to this week's theme of culture because of the events mentioned in this chapter demonstrates what kind of culture is allowed and whose stories can be told. Specifically, within the Vietnamese diaspora, they accept anti-communist expression but not anything that can be deemed as a communist. Even Chau Huynh's work that was not meant to resemble communism was painted to promote it. Moreover, it reiterates the ideas that even highlighted in the movie we watched during the lecture, which showed the strong anti-communist values of Vietnamese Americans against the video store owner who wanted freely express his support of Ho Chi Minh. This reading can also demonstrate a cultural clash between eastern and western values, where freedom of speech is prevalent in the United States but not in Asia. For example, this could be why the protest resulted in beatings, like that of Truong and his lawyer (Valverde 193). Additionally, much like Chau Huynh, many artists today use their art as a way of sending a message or telling a story.
Question: Is this still an issue today in the Vietnamese community? Do people still care about this strongly about communism and anti-communism?
Works Cited:
Kieu-Linh Valverde. "Defying and Redefining Diasporic Art and Media as Seen through Chau Huynh's Creations." Transnationalizing Viet Nam.
http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2008/02/the-salience-of-symbols-for-vietnamese-americans/#sthash.3eZNaRrE.dpbs
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