Multi-city Durational performance
A Vietnamese suitcase is a generally speaking a cardboard box. The “suitcase” serves a particularly temporary purpose, unlike the somewhat indestructible western version of the suitcase, made for on-going travel. I position myself at specific locations around specific cities and ask people to write their sentiments about Vietnam. The thoughts, feelings and memories are written on Joss paper and put in the “suitcase”.
A Vietnamese suitcase is a generally speaking a cardboard box. The “suitcase” serves a particularly temporary purpose, unlike the somewhat indestructible western version of the suitcase, made for on-going travel. I position myself at locations around various cities; the sites in each city include the federal building, the Vietnamese neighborhood and a Vietnam Memorial.
I travel between these sites by public transit over the course of one day. People are asked to share their thoughts, feelings, and memories of Vietnam. I chose not to talk, instead using a flyer and gestures to communicate. The thoughts, feelings and memories are written on Joss paper and put in the “suitcase”. I carry these sentiments with me throughout the city. At each Vietnam Memorial, I perform a mourning ritual burning incense to honor the Vietnamese who were killed in the war.
The durational performance was performed in three cities - Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC. Installations are created with the Joss paper and the documentation of the durational performance. After visiting all three cities, I will return the Joss Paper to Vietnam. In Vietnam, I will create the final performances. Using the text from the Joss Paper and a translator I will read the sentiments in English and Vietnamese then I will burn the Joss papers on the festival of Vu Lan – know as Wandering Souls Day in Vietnam. I will then repatriate the ashes of the joss paper to Hanoi and scatter them on a lunar holiday. The performances follows the migrations and force immigration of Vietnamese Diaspora in the reverse.
