Adore April 2022

C hristian is a first-generation Vietnamese- American ceramic artist currently pursuing a MFA in Studio Arts at Tulane University. His work celebrates Vietnamese-American identity and redirects stigma by confronting racism, stereotypes, and underrepresentation. His most recent series, Nail Salon, focuses on the Vietnamese culture that developed in the United States subsequent to the Vietnam War and the resiliency of this community throughout the country. The porcelain pieces, especially the display hands, signify the idea of a translator in the way that non-English speaking workers successfully rely on visual representation to communicate. Through his art, he honors the values and tenacity of the immigrant experience. Christian Dinh UPTOWN Artist

christiandinhart.com

FAVORITE PART ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? The surprise of opening a kiln. You just never know exactly what the results will be. Most of the time there are failures, but when something finally works out, it's such a great feeling. FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN NEW ORLEANS? Lilly's Café. I've eaten Vietnamese food my entire life, but there is something about Lilly's food that is so unique. FAVORITE QUOTE? "You're always someone you are capable of being. When they say you make chandeliers, then you are a chandelier maker." Ai Weiwei

WHAT DO YOU DO TO NURTURE CREATIVITY? My work stems from personal experience. For this project, I explored Vietnamese-American culture by reflecting on my upbringing. I'd call my family to share stories or get recipes from my grandmother, and these conversations shaped ideas for the work. Gaining insight about my culture from a more personal space feels like a very natural and meaningful way to draw ideas. HOW DID THE PANDEMIC INFLUENCE AND AFFECT YOUR CREATIVITY? I was accepted into the MFA program at Tulane University, and I had the time and space to create artwork. At that time, Asian hate crimes were happening across the country. I thought that if I was going to make art, it was important to me that it gave representation to Vietnamese-Americans and the Asian-American society as a whole. Throughout the pandemic, I've been working on my Nail Salon series, which focuses on the success of our culture especially in the nail salon industry. FAVORITE MUSEUM IN NEW ORLEANS? The Ogden is inclusive to many different identities that are a part of Southern culture, but have not historically been recognized as so. They're expanding the conversation about what constitutes the South and Southern Art.

ADORE • APRIL 2022

23