New generation of Vietnamese art explores past, pushes boundaries

Artist Trinh Mai's work, Ma Cured in Vietnam, was inspired by her mother, who fled Vietnam in 1975 to come to the US.

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Courtesy of Trinh Mai

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Artist Trinh Mai used her own finger prints to create this portrait of her grandmother, Bà Ngoại (Grandmother), 2015, ink (fingerprints) on paper.

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Courtesy of Trinh Mai

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(From left to right): Artists Lan Tran, Care Le and Trinh Mai.

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Dorian Merina / KPCC

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We sit down with three Vietnamese American artists who are using art to explore new territory: family, memory, silence.

For some Vietnamese Americans, art can be a way to mine memories, celebrate struggle and pose difficult questions. We sit down with three Vietnamese American artists, who are using art to explore new territory.

Trinh Mai is a visual artist, Lan Tran is a writer / performer and Cara "TK" Le is a poet.

Artist Trinh Mai used her own finger prints to create this portrait of her grandmother, Bà Ngoại (Grandmother), 2015, ink (fingerprints) on paper. (Image courtesy of Trinh Mai.) View more of Trinh Mai's work here.