Round I Projects
PROJECT
Little Saigon Stories: Year of the Dragon and Community Mural Pop Up during May AAPI Month
PROJECT FOCUS AREA:
Social justice and community engagement
ZIP CODE(S):
CONTRIBUTOR(S):
Thao French
Thao French’s campaign uses public art as a form of social justice by creating visibility and representation for the Vietnamese and immigrant community, highlighting culture through the art of story-telling, photography, food, and music. Little Saigon Stories: Year of the Dragon is a mural installation and activation that will use public art to celebrate the Vietnamese people and culture in the heart of Little Saigon. The unveiling of the mural and community event will occur during Tet or the Lunar New Year, the most prominent Vietnamese holiday celebrated globally and across multiple Asian American Pacific Islander communities. Through an additional community mural pop-up during AAPI month, families can paint their own dragon with the artist and painting apprentice while learning about the significance of the Year of the Dragon. The aim is to amplify the message that these communities exist, and encourage people to learn about the culture and celebrate new possibilities together. It will address how Vietnamese people are perceived by rewriting their narratives and inviting the masses to come and celebrate their culture, holidays, and stories together.
LEARN ABOUT THE ARTIST + CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS
Thao French
Thao Huynh French is an artist, muralist, and street photographer. Born in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, she lives and works in San Diego. She is best known for co-founding Mindful Murals™, a creative social enterprise with the mission of bringing communities together through the power of art. Since launching it in 2018, she and her husband (and business partner) have painted over 400 interactive murals for schools and public spaces, reaching places as far as Hawaii and Vietnam. French’s artwork explores different varieties of flowers and her Asian American heritage. Her art is an eclectic mixture of abstract and figurative concepts using acrylic and spray paint as primary mediums with no limitation of color. Her work continues to evolve, using years of practice to experiment with more modern ways to create art styles that are uniquely hers.