Hmong exhibit up at UC Merced gallery

Artwork that examines the culture, lives, migration and assimilation of Hmong from life in Laos to that in the United States is part a new exhibit showing in the UC Merced Art Gallery.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hmong people’s exodus from Laos after the end of the Secret War, the largest paramilitary operation ever undertaken by the CIA, according to the agency’s website.

The Hmongstory 40 exhibit is an effort to tell the story of that war, but also to tell the many tales of the refugees who escaped to settle in the United States, said project director Lar Yang.

The older generations of Hmong who first came to this country are aging and dying. Yang said the exhibit serves to make sure their memories and culture do not die with them. “We want to try to do this to honor them for all their endeavors,” he said.

Many Hmong agreed to fight for the CIA against the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. When the United States pulled out, communists took over the country and the Hmong became refugees. Many fled the country to keep their lives, braving thousands of miles of jungle, raging waters and refugee camps.

The art in the UC Merced gallery depicts traditional life, time spent in camps, daily activities of Hmong in the United States, and other topics. The pieces are by Hmong artists from Merced, Fresno and Sacramento, the cities with the largest Hmong populations in the state.

Yang and a team have spent the past three years gathering a collection of art, historical items and personal belongings of Hmong people and of Americans who worked in Laos. “The history survives through their items,” he said.

A larger exhibit will focus on four eras in the migration, with segments titled “Life in Laos,” “Laos & The Secret War,” “Thailand Refugee Camps” and “California.” It is set to open at the Fresno Fairgrounds on Dec. 12. It’s scheduled to be in Merced in May.

The UC Merced gallery’s manager, art professor Tonya Lopez-Craig, said the gallery has begun to see greater interest from artists and exhibits looking to set up at the school. She said the Hmong exhibit fits nicely because it has international and local significance.

“The gallery is just happy to be part of this large project,” she said.

The UC Merced Art Gallery is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Lopez-Craig said the hours will be from noon to 5 p.m. in the spring semester. The exhibit is expected to be up until at least mid-February.

For more on the larger exhibit, got to www.hmongstory40.org.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Hmong exhibit up at UC Merced gallery."