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Monday, Oct. 10, 2016
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This Hmong Piece was on display during the NIU Art Walk this past weekend in the Pick Museum of Anthropology in Cole Hall. The museum will be open until Dec. 9.
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Photos by Khadijah Jones | Northern Star
The Storytelling: Hmong American Voices exhibit shows a “Phoua Thao,” the Hmong New Year’s dress.
A textile display was spread across the walls in the Storytelling: Hmong American Voices exhibit. The exhibit also shows artwork from Hmong Americans residing in DeKalb in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Refugee history told with art Art Walk includes NIU Pick Museum
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DeKALB | The award-winning Storytelling: Hmong American Voices exhibit was a highlight of the NIU Art Walk as it showcased the rich and unique background of how Hmong refugees settled into American culture after the Vietnam War. The Art Walk was 5 to 8 p.m. this past weekend throughout DeKalb and campus and celebrated many forms of culture and art. During the event, attendees could walk to different exhibits and view art. The exhibit was co-curated by NIU museum staff in conjunction with the 20-member Hmong Community Advisory Council. It won the superior award from the Illinois Association of Museums for the third consecutive year, which is the highest award given to exhibitions in the state. Laura McDowell Hopper, curator at the Pick Museum of Anthropology in Cole Hall, said the exhibit was about what happened
to Hmong refugees that came to America after the Vietnam War. The Hmong are an ethnic group from Southeast Asia. The exhibit gave information about Hmong families, displayed traditional Hmong clothing and conveyed the cultural importance of Hmong story-cloths.
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We have drawings that Hmong students did in these classes where they were learning about things like driving and direction... These are some of my favorite things in the exhibit.” Laura McDowell Hopper Pick Museum of Anthropology curator
A Hmong woman’s outfit was on display to show what attire the New Year’s celebrations would call for. “[New Year’s] is sort of like a big community event,” McDowell Hopper said. “You go there, you have food, you meet with people, and [there are] contests. It’s when people get dressed up at their fanciest.” Another aspect of the exhibit focused on Hmong Americans residing in the DeKalb area.
The exhibit showed artwork done by Hmong students in the ’70s and ‘80s in Kishwaukee College’s IndoChinese Refugee Program. The program helped support refugees. “We have drawings that Hmong students did in these classes where they were learning about things like driving [in the United States],” McDowell Hopper said. “Some drew pictures that described what life had been like at that time for them. These are some of my favorite things in the exhibit.” These pieces highlighted several Hmong people who settled in the DeKalb area. McDowell Hopper said the event stayed open in the evening to allow more off-campus access to the museum. The exhibit opened in April and will close on Dec. 9.
Pick Museum hours When: 10 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays 10 to 2 p.m. Fridays to Saturdays Where: Cole Hall Cost: Free