Mixed media: Wood, paper, plastic, metal, nylon, led lighting system, bubble wrap, canvas bags, sand.

Statement

In this difficult of the subsidized economy, a standard apartment can be shared by two or three families. They have to negotiate how to divide the space to live together. If one family gets the bathroom then they have to give up the kitchen to the other family, and share the toilet. With cramped living conditions, lack of water, and a difficult economy, these families often have to expand the living space with a cage, install their own water pump and pipes, and bring livestock and poultry into their apartments to improve their life. These factors alter the shape and structure of the building as much as they affect the lifestyle of the inhabitants. Life in these buildings isn't the usual life of people in urban areas, but rather a high-rise village superimposed on its urban cousin. The people of Vietnam continue to suffer the consequences of a violent war history. In this work, I use images associated with Vietnamese life and war, such as apartment blocks and barricades, combined in one installation. This presents a perspective about war in the language of art.