Seexeng Lee gave one of the best presentations all year. He really meant it when he said he'd be speeding through. It went fast, but his timing was perfect. I had just enough time to keep notes on his lecture, and not enough time to get bored. I also related with him a little bit more since I consider myself to be an artist. This lecture let me know how much I have in common with Hmong artists. Blacksmiths, Weavers, Singers, and all the other artisans created things that had purpose as well as beauty. I have always preferred making practical things to painting canvas, or other purely aesthetic things. It's pretty cool that I can share something like this with a culture that is based on the other side of the world.
Seexeng said, "Art is not a product - art is the journey." This is such a wonderful explanation. I think this applies so well to the art of the Hmong. Since they used their art, it would really be the making of it that is prized. I remember seeing some of the artistic Hmong pieces at the Center for Hmong Studies for one Monday night lecture. I didn't realize then how odd it must be for Hmong adults to see those useful items hung on a wall or held in a glass case.
I liked how he talked about adapting to a new environment. I think his more recent art is such a wonderful blend of Hmong culture and American mediums. It is just fascinating to see. I really appreciate that we (our honors class) explored not just the scientific and literary successes of the Hmong culture, but we looked into the aesthetic side as well. This reminds me of our interpenetrating magistra of the ways of knowing from last semester.
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