WEEK 3: Conversation with Tricia E. Rangel

Tricia E. Rangel’s art works are plain and simple. Her displayed pieces are mostly dirt and home related. I found her works beautiful from the inside, because one can only know the meaning of each through the hands that created it. For example, by just looking at the blocks of dirt lying on the floor, most would think they are landscapes of buildings and towers. However, these blocks have more meaning than they seem. I found the pieces meaningful because they are made from the dirt that came from the Rangel’s birthplace. There is nothing more beautiful than a person who will always return to their birthplace not matter how far they go in life.

Just like Professor Zucman said in lecture, art does not have to be complicated. Art is only beautiful and meaningful when viewers can relate to the art. I was born in Vietnam and my family moved to the United States when I was seven years old. The ticket prices from the U.S. to Vietnam are never below $800 per person. Yet, my parents are willing to spend all their tax money on the airplane tickets to let us come back to Vietnam every two years. My parents are not rich, but they want their children to always remember of the place where they came from.

Thanks to my parents, my love for Vietnam grew each time we visit Vietnam. I get to eat the delicious foods, learn about the cultures, and interact with the people in Vietnam.This love pushes me to never forget the Vietnamese language and cultures as well as to appreciate the opportunities I had in the U.S.