SPOKE Gallery

The medicine wheel, originating from a Native American tradition, is also referred to as Sacred Hoop. The medicine wheel represents the sacred circle of life, its basic four directions, and the elements. It is a symbol of balance, symmetry, healing, and oneness. “It teaches us that all lessons are equal, as are all talents and abilities. Every living creature will one day see and experience each spoke of the wheel and know those truths. The Medicine Wheel is a pathway to truth and peace and harmony. The circle is never ending, life without end.”

SPOKE’s philosophy and values are deeply entwined with that of the medicine wheel. We too believe that every person has talents and abilities to share with the world and that, through art, they can unlock them. By participating in the art—whether that’s creating the art, experiencing the art, or taking a cultural action in response to the art—we believe that community members are taken on a transformative journey that helps them gain a deeper understanding of themselves, of others, and the overall human condition. This is the phenomenon of art. It engages all people (the creator and observers) in dialogue and takes them to a place of endless possibilities.

Artists of all disciplines are interested in starting a new dialogue about the role of art in culture. Over the years, art has come to be seen as a commodity, not an essential part of everyday life. Art is so much more than that though—it helps individuals access the hidden world of thought, feeling, and meditation. It is a tool that draws humanity together, guiding people towards a greater understanding of self and the overall human condition.

Spoke Gallery is an innovative new program that seeks to act as a hub for artists of all disciplines who want to join the conversation. We realize that many artists lack the networks, support, tools, and/or resources to progress the dialogue forward on their own. By creating a network and space dedicated to redefining the role of art in culture, we hope to provide a support system and home for artists, so that they can grow, learn, and put into practice this exciting and significant concept.

Spoke Gallery is proud to present a solo exhibition by Ngoc-Tran Vu entitled, Echoes of 1975: Light, Memory, and Resilience. This exhibition is presented as part of Journey of Light: A 1975 Memory Field, a temporary public art installation that builds toward 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial in Boston’s Dorchester community.

Ngoc-Tran Vu masterfully weaves together photography, sculpture, paintings, and installation to create collaborative and reflective exhibitions and spaces that explore and honor memory, resilience, cultural identity, and social justice. All of her art works and projects are layered both visually and conceptually and are also welcoming, beautiful, inspiring, and thought provoking.

For her solo exhibition at Spoke, Ngoc-Tran Vu created a site specific installation that invites viewers to engage deeply with the themes of migration, memory, loss, and resilience. This installation directly references the 50th Commemoration of the Vietnam War’s end in 1975 and the beginning of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Diaspora.

There are three main elements of her site specific installation at Spoke. The first component is her 2016 photograph of the annual Spirits Festival (Lễ Điện Hòn Chén). This annual event takes place along the Perfume River (Sông Hương) in late July in the coastal city of Huế which is located in central Vietnam. This festival brings together the temples in the region to honor ancestors. The light helps guide the souls of ancestors who were not properly buried.

Vu’s use of light is the second element of her site specific installation. The light projected onto the walls of the gallery represents fireflies that are believed to help guide the souls of ancestors on their celestial journey. Her use of light for this installation also directly references the light and lanterns depicted in her 2016 photograph.

Various sized conical hats¹, that are made from banana tree leaves², are the third component of her new work. Vu collects the conical hats from her travels to and from Vietnam and in the U.S. She sources them in Vietnamese markets and people will often give their hats. The fifty small light beige colored conical hats that radiate out from her 2016 photograph represent a river, the 50 years since the end of the Vietnam war, and all of those who are part of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Diaspora. The configuration of the larger wearable conical hats in the corner of the gallery could be interpreted as a kind of shrine or as an offering to ancestors and lost loved ones. These larger hats all have different types of colored fabric for their ties and offer the viewer a way to envision who might have owned and worn these hats. The painted small and miniature conical hats help to activate the installation by creating visual movement via color. They could also be seen as representing the souls of ancestors. These three components act as metaphors for hope, reflection, and renewal. 

This installation is part of Vu’s effort to create awareness, contemplation, and healing not only for those impacted by the Vietnam War and/or Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Diaspora, but for all who need a respite for their soul. She is inviting all who come to see her solo show to join and support her efforts to create: Journey of Light: A 1975 Memory Field, a temporary public art installation that builds toward 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial in Boston’s Dorchester community. It is an invitation worth accepting.

For more information about her temporary public art installation & its connected events:

www.tranvuarts.com

About Ngoc-Tran Vu
Ngoc-Tran Vu (she/her) is a 1.5-generation³ Vietnamese-American multimedia artist, cultural organizer, and advocate based in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. However, she has ties to South Boston a she grew up South Boston’s Old Colony Public Housing Projects and she also attended Perkins Elementary School (1996-2006).⁴ Her socially engaged art practice weaves together photography, painting, sculpture, and installation to explore themes of diaspora, memory, and healing. Deeply rooted in her Vietnamese heritage and community, her work amplifies underrepresented voices and fosters connections across generations. She is dedicated to creating collaborative and reflective spaces that honor resilience, cultural identity, and social justice.  For more information about Vu, her artwork and the 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial in Boston’s Dorchester community: @TranVuArts |www.tranvuarts.com 

Footnotes

1 “Conical hats or ‘non la’ have been made and worn by Vietnamese people for some 3,000 years. Images of people wearing conical hats are depicted on Ngoc Lu bronze drums. Along with their long history, conical hats remain popular today and are now considered a symbol of Vietnamese culture.”

Quote from “Conical hat – making villages across Vietnam”, Vietnam Law Magazine 4.10.22

2 “Vietnamese bananas, known in Vietnam as chuoi, carry a special meaning deeply rooted in the country’s customs. The image of the banana tree symbolizes strength and endurance. The bananas that grow closely together in a bunch reflect the unity of Vietnamese people. The tightly wrapped banana stems signify protection and support, portraying a sense of shelter both inside and out. In Vietnamese culture, the banana tree also represents family ties, especially the relationship between parents and children.” Additionally, in Vietnamese culture, bananas are often used as offerings to ancestors and they are also widely consumed in Vietnamese cuisine, appearing in various traditional dishes and desserts like banana cakes and sticky rice with bananas. 

(Quote from 12.29.23 Vietnamese bananas (chuoi): explore cultural importance and culinary uses, Wonderpedia)

3 1.5 generation refers to person who immigrated to a new country as a child or as an adolescent. For example if person immigrated to the U.S. and were educated in the U.S., but do not have English as a home/first language.

4 The Perkins is a Boston public elementary school located in South Boston.

Ecology begins with… 

A group show of small works that call attention to the ecosystems we live in. 

Exhibiting artists:
Kathleen Bitetti, L’Merchie Frazier,
Kate Gilbert,
Eric Grau, Henrietta “Queen” Hodge,
Susan Krause, and Esther Premkumar.