Senior artist explores cultural identity through her work

CWU art student Laura Le will present her senior BFA exhibition titled “Diaspora” next week in Randall Hall.

Laura centers her identity as a Vietnamese American while showing her own interpretation of her cultural heritage. Her artwork concentrates on creating sculptures along with various other two-dimensional works that include photography and paintings.

Through this she connects the bridge between organic Vietnamese aesthetics and American modernity. By contrasting metal and wood, Laura’s materials not only demonstrate the versatility of symbolisms but also show her dual identity.

An opening reception for “Diaspora” will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday, June 1, at Gallery 231 in Randall Hall and will run through Friday, June 5. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Laura explains that she seeks to engrain her personal experience of self-reflection into a cultural perspective while showing the preservation of her own culture.

“Growing up as a Vietnamese American, I felt my identity split between my life with my immigrant family compared to my life in public,” she says. “My work explores the tension between my Asian ethnicity and American national identity by creating installations, drawings and photos where I can express my complex identity in an interpretative and relatable way.”

After leaving her hometown of Longview and adjusting to living her life alone in Ellensburg, Laura's homesickness sparked the need of maintaining, connecting and appreciating the values of her cultural and familial ties that she left behind.

“I wondered if this homesickness felt like how my parents felt when they left Vietnam,” she says. “Working with sculpture and other two-dimensional mediums makes me appreciate how much culture my parents exposed me to, and I want to express the raw traditions of Vietnamese culture.”

••••••

Photo above: “Bà ngoại”, oil on canvas, 24” x 36”, 2026