Self Help Graphics & Art is proud to present Donut W(h)ole, a solo exhibition by the artist Phung Huynh opening Saturday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The exhibition will remain on view March 12 through May 27, 2022 at the Self Help Graphics & Art gallery.  We are located at 1300 E. 1st St. LA, CA. 90033.

Donut W(h)ole is an homage to the Cambodian immigrant and Cambodian American (Khmerican), the aftermath of warfare and genocide, stories of survival, determination, and commitment to the family unit. The exhibition is also a celebration of the Cambodian stories told through the lens of 1st and 2nd generation Khmericans who grew up in their family's donut shop. This exhibition is supported in part by the Pasadena Art Alliance.

“We have all frequented the local mom-and-pop donut stores for a morning sugar fix. These donut shops represent a cultural space where refugees and immigrants reshape their lives in the process of negotiating, assimilating, and becoming American,” said Marvella Muro, Director of Artistic Programs and Education.

“...Understanding my family’s living history as refugees from both Vietnam and Cambodia and inspired by research and interviews with people with a shared history, I try to uncover the complex layers of cultural assimilation and forging new identities. It is more than just donuts and pink boxes. It is about being able to tell our own stories before they are told for us. It is about sharing our humanity when we are veiled by inhumanity,” said Phung Hyunh.

Phung Hyunh is a Los Angeles-based artist and educator whose practice is primarily in drawing, painting, and public art. Her work explores cultural perception and representation. Huynh challenges beauty standards by reconstructing images of the Asian female body vis-à-vis plastic surgery to unpack how contemporary cosmetic surgery can create obscurity in cultural and racial identity. Her most current work of drawings on pink donut boxes and cross-stitched, personalized California license plates explores the complexities of the refugee experience in Southeast Asian communities. Phung Huynh has exhibited nationally and internationally. She has also completed public art commissions for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro Orange Line, Metro Silver Line, and Metro Neighborhood Poster Series) and the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Phung Huynh is currently Professor of Art at Los Angeles Valley College. 

Jennifer Cuevas is SHG’s Communications Consultant. She is an entrepreneur, communications expert, and cultural arts producer, with a passion for the arts and social justice.