Journal of Vietnamese Studies | Volume 17, Issue 4

So honored to have had this image be on the cover of the Journal of Vietnamese Studies. The gouache painting was created back in early 2016 and took a few hours between observing what was in front of me and my sketchbook, back and forth under the scorching sun. I was 26 years-old at the time and hadn’t visited in 10 years. Vietnam is such a beautiful country, and there are hidden moments where even ordinary places can be meaningful as well.

The illustration depicts a car washing station, owned by a Anh Hai, a family relative in Tây Ninh, Vietnam. Cars and vehicles would pull up onto the ramps to be cleaned thoroughly by hand. Through this business, Anh Hai and his wife (I call her Chi Long) were able to sustain themselves and also put their son, Linh, through school and university. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to live on. During the pandemic, business was especially hit hard. But with persistence, they were still able to stay afloat. If anyone happens to be in Tây Ninh and needs their car washed, feel free to pay a visit:

Rửa Xe Anh Hai, 463 Phạm Hùng, Long Chí, Hoà Thành, Tây Ninh, Vietnam

Thank you to Sarah Grant for featuring this painting on the cover of JVS, Volume 17, Issue 4.

The contents inside can be read here:
https://online.ucpress.edu/jvs/issue/17/4