My schedule since my return to HCMC from Myanmar and Thailand has been frantic. December always seems like a crunch time. Two years ago, ProjectOne (our Saigon-based art collective) had organized/participated in 5 exhibitions and a contemporary arts panel discussion all before Christmas, all in December. This December, among our five members, we will have traveled to Saigon, Hoi An, Hanoi, Yangon, China, Bangkok and France. At the fashion company where I work during the day is embarking on ambitious new projects, extending into film and media production. I am the Director of Media for the company so you can only guess what that means for my schedule. I had planned on visiting Singapore this December, but was misinformed that fashion week was in December rather than November. Likely, I will try and stay in Vietnam during this time preparing for new work and preparing to meet with curators that will be here during the next two months. There is still a slim possibility of returning to Bangkok for the 2005 BEFF (Bangkok Experimental Film Festival). Both Khanh and I submitted work for this event several weeks ago during Asiatopia. 

I read an interesting book review in Artforum (November) last evening about the power of image. The author of the book makes an interesting observation. Rather than asking "What the picture means", we might instead ask, "Picture, what do you want of me?" Images have a power to extend into the sensual and emotional, to resonate with us even at times where there is no apparent narrative, moral, or message. The author further contends that the power of the image can be evaluated by whether or not the image can multiply, copy, or replicate itself. Why do some images die early and why do some perpetuate almost infinitely? For me, the image above is one of many that I've taken upon waking up in the morning in my bedroom. It's become a habit to clean at night before I retire. That means washing my body and washing my clothes before I sleep. I hang my wet clothes on the window grid toward the rising sun. By morning, the night laundry is completely dry. But each morning is a surpise - the clothes function as fabric lightbox. Different materials, dyes, become semi-transparent lenses. It's always a surprise to see what arrangement reveals itself in the morning. So, I've been taking snapshots of my clothing this way for a while now. The image above is from this morning.

If Thanksgiving in Asia seems weird, Christmas is even more so. In a few short weeks, there will be little red santa hats zooming about the city on their motorbikes. Bui Tuan, an artist and owner of a cafe in HCMC, has already begun his Christmas art installation by suspending big red bags from his five story building. Last year, he suspended life-sized Santa's, which looked more like a SWAT team rapelling from the building.

Today, is also my anniversary. It is the day that my close friend Leta and I first arrived in America as infant adoptees from Vietnam in 1972. We've taken care to wish ourselves happy anniversary each year on this day. So, Happy 33rd Anniversary Leta!

And finally, a song that I really love.
December.wma (1.5 MB, Windows Media) by Teenage Fanclub