Visualized Trauma, Sensitized Resistance: Urban Art among the French Hmong Community

Abstract

Various types of urban art emerged and prospered in recent decades when degenerating cities were embracing art as a marketing strategy. This urban-rejuvenation approach sheds less light on the agency and motivation of artists. This paper examines how ethnic artists represent traumatic memory, reflect nostalgia, and mobilize individuals to collaborate with one another to build resilience. This study contributes to the literature that explores the agency and creativity of underrepresented ethnic minority artists in a global society at large.