{"id":9719,"date":"2023-06-19T08:32:42","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T13:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=9719"},"modified":"2023-06-19T08:32:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-19T13:32:42","slug":"uw-stout-mfa-design-graduate-rediscovers-his-hmong-culture-through-traditional-art-of-story-cloths-and-paj-ntaub","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/uw-stout-mfa-design-graduate-rediscovers-his-hmong-culture-through-traditional-art-of-story-cloths-and-paj-ntaub\/","title":{"rendered":"UW-Stout MFA design graduate rediscovers his Hmong culture through traditional art of story cloths and Paj Ntaub"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
Jackson Yang with his favorite artwork from his master’s thesis, ‘A Thread through History,’ displayed at the University Library Art Lab.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jackson Yang\u2019s education at UW-Stout has given him confidence in himself and his artwork, but his journey was deeper than his degrees.<\/p>\n

While earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and interactive media, he struggled with the concepts and there were times when he wanted to break down and drop out.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
MFA design graduate Jackson Yang \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy family, friends and girlfriend, Amy, helped me through some rough times,\u201d said Yang, of Wausau. \u201cThey had my back. And Amy is constantly here for me. Her love and compassion keep me going. She reminds me, \u2018Don\u2019t compare yourself to other people. Just be better than yourself.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang earned his undergraduate degree from UW-Stout in 2019, but he felt he hadn\u2019t reached his full potential. He graduated with his Master of Fine Arts in design from UW-Stout on May 6.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of how my art and design improved and seeing where I am now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time, I was selling myself short. My family and Amy helped me to keep going. You need that support system. I want to make them proud and keep pushing myself. I want to help other students know that tomorrow you\u2019ll be better than you are today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang\u2019s education also led him on a spiritual journey of rediscovering his Hmong culture through the arts.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
MFA design inspiring graduate Jackson Yang receiving his master’s hood from Program Director Erik Evensen \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finding a gateway back into his culture<\/h3>\n

Yang struggled to embrace his culture for much of his life, until the second year of his undergrad.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up rejecting that part of my identity, and Stout helped me find love for my community again and to dive into and re-embrace my culture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Yang’s book art concepts, inspired by traditional Hmong artwork \/ Jackson Yang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During his undergrad, Yang joined Hmong Stout Student Organization, and his cousin Kalvin, a student team member in the Multicultural Student Services office, helped him learn about traditional Hmong arts.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the art and wanting to make my mom proud that was my gateway back into the Hmong culture. I want to pay respect to my culture,\u201d Yang said.<\/p>\n

And for students who want to re-embrace their culture, he thinks, \u201cYou have to find something that you can connect with. It could be something simple or big. It all comes down to who you are as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transforming tradition into modern-day storytelling<\/h3>\n

As a graphic designer and illustrator, Yang\u2019s dream is to work with the Hmong community, teaching the next generation about the traditional arts through design, children\u2019s book illustrations or comics.<\/p>\n

Kalvin, who had pointed Yang in the creative direction for his undergrad senior show, was also instrumental in helping Yang establish the theme for his master\u2019s thesis: \u201cA Thread Through History: How Interlinking Contemporary Art with Paj Ntaub Can Connect Generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

His graduate research is dedicated to Hmong culture, bringing elements of traditional story cloths and flower cloths \u2013 Paj Ntaub \u2013 and their embroidered motifs and aesthetics into contemporary digital storytelling.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Yang’s characters Ben and a leaf frond spirit meet in ‘To Broken Souls,’ a story illustrated in Yang’s thesis, ‘A Thread through History.’ \/ Jackson Yang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cJackson explored these themes through the lens of a children’s book for kids who find themselves navigating between two cultural identities,\u201d said Erik Evensen, MFA in design program director and Yang\u2019s thesis adviser. \u201cWorking with Jackson has been nothing short of delightful. He is incredibly thoughtful and motivated, and his work is well-crafted and quite beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

While sharing the history of Paj Ntaub, Yang also illustrates the story of \u201cTo Broken Souls,\u201d using the story cloth style, telling the story of Ben, a young Hmong man, and a leaf frond spirit and the connections they make.<\/p>\n

Yang\u2019s mother played a role in his educational journey as well. \u201cA large portion of why I wanted to reconnect with my culture was for my mother. I wanted to make her proud and show her just how much she means to me, which was one of the reasons why I pursued the MFA and focused on the Hmong arts.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loved making flower cloths, so her eyes would always light up when I showed any kind of interest in it, especially for my education,\u201d Yang said.<\/p>\n

Yang learned the story cloths and Paj Ntaub were art forms pioneered by women. He studied their selection of colors used in the textiles, the spacing of images and texture. \u201cThe embroidery creates a natural texture, even in the placement of the direction of the stitches,\u201d he said. \u201cI admire the intricate designs of the folding and sewing techniques they use. It\u2019s very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang always thought story cloths were an older art form, but in learning more about them, he found that they are relatively new in terms of Hmong history, dating back only to the 1970s. As a way to remember their lives in Laos and share their memories with future generations, women began to sew their family stories while refugees after the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n

Paj Ntaub are a more ancient art form, with several legends of their own. One legend, Yang said, tells of the books of knowledge said to contain the entire Hmong written language. Under the oppression of Chinese rule, it was made illegal to speak or write in the Hmong language and the books were destroyed. Hmong women used their skills in needlework to sew their language into their clothing, secretly preserving it, developing Paj Ntaub.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Ben and a leaf frond spirit dance in ‘To Broken Souls,’ part of Yang’s master’s thesis \/ Jackson Yang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhether the legend is true or not is debated \u2013 but it speaks to the importance of the art form,\u201d Yang said. \u201cPaj Ntaub became a way for women to communicate and preserve their language and culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang is thankful for the support he received during his time at UW-Stout, naming mentors Tanya Gunkel, Educational Materials Center librarian; Aubrey Huff, former librarian; as well as his thesis committee members \u2013 Evensen; Associate Professor Mitchell Ogden, English, philosophy and communication; and Assistant Professor Mary Climes, of comics.<\/p>\n

Yang\u2019s mother died a little over a year ago from COVID.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had originally wanted to include my mother in some capacity for my thesis. She unfortunately will never be able to see what I had planned for the future after graduation,\u201d he said. \u201cMy brother, sister-in-law and sister have supported me in my mother’s place.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Library Art Lab<\/h3>\n

Yang\u2019s thesis show was recently displayed in the new Library Art Lab, on the first floor of the University Library.<\/p>\n

The exhibit space was created in collaboration with faculty and staff of the library and the School of Art and Design, led by Sue Lindahl, assistant director of Cataloging and Access Services; Professor Charlie Lume; and Renee Carrell, Furlong Gallery assistant director.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a need on campus for more art exhibit space for students, and since the library has such a solid history of supporting art and design, the partnership was a logical fit,\u201d Gunkel said. \u201cArt is a universal language. The library is a place that breaks down barriers and is accessible no matter someone\u2019s background.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang is a graduate assistant at the library and also serves on the Library Public Relations Committee, chaired by Gunkel. He creates book displays and posters, some of which have been accepted into the University Archives, an exciting accomplishment for any student, Gunkel said.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Samples of posters Yang designed for the University Library \/ Jackson Yang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cTanya and Aubrey played a huge role in allowing me to push the boundaries of what I was able to design for my graduate assistant position,\u201d Yang said.<\/p>\n

A large portion of Yang\u2019s portfolio that he shows to potential employers comes directly from projects he created in his role as a library graduate assistant.<\/p>\n

\u201cJackson has been an important part of our team and has built a sense of belonging through his artwork,\u201d she added. \u201cHe\u2019s helping other students see themselves in the displays and posters he creates. This can make a difference in a person\u2019s day. He probably never stops to think about it, but he\u2019s helping build student retention.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s original, innovative, has a strong work ethic, is talented and creative. I don\u2019t know who would be better in a new design role than Jackson,\u201d Gunkel said.<\/p>\n

Along with design and graphic design, the School of Art and Design has five other BFA programs, including animation and digital media and studio art. It offers two Bachelor of Science degrees in arts administration and entrepreneurship and video production.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Abbey Goers<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwstout.edu\/about-us\/news-center\/mfa-design-graduate-rediscovers-his-hmong-culture-through-traditional-art-story-cloths-and-paj-ntaub<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jackson Yang\u2019s education at UW-Stout has given him confidence in himself and his artwork, but his journey was deeper than his degrees. While earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and interactive media, he struggled with the concepts and there were times when he wanted to break down and drop out. \u201cMy family, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":9723,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-9719","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/9719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=9719"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=9719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}