Rachel Hausmann-Schall, artist residency and adult program manager
Around the Museum offices, Birds in Art Fifty has been all the talk! Final preparations for programming, catalogue production, and exhibition design are coming together, and our staff, volunteers, and members can feel the momentum and excitement building towards the opening weekend experience on September 4 – 7. During this milestone anniversary, Birds in Art will celebrate fifty years–a magnificent accomplishment! While the Museum revels in its history, there is another important fifty years to be commemorated in 2025: the resettlement of Hmong individuals in the United States, including Wausau.
Following the end of the Vietnam War, Wisconsin welcomed its first Hmong refugee families fifty years ago. Wausau has the highest per capita population of Hmong individuals in both the state and in the nation–something our community cherishes. This year, the Woodson Art Museum celebrated Hmong heritage by hosting Double Exposure: Community Portraits, a photography exhibition featuring photographs taken by Hmong American artist Pao Houa Her, whose work remains on view in our galleries through August 24. In addition, Pao traveled to Wausau from the Twin Cities last month for a three-week residency at the Museum’s Glass Box Studio.
During her memorable residency, Pao collaborated with several community organizations to offer thoughtful and engaging programming centered around her interest in Hmong diaspora, dueling identities, and utilizing photography as both an artistic medium and storytelling device. Pao enjoyed programs with the Central Wisconsin Hmong Professionals, DC Everest’s Hmong Enrichment Camp, the Medical College of Wisconsin-Central-Wisconsin campus’ Hmong History and Culture Day, and the Hmong Wausau Festival, where she was invited to be a Keynote Speaker.
In addition to presenting a body of work titled Coming Off the Metal Bird at the Woodson Art Museum, Pao has another exhibition currently on view at the John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, which features offsite locations where visitors can experience her photographs. Pao is interested in experimenting with the different spaces that audiences can view and access her work, so participating in an abundance of community programs was top of mind when coming to Wausau for her residency. The Museum collaborated with the Wausau’s Hmong American Center to organize an interactive photo booth at the Hmong Wausau Festival. Over the course of two days, community members were invited to have their portrait taken by Pao for free, which were later posted online and downloaded by participants.
Photo by Boon Yang
One of my favorite parts of working at the Woodson Art Museum is watching magic unfold during programs. Pao’s energy, spirit, and enthusiasm for photography and for Hmong history and identity won over every person she met. Her genuine and heartfelt approach encouraged young audience members to nurture their own creative path, so they can develop skills to tell their own story.
So, as we are looking forward to our milestone year of Birds in Art next month, we will continue to celebrate fifty years of Hmong culture, in anticipation of what the next fifty will bring, on both accounts!
