Covid Bubbles: Californians Dress For Emergence
(Spanish / Vietnamese / English)

 

Project Proposal
The “Bubble” represents our social, familial, or solitary bubbles that we live in during the pandemic. These public art installations, activated by Vietnamese and Latinx community members, are meant to empower San José communities impacted by the pandemic. Messages such as “Vaccinated, no more loneliness!” are written in Vietnamese, Spanish and English onto either silk lanterns or papel picado. Rather than telling people they should go out and get vaccinated, the messaging on the billboards speak to the relief, joy, and celebration one feels once vaccinated; and with how good it feels to be able to visit grandparents once again, and safely be with friends. The Vietnamese and Latinx bubbles were inspired by a conflation of Asian and Latinx traditional fashion. The spirit of the work is intended to provide a sense of magic, to uplift, and imagine a hopeful future as we emerge from our solitary bubbles.

Twelve unique and eye-catching billboards went up in under-served areas of San José in July and August 2021.

Covid Bubbles: Californians Dress for Emergence is one of 18 statewide community projects commissioned by the State of California and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.

Locations
Vietnamese and Latinx Bubbles: Californian’s Dress for Emergence were installed and photographed in two community settings: Kelley Park, Japanese Friendship Garden Upper Lawn (Vietnamese Bubble) and the Heritage Rose Garden in San José (Latinx Bubble). The photographs from these performances for the camera were utilized on electronic billboards over Highway 101 near the San José airport and ten printed billboards which could be seen around various parts of San José.

Map of the billboard locations around San José, CA that were up from August 2 - 28, 2021

Project Participants
Lead Artists, Photographers: Robin Lasser, Adrienne Pao
Installation Models: Yafah Franco, Sasha Plotitsa (FORMR), Aiden Tran, Kim Tran
Community Models: Donna Nguyễn, Chi Phạm, Trần Nhiếp, Hẹ Lê, Andy Nguyen, BichLien Nguyen, Toan Nguyen, Van T. Nguyen, Maikhanh Trần, Thi Nhiep Trần, Hữu Oanh Đinh, Trường Thịnh Đinh, Thung Lê, Hoa Phan, Kimchi Phạm, Nam Giao Bùi, Hà Phan, Sĩ Phước Đồng, Tường Vi Phan, Jenny Do, Phương Thúy, Jesus Parra, Cindy Parra, Carlos Parra, Elizabeth Parra, Francisco Parra, Jesus Aguilar, Ana Karina Aguilar, Dylan Aguilar, Matteo Aguilar
Community Leaders: Trami Cron, Andy Nguyen, Jesus Aguilar
Fashion Designer: Melissa Dulanto
Pattern Maker: Isidoro Tabarez Ramirez, Kaiqi Wang
Photography Associate: Jared Gaoiran
Drone Operator: Tim Hanson
Lighting Director, Photographer: Edwin Vargas
Project Assistants: Jorgan Dragojlovic, Jewell Klemp, Zoe Reinhardt, Shahzad Bhiwandiwala
Graphic Designer and Web Developer: Karen Tsugawa

Press Statement
The State of California’s “Your Actions Save Lives” campaign, which provides Californians with information about how to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19, is partnering with local artists to reach disproportionately impacted communities throughout the state. The program features a variety of artwork with empowering public health messages of protecting one another, resilience and community. View the official press statement here.

Your Actions Save Lives. For more information, visit covid19.ca.gov

 

Imagery

Photographic documentation of the installations at Kelley Park and Heritage Rose Garden in San José, California.

 

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