Chamroen Eng Donut Box

Artist Phung Huynh (Vietnamese American, born 1977)

Date2021

MediumSerigraph on pink donut box

DimensionsFramed: 29 1/4 x 30 3/4 in. (74.3 x 78.1 cm) Unframed: 20 x 30 1/2 in. (50.8 x 77.5 cm)

ClassificationsPrintmaking

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Escalette Endowment

Object number2023.16.1

Label Text"My parents would always tell me as a kid to "study hard so you can use your brain for work instead of your hands." The donuts shop was my training ground for hardworking: waking up at 4 AM and going to work, encountering customers of different personalities and life stories, and managing time to complete schoolwork. It was also always a place to gather as a family, discuss future plans, and share hopes and dreams. I am two months shy of becoming a physician and I attribute all of my successes to my family and their donuts shop." - Chamroen Eng, Kristy's Donuts and Sandwiches in El Monte, CA.

This work is part of a series called Donut W(h)ole, that was featured in a solo exhibition at Self Help Graphics & Art. Donut W(h)ole is an homage to the Cambodian immigrant and Cambodian American (Khmerican), the aftermath of warfare and genocide, stories of survival, determination, and commitment to the family unit. The exhibition was also a celebration of the Cambodian stories told through the lens of "Donut Kids," first and second generation Khmericans who grew up in their family's donut shop. These donut shops represent a cultural space where refugees and immigrants reshape their lives in the process of negotiating, assimilating, and becoming American.

This series was produced in collaboration with Pink Box Stories, founded by Dr. Jaspal Sandhu, which archives the lives and stories of Donut Kids throughout California.

Status

On view

Location