Every 8 Minutes: A Reflection
- Danae Hendrickson
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
From the desk of Dr. Ramya Ravisankar, Associate Professor Columbus College of Art & Design
Before starting the fall 2024 semester at Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), I joined a meeting with my colleagues to discuss a partnership and exhibition with Legacies of War. I was unsure what to expect, but when I heard Sera Koulabdara share her personal recollections and the impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos, I was deeply moved and excited to begin this project. At that meeting, we carved out what the project would be and the impact it could have. As many of those involved with Legacies of War are aware, Sera's passion and advocacy for the restitution of Laotian land to its state before "the Secret War" is undeniable, and that energy guided us forward as we began this project.
With Sera's guidance, we embarked on a project that concluded in one of the most profound experiences of my teaching career. We spend most of our time as fine artists and educators trying to help our students figure out themselves and their work. However, this was the first time I had the opportunity to ask students to look outside of themselves and engage in social justice work through their art practices. I am thankful to work at a place like CCAD that encourages partnerships and sees the real-world benefit of asking students to engage in this work. I am also thankful for the guidance and support from the Creative Careers & Collaboration office, especially Nicole Monahan, Associate Vice President, and Brittany Brown, Program Manager. Their support for this work across our campus is unparalleled, allowing us to bring such a rich and powerful experience to our students.
Fine Arts Department Chair Julie Abijanac and I guided our junior intensive studio students through the process of engaging, researching, empathizing, and creating art centered on their understandings of The Originals drawings archived with Legacies of War. Both professors and all students were new to this history, and none of us have Laotian heritage, so we knew we had to start by researching the conflict and engaging with firsthand accounts of refugees. We shared deeply emotional and personal responses as we uncovered the facts surrounding the human cost of the war, the lives shattered, and the communities scarred. We were also incredibly fortunate to listen and meditate on first-person accounts of the impacts of The American Secret War in Laos, first from Legacies of War representatives Anna Phommachanthone and Mike Burton. We then heard from Bounthanh Phommasathit, who, with her son Christopher Phommasathit, shared her harrowing escape on foot from Laos to Thailand and their story of coming to the United States as refugees.
We learned that the secret war in Laos, a conflict largely hidden from the public eye, was undeniably cruel to the citizens of Laos, and it left behind a devastating aftermath. Through our conversations and research, we realized the magnitude of this history; millions of bombs were dropped, and many failed to detonate, creating a silent yet palpably imminent threat that continues to haunt the Laotian people. As difficult as it was to hear these tales, it is also crucial that we do this work. We must confront our shared histories to never repeat these cruel outcomes.
It may sound like we only shared stories of war with our students, but that is not entirely the case either. We also took the opportunity to learn more about Laotian culture. We educators, Julie Abijanac and I, our class, and Brittany Brown from the Creative Careers & Collaboration team, had the fantastic opportunity to visit a Laotian Buddhist temple here in Columbus, Ohio, so we could learn more about the religion and community of Laos and its diaspora. Visiting the Watlao Buddhamamakaram Temple was almost magical. The temple felt like it brought a bit of Laos to our community and gave us a sense of Laos apart from the violence. It offered a reminder of the humanity that is often overshadowed by violence and trauma.
After these varied experiences, we asked our students to grapple with a crucial question: How can we spread awareness of this issue through our art practices while being mindful and ever aware of our positionalities? We were privileged to have access to resources and platforms. Still, we also recognized the potential for our work to inadvertently perpetuate harmful narratives or retraumatize survivors. Our students sensitively and thoughtfully created work that was both powerful and poignant. Their artwork spanned a range of mediums, from painting and sculpture to installation. Each piece was truly an individual contemplation on the trauma of war but came together through the exhibition to provide a multifaceted view of everything we learned. As the exhibition unfolded, I was humbled by the students' dedication and the cultivation of personal connections with the historical and political contexts explored through our research.
At the opening reception for Every 8 Minutes, visitors seemed moved by the power of the work. The exhibition raised awareness about the UXO crisis and fostered a sense of community and solidarity. Every 8 Minutes was more than just an art show; it was a testament to the power of art to heal, to educate, and to inspire action. By confronting a problematic history and engaging with the present, the students and I hope to contribute to a future where the legacy of the Secret War is one of healing and reconciliation, not continued suffering. The exhibition created a dialogue, provoked thought, and inspired empathy. We hope to continue sharing the insights from our endeavors through an exhibition catalog. Hopefully, the catalog will serve as a much-needed tool for advocacy and funding for Legacies of War that shows those in power that now, more than ever, most Americans care deeply for the health and welfare of our allies worldwide. Studying and engaging with world history, and in this case, the history of Laos can have a life-changing impact on a group of college students and professors in Columbus, Ohio.
