BIO
Jinny Ly is a Teochew-American textile artist based in Dublin, Ireland. Born and raised in California, she spent most of her time in Oakland’s Chinatown where her refugee family settled after fleeing the Vietnam War. Three generations of refugees in one family meant that there were always stories to be told.
She refers to her family history and multicultural experiences for inspiration whilst reflecting on the material and processes used to create textile sculptures. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from San Jose State University under textile artist Consuelo Jimenez Underwood in 2009, Jinny completed her Masters in Fine Arts at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland in 2023.
Statement OF recent work
As Boat Refugees, Mom and Grandma often talked about their escape from Vietnam and their time in the refugee camp in Malaysia. These stories, meant to inspire gratitude and appreciation, also instilled a sense of fear and trauma. How do these stories affect those who listen? How will the retelling of a story affect the next generation?
By blending textiles, found objects, and process with purpose and intention, installations become a gathering point for stories – allowing for the deconstruction, reconstruction, and potential transformation of narratives for discussion about the past, present, and future.
It’s my hope that through process-driven research and intentional making of these textile installations, an insight will be gained as to how familial narratives are prioritised. How are stories selected to be passed on, and what is the intergenerational impact? Which stories will continue to be told, while others fade over time.