Lawrence University
Student Art Exhibition Purchase Award

Artist: My-Linh Nguyen
Title: Sing While Pounding the Rice, Silk screen and linocut print, 9"x10"
Date: 2002

Artist's statement:
Sing While Pounding the Rice consists of multiple layers of economic status, location, and values. The linocut image in the background is an African American youth drumming group entertaining people in an effort to collect money near shoppers' heaven on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL. Michigan Avenue locates in the Gold Coast area (silk screened map), which is considered by many the richest neighborhood in Chicago. The teenagers create rhythmic beats on plastic gallon buckets. These plastic buckets contrast the value of the new silver drum set, which is priced at $949.00. Is there a difference in the quality of music between the expensive drum set and worn plastic buckets? Does the scene and location reinforce ideas of racial stereotypes where the rich are white and the poor are people of color? Why does the drumming group target the Gold Coast area? Also, the title, Sing While Pounding the Rice, attempts to offset notions of race and class in the U.S.