Pao Houa Her's first major monograph, My grandfather turned into a tiger … and other illusions, explores the fundamental concepts of home and belonging: illusion, desire, and loss.
Pao Houa Her's work draws inspiration from a myriad of sources: apocryphal family lore; portraits of the artist's community and self; and reimagined landscapes, with Minnesota and Northern California standing in for Laos. The compelling and personal narratives are grounded in the traditions and contemporary metaphors of the Hmong diasporic community. My grandfather turned into a tiger brings together four of the artist's major series, including the title work which reimagines her family's history before leaving Laos.
