SAN FRANCISCO — Through contemporary art and writings, the new traveling exhibit Textures of Remembrance: Vietnamese Artists and Writers Reflect on the Vietnamese Diaspora explores the end of the Vietnam War—April 30, 1975, a half century ago. Featuring works by 25 Vietnamese artists and writers, these narratives texturize the Vietnamese diasporic experience, in which refugees are not objects of rescue but instead subjects of artistic and political transformation. Textures of Remembrance opens in the Skylight Gallery at San Francisco Public Library’s (SFPL) Main Library on Nov. 14, 2025, and will be on view through Jan. 8, 2026.

The creative pieces showcased – curated by the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN) – reveal personal struggles and memories, demonstrating the continued effects of the Vietnam War on identity, sense of family and community and representation.

“The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the formation of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian diasporas,” said Kathy L. Nguyễn, DVAN’s Co-Executive Director. “Textures of Remembrance is a love letter to our diasporic community. We see you. We hear you. DVAN is thrilled the exhibit–showcased at museums and art spaces across the country–will have its last exhibition at SFPL.”

April 30 is a date often remembered poignantly, especially by those of South Vietnamese descent; it is a date that denotes new beginnings. On this date in 1975, North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, marking the end of the Vietnam War. Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the end of the war through written words, visual creations and audiovisual components, this interdisciplinary exhibit reveals an intimate perspective of the diasporic experience that has been gathered, created, collected and re-collected, and imagined and re-imagined since 1975.

“We're honored to be the last stop for Textures of Remembrance, and to be partnering with DVAN and Exhibit Envoy to host this important and timely exhibition commemorating 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War,” said Megan Merritt, the Library’s Senior Curator. “The works displayed in this exhibition underscore the importance of memory, identity and storytelling in Vietnamese diasporic communities and we're grateful to be able to showcase this exhibition for our diverse audience at SFPL.”

This exhibition shares works made within and for the Vietnamese diasporic community to humanize the refugee experience from the inside-out. The project aims to present a humanities-driven exploration of the impact of the Vietnam War, collect and share stories in the diasporic Vietnamese community to foster healing and connection, build intergenerational and cross-cultural understanding and counter stereotypes of and racism towards Vietnamese Americans and refugees.

Textures of Remembrance: Vietnamese Artists and Writers Reflect on the Vietnamese Diaspora — San Francisco Main Library, Skylight Gallery, 6th Floor. On view Nov. 14, 2025–Jan. 8, 2026

Exhibition Support

Textures of Remembrance is a traveling exhibit created in partnership by the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network, Exhibit Envoy and Oakland Asian Cultural Center. This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities and California Arts Council, a state agency with a mission to strengthen arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. Visit calhum.org and arts.ca.gov.

About Exhibit Envoy

Exhibit Envoy provides traveling exhibitions and professional services to museums throughout California. For more information, visit exhibitenvoy.org.

About Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN)

The Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN) is dedicated to moving the voices and stories of the Vietnamese diaspora from the margins to the center. For over 20 years, DVAN has supported writers, poets, artists, and cultural producers through community events, artist residencies, and publishing opportunities, ensuring their perspectives reshape and expand the broader cultural narrative. For more information, visit dvan.org.