Ger Xiong



Ger Xiong

About The Artist

Ger Xiong • Minneapolis, MN
Jewelry • WHOLESALE AVAILABLE

As a Hmong American visual artist, my work looks at documenting and reclaiming stories that have been lost throughout our history of colonization, assimilation, and displacement. As stateless people, our identities have shifted tremendously throughout our diaspora after the US withdrew from the Vietnam War. My artwork includes traditional Hmong craft and processes such as metals, jewelry, and textiles. I incorporate them to tell our narratives of migration while preserving traditional knowledge.



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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.


What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

I am passionate about creating work that documents and symbolizes my Hmong history and culture, at the same time reflecting my experience as a Hmong American person. The medium and material that I use brings me closer to my Hmong identity as I relearn my cultural roots through the process and materials related to Hmong craft. I want to continue to pass down the history of Hmong craft from one generation to the next and give homage to the makers that have come before me.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

Something unique about my work is that it brings in contemporary metalsmith practices and processes that connect to traditional Hmong metalsmiths. The vibrant colors and patterns are unique to Hmong craft. When looking closer at my work, you can see that each material is relevant to Hmong craft materials as well as American products, connecting cultures through materials.