My name is Karen Thảo La (she/her/hers), a Vietnamese-Canadian artist, cultural producer, and creative director residing and working on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ nations, colonially known as Vancouver, Canada. With deep winding roots from Sài Gòn to Cà Mau, Vietnam, I embrace interchangeability in names.
Inspired by personal narratives and collective memory, I intuitively traverse mediums, transitioning between art creation, facilitation, and community organizing. For over a decade, I've championed a care-based management ethos, collaborating with diverse communities and stakeholders to realize shared visions across continents.
My endeavours include establishing Que by Kaarem to celebrate Vietnamese artisans' craftsmanship, orchestrating free all-ages community-engaged art festivals such as the Moon and Winter Solstice Festivals, and founding Vòng Vòng, a platform centring Vietnamese/BIPOC voices worldwide to co-create accessible artistic experiences and opportunities for cultural exchange. Additionally, I value working with youth; facilitating art workshops and fostering creativity and empowerment through creative expression brings me immense joy.
Committed to perpetual un/learning, I pursue embodied experiences and have participated in residencies globally, complementing my BFA in Visual Art and Art History from the University of British Columbia and diploma in Jewellery Art and Design from VCC.
In my downtime, I can be found in a dance class, where I find relief and inspiration in movement. I love to connect with like-minded individuals. Whether collaborating on a project, sharing experiences, or chatting about art and culture, I invite you to reach out.
Let's connect!