Truong Tran on Channeling the Violence of White Supremacy Into Art
I’m going to write this in all of its complications. This will be the first of many attempts.
Truong Tran is a Vietnamese-American artist and poet whose work explores themes of identity, race, and violence through the medium of collage. His practice involves cutting out images of butterflies from magazines, particularly from depictions of white male bodies, and repurposing them as artistic material. This act began as a protest against artist Damien Hirst’s 1991 installation In and Out of Love, which involved the death of 9,000 butterflies. Tran initially matched this number by cutting out 9,000 male genitals and anuses from images, symbolizing his critique of what he describes as the arrogance or offensiveness of such art. Over time, his work evolved from protest to a meditative and artistic practice, though the act of cutting remains tied to themes of loss and mourning.
Tran uses butterflies as a central material in his art to convey multiple meanings. Sometimes, he employs them to emphasize queer identity, framing the male body and same-sex intimacy as natural and unremarkable. Other times, the butterflies serve as a confrontation with whiteness, representing the pervasive presence of white male bodies in culture, the conditioned desire for whiteness, and the idea of whiteness as an infestation. The butterflies, often associated with beauty and transformation, become tools to challenge and critique societal norms and power structures. Tran’s use of butterflies also reflects a deeper meditation on the fragility and violence inherent in artistic creation and representation.
A recurring question Tran faces is why he specifically cuts images of white men rather than those of Black or Brown men. His response reflects a complex mix of personal boundaries, ethical considerations, and artistic intent. Tran explains that he refuses to cut into images of Black and Brown men because he does not want to further fragment their representations in art, stating, We are fragmented enough. In contrast, he feels justified in cutting white male bodies, framing this choice as an act of defiance against the historical and cultural dominance of whiteness. This distinction highlights his engagement with the politics of representation and the ethical responsibilities of artists.
Tran grapples with the tension between metaphorical violence in art and the real violence endured by marginalized communities. He acknowledges that his cutting of images is a form of metaphorical violence, framed as art, but questions what this metaphor truly represents when compared to the tangible violence faced by Black and Brown bodies. This reflection underscores the limitations of art as a medium for addressing systemic oppression. Tran’s work invites viewers to confront the discomfort of these questions, challenging them to consider the boundaries between artistic expression and the lived experiences of those subjected to real-world violence.
Tran’s artistic journey has been shaped by a lifetime of experiences, including resentment and anger rooted in racial and queer identity. His practice of cutting butterflies has become a way to process these emotions, transforming them into art. The act of cutting, initially born from anger, has evolved into a meditative and almost ritualistic process. Despite surpassing 10,000 butterflies cut over a decade, Tran continues this work, describing it as an endless act of mourning and defiance. His memoir, *How to Exi(s)t: A Poet’s Memoir*, further explores these themes, offering a personal account of his struggles and artistic evolution.
