Galen Beery Collection
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Galen Beery showing curator Lar Yang his personal Hmong collection he brought with him to the U.S. from Laos in the 1960s and 1970s. These images were taken in 2013.

In Beery’s statement, 2015: “The Hmong villages during the war in Laos faced a tumultuous and challenging existence. The Hmong people, who were significantly involved in the conflict, were persistently displaced due to the ongoing war. They had to continuously move and resettle in new areas to escape conflict and ensure their safety. The Hmong would settle on a new hill, cut trees, and plant rice. They had to be fed with rice, which was dropped by airplanes, until they could establish themselves and grow their own crops in their new homes. This constant movement and resettlement were not only physically demanding but also emotionally and psychologically taxing for the Hmong people. The villages were often in a state of flux, with the need to be perpetually ready to move and adapt to new environments and circumstances, all while facing the uncertainties and dangers presented by the war.”

View Beery’s photo collection here.

Fresno, California
2024