In Tropicana Migration, Dinh Q. Lê crafts an environment that initially feels humorous and lighthearted, but soon reveals a critical and sinister edge. This shift in tone underscores the darker aspects of tourism, prompting a deeper discourse on the complexities of the travel industry within Vietnam's developing economy.
The woven photographs series, Tropicana Migration by Vietnamese-American artist Dinh Q. Lê, examines the evolution of his country through tourism and how still today the Vietnam War’s presence continues to be an ironic attraction. The exhibition continues Lê’s investigation into his homeland, the Vietnam War and how it is placed today by the tourism industry. The photo-weaving is made of a composition of iconic images from the war interlaced with today's tourism industry in Vietnam. Mixing together pleasant and bright-coloured tropical imagery with those war images found in archives or from Hollywood films about the war.