A vibrant new mural in Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID) is putting Vietnamese culture, history and artistic expression on display while inviting residents and visitors to explore the neighborhood.
Created by Seattle artist and designer Stacy Nguyen, the mural is at Asian Plaza in Little Saigon. The project is a partnership between AARP Washington and Friends of Little Saigon, with community volunteers helping bring Nguyen’s design to life.
Community volunteers help paint a Little Saigon mural designed by Seattle artist Stacy Nguyen at Asian Plaza. Volunteers ranging in age from 6 to their 70s participated in the project (Courtesy: AARP Washington)
At the center of the mural is a bird known in Vietnamese culture as chim lạc, an image Nguyen said dates to ancient Vietnamese culture. She incorporated the traditional imagery into a contemporary design intended to reflect both the history of Little Saigon and the community’s future.
A completed mural by Seattle artist Stacy Nguyen is displayed at Asian Plaza in Little Saigon. The mural features the chim lạc, a bird associated with ancient Vietnamese culture, and a leaf motif. (Courtesy: AARP Washington)
“This is where our shops were. This is where our restaurants were,” Nguyen said. “So I think it’s especially meaningful to see the different ways that this community has evolved… it kind of represents the shift away from just merely surviving.”
The bird also connects the neighborhood’s Vietnamese heritage with broader Asian and Pacific Islander cultural traditions. Nguyen, a former Northwest Asian Weekly editor, pointed to other familiar cultural symbols, including the crane and phoenix, and said the image of a bird in flight conveys a sense of hope.
“It’s optimistic, it’s reaching, it’s soaring, and I feel like that’s what (Little Saigon) is, what the neighborhood is striving to be, and what ultimately it can be more of.”
AARP Washington is also offering a free enamel pin featuring the Little Saigon mural.
AARP Washington is offering a free enamel pin featuring the bird design from Stacy Nguyen’s new Little Saigon mural. (Courtesy: AARP Washington)
Upcoming projects
AARP Washington’s work in the CID extends beyond the mural. The organization launched neighborhood projects around the FIFA World Cup, but Heidi Wong, the outreach director for AARP Washington, said the goal is to maintain a longer-term connection with the community.
“The World Cup was an exciting time for all of us, and it gave us an opportunity to spotlight the Chinatown-International District,” said Wong. “Our commitment to the neighborhood really extends beyond just that one-time event.”
Just down the street, at the intersection of Seventh and Jackson, a vacant storefront is being transformed into an art installation created in partnership with local artist Nolan Lee.
Image from Nolan Lee
AARP Washington is also offering a free print of Nolen’s work. Availability is limited, so click here to order your free print now.
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