The Politics of Vietnamese Craft : American Diplomacy and Domestication

"Jennifer Way's study The Politics of Vietnamese Craft uncovers a little-known chapter in the history of American cultural diplomacy, in which Vietnamese craft production was encouraged and shaped by the US State Department as an object for consumption by middle class America. Way explores how American business and commerce, department stores, the art world and national museums variously guided the marketing and meanings of Vietnamese craft in order to advance American diplomatic and domestic interests. Conversely, American uses of Vietnamese craft provide an example of how the United States aimed to absorb post-colonial South Vietnam into the 'Free World', in a Cold War context of American anxiety about communism spreading throughout Southeast Asia. Way focuses in particular on the part played by the renowned American designer Russel Wright, contracted by the US International Cooperation Administration's aid programs for South Vietnam to survey the craft industry in South Vietnam and manage its production, distribution and consumption abroad and at home. Way shows how Wright and his staff brought American ideas about Vietnamese history and culture to bear in managing the making of Vietnamese craft." -- Publisher's description Cover page 1 Halftitle page 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Dedication 6 CONTENTS 8 ILLUSTRATIONS 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 14 ABBREVIATIONS 16 INTRODUCTION: VIETNAM AT HOME, 1955–1961 18 The organization of this book 22 Domesticating Americans 23 “Crossing the public/private divide of politics” 57 30 Vietnamese craft and American histories of craft and art 33 Chapter 1 STATE DEPARTMENT AND UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATIONS FOR VIETNAMESE CRAFT AID 36 Introduction 36 American involvement in South Vietnam 36 UN Economic Council for Asia and the Far East: A template for craft development 40 Foreign Operations Administration 43 Chapter 2 DESIGNER AS DIPLOMAT 46 Introduction 46 “Need for this type [of] help urgent” 8 47 Promoting “an obvious desire among the population”33: Recommendations for craft 49 American frameworks for Vietnamese craft 52 Craft and design in production 55 Expanding America’s geography of craft 59 Design diplomacy: A “hard-headed business”155 61 Chapter 3 REFUGEE AS ARTISAN: THE IMAGE OF VIETNAMESE CRAFT 68 Introduction 68 The United States in South Vietnam, and South Vietnam in the United States 71 Pathos 74 “The refugee problem” and solution 78 Occupation: From refugees to citizens 80 Depoliticizing artisans 82 Chapter 4 THE U. S., NORTH VIETNAM, AND SOUTH VIETNAM: COMPETING NARRATIVES OF CRAFT 88 Introduction 88 American perspectives 88 Outsourcing otherness: Palliative dimensions of native craft 90 Reclaiming craft for the nation: Hanoi’s Vietnamese Handicraft s 93 Marking success in South Vietnam: Modernization and mobility 95 Chapter 5 FROM SALVAGING TO MERCHANDISING: EXHIBITING VIETNAMESE CRAFT FOR A MERICAN CONSUMERS 102 Introduction 102 Saigon Chamber of Commerce, 1956 102 Southeast Asia Rehabilitation and Trade Development Exhibit, New York Coliseum, 1956 104 Table Settings: The Old with the New , Brooklyn Museum, 1957 116 United States World Trade Fair, New York Coliseum, 1958 119 Traveling Department Store Exhibition, 1958–9 133 Craft centers in South Vietnam, 1957–61 138 Chapter 6 ARTIFACT, ART, CRAFT: DISPLAYING AND COLLECTING DIFFERENT VIETNAMS 152 Introduction 152 Vietnamese craft as knowledge of the region, culture, and nation 155 Acquiring Vietnamese craft 159 Crossroad and cultural diplomacy 160 Marginalizing craft 164 Ethnographic failures 166 The unsuitability of Vietnamese craft for SITES 169 CONCLUSION 172 NOTES 176 BIBLIOGRAPHY 214 INDEX 236 "Jennifer Way's study The Politics of Vietnamese Craft uncovers a little-known chapter in the history of American cultural diplomacy, in which Vietnamese craft production was encouraged and shaped by the US State Department as an object for consumption by middle class America. Way explores how American business and commerce, department stores, the art world and national museums variously guided the marketing and meanings of Vietnamese craft in order to advance American diplomatic and domestic interests. Conversely, American uses of Vietnamese craft provide an example of how the United States aimed to absorb post-colonial South Vietnam into the 'Free World', in a Cold War context of American anxiety about communism spreading throughout Southeast Asia. Way focuses in particular on the part played by the renowned American designer Russel Wright, contracted by the US International Cooperation Administration's aid programs for South Vietnam to survey the craft industry in South Vietnam and manage its production, distribution and consumption abroad and at home. Way shows how Wright and his staff brought American ideas about Vietnamese history and culture to bear in managing the making of Vietnamese craft."-- Provided by publisher