Today the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced that Pao Houa Her is among the 171 artists, scientists, writers, and scholars in the 2023 class of Guggenheim Fellows. Based on “prior achievement and exceptional promise,” winners have “followed their calling to enhance all of our lives, to provide greater human knowledge and deeper understanding,” said Edward Hirsch, the foundation’s president. Based in the Twin Cities suburb of Blaine, Pao’s work is deeply conceptual, often investigating the theme of desire for a real or imagined homeland for Hmong people—and it resonates deeply with audiences and curators alike: her work has been featured at esteemed venues like the Whitney Biennial and the Walker Art Center, and she was named artist of the year by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She’s so deserving of this recognition by the Guggenheim.
One vein in my work that gives me the most satisfaction these days is helping artists tell their stories in clear, honest, and compelling ways. Over the years, I’ve helped artists with editing and grantwriting, with two, including Pao, winning Guggenheim fellowships. (I also co-wrote, with Nicole Caruth, the grant that won us the 2019 Arts Writers Grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts). If you’re an artist in need of help with language—for artist statements, website text, exhibition descriptions, or grants—please get in touch.
Congratulations Pao!
