The Hyde Art Gallery recently hosted its first exhibition of Former Grossmont Professor Harry Lum.
Lum’s late work, from 2000 to 2020, demonstrates the intersection of art and politics.
An artist and activist, Lum taught at Grossmont for 23 years, then moved to Nevada City, a town in Northern California, where he crafted more socially aware work that addressed modern issues and reflected society’s failures and successes until he passed away in 2022.
His niece Sarah Lum described him as intellectually curious. His art invited conversations on topics that made others uncomfortable but were necessary. The exhibit focused on American history that many have forgotten, and a few students were unaware of.
At the entrance, two acrylic on canvas pieces are presented: “South Tower- Exterior” and “South Tower Blue Escape.” These represent a before and after depiction of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, a tragic event that changed American history and created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Gallery Director Alex DeCosta talked about students’ lack of awareness of certain parts of American history presented in the gallery, specifically the Iraqi men who were prisoners in Abu Ghraib, a prison west of Baghdad, Iraq.
The particular art piece discussed resembles an image published of a hooded Iraqi man standing on a box with electrical wires attached to his fingers, just one of many torture methods employed at a time when American soldiers used abusive interrogation tactics and tortured prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Although these images surfaced in 2004, the issue is still relevant as the case finally went to trial in 2024, resulting in a $42 million reward to three former detainees.
When asked about the importance of revisiting these moments, DeCosta stated: “As the Department of Education is dismantled, it’s important that we do not forget about the atrocities that , as the good guys, have committed.”
Grossmont Student Thao Nguyen said he resonated with the collection as a whole. Although he is not Chinese like Lum, he said it reminds him of a time when his Vietnamese parents experienced prejudice while finding a job.
“I felt a sense of solitary and collectiveness because it talks about all these different situations where the empire wants to destroy people of color, dehumanize and demonize,” Nguyen said.
When asked about his favorite piece in the exhibit, Nguyen pointed out the piece “Restraining Grandma,” saying the message spoke volumes on family challenges and obstacles family members will experience.
Prejudice toward people of color is not a new concept in America. While at times overlooked, the Asian community has also experienced discrimination. At the height of COVID-19, many would refer to the virus as the “Wuhan Virus” or “Chinese Virus,” resulting in a mass amount of Asian hate throughout the country. This hate was displayed when San Francisco’s Chinatown businesses were vandalized and looted in June 2020.
Lum emphasized the concept of abstraction when he obscured the faces in this collection. DeCosta explained when someone has been an artist for a long time, they know when a painting is finished. In this case, it made the painting less about a person and more about the idea of a person.
“It makes the viewer have more empathy, for the figure,” Decosta said. “You can see yourself in that picture.”
Grossmont Student Eunity Corley described the collection as impactful and disturbing as it made her think of more modern times.
Thirty years later, Lum continues to inspire, challenge and educate students at Grossmont.
“Erasing history is what’s happening, and it’s very dangerous,” DeCosta said. “Things like this aren’t going to be talked about, and it’s important that students are exposed to this kind of negative American history.”
While the exhibition ended March 6, the catalog is still available at hydeartgallery.com.
