2018 Art Action Day - Mai Khoi "Life without art is a sort of death."

Description

In preparation for the 2018 Art Action Day, the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) of PEN America interviewed Mai Khoi, a Vietnamese singer and activist based in Hanoi. Mai broke headlines in March 2016 when she nominated herself to Vietnam's National Assembly in order to raise awareness about Vietnam's unfair political system. Unsurprisingly, Mai was quickly disqualified, but her actions sparked many debates and inspired a younger generation to get involved in politics. Since then she has been harassed, evicted from her home, and her concerts have been shut down. In this phone interview, we talk with Mai about the importance of art and having the freedom to create.

To contribute to Art Action Day with your own interview, find instructions here: wearethefederation.org/events/art-action-day/.

To learn more about Mai Khoi and her music, read her profile on ARC's website: artistsatriskconnection.org/story/mai-khoi.

Participants

• Mai Khoi
  
• Laura Kauer Garcia
  
• Artists At Risk Connection
  

Interview By

• Artists At Risk Connection