ABSTRACT
In her piece, Lesbian Precepts, Hanh Thi Pham is seated naked in the center, regal and Buddha-like, with two shoes placed in front, on either side of her. One is a white ladies’ pump, the other a black, heavy duty, combat boot. Unlike the usual mudras seen on Buddha statues, her hand gestures are her own; with her right hand raised, she makes the Vietnamese sign for “vagina,” and with her other hand, she gestures as if ready to penetrate a lover during lesbian sex. By assuming this position, she reappropriates a powerful image for herself.
