Untitled (Water)

Both the sea and the color blue are often described as serene and tranquil, which might be one’s first thoughts when looking at this illuminated image of rolling waves. Artist Alfredo Jaar, however, disrupts those associations with the pictures on the opposite side of the lightbox—portraits of Vietnamese refugees who arrived in Hong Kong Bay in the 1980s searching for a better life. Reflected back at us by seven mirrors hanging on the wall, their faces give new meaning to the seascape. With their story in mind, one might be more inclined to think about the color blue’s other associations—with both tragic sorrow and optimistic hope.