Dallas Museum of Art:
The recently acquired "How Mali Lost Her Accent" is from the artist's revered “Immigrant Experience” series, which combines her personal immigrant experience in the U.S. with that of others from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Inspired by Mali, a Laotian-Vietnamese girl Abad befriended, the vibrant painting shows Mali at a crossroads in her life while selecting a college to attend. Reflecting on the immigrant parent’s hopes for their children, the use of ‘lost’ in the title also recognizes their sacrifices.
We are excited to see "How Mali Lost Her Accent" will connect with Dallas's diverse and multi-generational diasporic communities and grow our representation of Asian American and Pacific Islander voices in our permanent collection.