Client: City of Lewisville

Overview

Lung Ṭhawng, meaning “strong-hearted or strong-willed”, is a work of art commissioned to honor Lewisville’s Chin Community. This work, carved from dolomitic limestone, portrays a symbolic family dressed in traditional clothing, in the form of a bench. This family faced great hardships in their home country. They fled these hardships and now peacefully reside in Lewisville, Texas. Despite these hardships, the Chin community remains strong in heart and will to secure safety and prosperity for their families, while preserving their cultural traditions and values.

Goals

The City's goal for this commission was for an artist to create a public art piece
that could tell the story of the Chin people and celebrate their rich cultural heritage. They sought a permanent stone sculpture that could be installed in a city park located very near Chin neighborhoods and Chin churches.

Process

Over the 2.5 years Madeline Wiener spent working on Lung Ṭhawng, she made several trips to Lewisville from her home in Colorado. Madeline met with representatives of the Chin Community to gather input on everything from what garments the family might wear to the position of the infant in the mother's arms. Her attention to detail and commitment to authenticity and representation is demonstrated in Lung Ṭhawng.

Additional Information

Lewisville is home to more than 4,000 residents of Chin heritage. Many of them are refugees from the former country of Burma (now called Myanmar), which they fled after decades of official and cultural oppression. Lewisville is home to one of the largest Chin communities in the United States, second only to Indianapolis, Indiana.