BY BROOKLYN JOYNER
“Any kid of an immigrant household has the same story,” said Kim Ha.
To Ha’s Vietnamese family, financial security was always the goal. From day one, It was instilled in her that there was no such thing as following your dreams but she had the courage to create her own narrative.
After spending six years as a head tech at Microsoft, she quit. The 33-year-old said the decision was easier than she thought, finally being able to put time into her dream career as a multidisciplinary creative.
A curator, producer, photographer; the list goes on for Kim Ha.
“I don't know, just call me a jack of all trades,” said Ha as she shrugged and smiled. “But I will always be a photographer first.”
Two years later, she launched and funded her own photo and art exhibition called “Full Set” for all of New Orleans to see.
“I felt seen and understood by the people in New Orleans more than my actual family,” said Kim.
She partnered with local nail techs and artists like Antonia Villa, Asap Nail Bar, and MAD Nails.
Ha said the nail art was heavily influenced by different stages of her life, ranging from cartoons she watched as a kid like the Powerpuff girls, high end fashion brands she read about in magazines as a teenager, to the stained glass she used to see decorating the windows in Catholic churches.
“I want people to see what I saw growing up, allowing people to see in my life through my lens,” said Ha.
Beyond looking at the physical inspirations of the art pieces, Kim Ha did this to show appreciation of her mother who has been working as a nail technician all her life.
“She does not think what she does is important but it is important and significant. My mom gave me and my brother what we needed. She made things happen. What she does is honorable,” explained Kim.
Kim said after school she would sit in the nail shop with her mom for hours watching customers come and go. Kim would take in the ambience of her mom’s nail shop reading through nail art magazines, looking at nail flash sheets and getting tired of her mom using her nails to practice new designs on.
Ha sees nails as something that has shaped her into the person she is today. She wants her mom to understand that her job matters while also shining a light on women of color and nail techs through her photography.
“Getting your nails done is such an intimate and emotional experience. Women use the nail shop as a safe space to escape things like misogyny and racism,” said Kim.
“Nail techs sit there for 2 hours doing work that gets taken off in less than a month,” said Kim in disbelief.
Antonia Villa was a nail technician that Kim worked with closely for the past two years to bring “Full Set” to life. Kim is now Villa’s client.
Kim gave each of the nail artist mood boards and the artists built their own ideas from there having full creative control of their art for the “Full Set” series.
“I never had to change one set. I want the artist to shine in their own way and make money from it,” said Kim.
Villa said she painted the nails for the Bridgerton inspired set, the Lowriders inspired set, the Powerpuff girls inspired set and the tea cup inspired set.
“I have two rules from my nail art. I want them to look good from afar like shoes and purses and I want them to look good up close,” explained Villa.
Villa has been doing nails for six years and her goal from the start was to help push New Orleans nail artistry beyond the classic lines and dots everyone is familiar with.
“I was scrolling through Instagram looking at contemporary nail art and I thought I wish New Orleans had more of that,” said the New Orleans native.
The desire to contribute to her city in her own way has been fueling her fire ever since. Villa was even able to sell the Tea Cup inspired set she made for the gallery, on which she collaborated with sculpture artist, Christian Den.
“I am proud of myself. As individuals sometimes we don't have much to be proud of. I’m doing something people are receiving and responding positively to. It's really rewarding,” said Villa.
Villa’s experience accomplished Kim’s goal to showcase the artistry and inspiration behind nail art as a creative medium.
“I hope to inspire artists to put their work out there even though they’re scared. If you’re an artist from New Orleans you are one of a kind.” said Kim.
Ha said she is going to have a follow up show during Jazz Fest 2023 called “Refill”. “Refill” will be displayed in Mortal Machine Gallery April 20th where she plans to add 10 new concepts to “Full Set.”
From TBD Issue 3: 'AGE OF RESILIENCE', Available Now!
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY KIM HA
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