About
Initiated by artists Bryan Beyung and FONKi, both from the Cambodian diaspora, this mural pays tribute to collective memory and celebrates the migratory journeys of the Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian communities established in Quebec.
Starting in 1975, in the context of the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, more than 180,000 refugees from Southeast Asia found refuge in Canada. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of this mass exodus, one of the largest forced migrations in contemporary history.
As part of this project, roundtable discussions were organized, allowing artists to meet people from the three communities and different generations. These exchanges provided an opportunity to collect testimonies, life stories and aspirations, that inspired and shaped the creation of the mural. The resulting work highlights the themes of memory, transmission and renewal. The lotus, present in all three cultures, occupies a central place: a symbol of resilience, peace, rebirth and optimism, it grows in mud but always rises towards the light.
This mural is also a tribute to the welcoming land — Quebec — which offered these communities the opportunity to rebuild their lives. It is a gesture of gratitude to those who paved the way, and a testament to love for roots and new beginnings.
