SAINT PAUL GEM & HISTORY
circa 2023
ARTIST STATEMENt by photographer TJ Lor
What people will see in this exhibit are hidden gems of St. Paul & the rich history of Minnesota for Hmong Americans. I've lived in Minnesota my whole life and don't know the rich history of being Hmong. But this will be the beginning of a lifetime to self discovery & understanding the true and very rich history of my people.
I'd like to thank Nia Madison for always being my #1 supporter and my best friend, Charles for being my last minute model. and my family for pushing me to be the best that I can be, even though it came with tough love. I'd like to thank Ka & KaYing for bringing lost knowledge into the U.S. It was a healing experience. I'd like to thank In Progress for teaching me what I know and all the mentors that helped me along my journey to success. Last but least, I'd like to thank myself for being here today to experience something great.
TJ is a Hmong American artist. Born in Minneapolis, raised in Saint Paul. TJ started with music when she got involved with IP then moved onto photography and has continued since. Through trial and error with photography, she has progressed with her craft for the past three years.
TJ’s craft is more candid shots rather than posed shots, she’s more into covering events and musicians. TJ is slowly learning more about photography and expanding to more than just candid’s and events. She’s learning more about lighting and poses, it is a challenge, but she’s learning. TJ hopes to become a professional photographer full-time and much more.