Vanny Vong - Cambodian Chinese-American Ceramist

GuestsSeason 4

Jun 14

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America, I sit down with Vanderlyn Bermudez Vong, a Cambodian Chinese-American ceramist based in Long Beach, California, whose work is rooted in cultural revival and resistance.

A daughter of genocide survivors, Vanderlyn shares what it was like growing up in Long Beach—home to one of the largest Cambodian diasporic communities—while still feeling “othered” in predominantly white academic spaces. She reflects on navigating her Khmer identity, studying Cambodian Language & Culture at California State University, Long Beach, and the ways art helped her reconnect with her roots.

We talk about the near-erasure of Khmer ceramics during the Khmer Rouge regime and how learning traditional pottery techniques from master ceramist Yari Livan transformed her creative path. Through traditional motifs, ancient techniques, and even contemporary pieces like her symbolic “donut pipe,” she explores what it means to carry culture forward through rebellion and healing.

This conversation is about reclaiming what was nearly lost and a new generation of Cambodian Americans using creativity to ensure that Khmer culture is not only remembered, but reimagined and revived.