Vietnam Veteran J. Kimo Williams Returned to Vietnam With His Camera

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va., March 6, 2020 (Newswire.com) - In 1969 as a high school senior, Vietnam Vet Kimo Williams always thought Vietnam was a third-world backward gloomy environment. Once there, he realized it was nothing like that at all. The country had beautiful landscapes and majestic flowing rivers. The non-combatant Vietnamese were warm, cordial and very friendly. He relished the opportunity to engage with the people and the culture. However, because of the nature of his presence there, a cultural investigation was very limited.

He left Vietnam in the fall of 1970, never having had the chance to understand the Vietnamese and their culture or to embrace the beauty of the land.

In 1998, Kimo returned to Vietnam for the first time, specifically to the place of his first assignment in Lai Khe. From this cathartic return, he realized what he missed as a soldier and wanted so much more. He returned in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. During each trip, he had his camera with him and captured the faces of those he encountered, which provided the essence from his perspective of who this culture was.

FACES of VIETNAM is an exhibit of those photographs.

Kimo will be performing on guitar and vocals the music of Jimi Hendrix. The music of Hendrix inspired him to pursue art as a form of self-expression.

Contact Kimo at kimo@omik.com.

Additional Information: artist's website - www.kimopics.com

Hi-res images, biography and other press material relating to exhibit available at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SMVhCBDuCCP9Ze2tsShH8w-2bECELn3t?usp=sharing​.

​YouTube video prototype of exhibit: https://youtu.be/Yb0k6RHMU1M

Source: KimoPics