JUVEN
Sunset (I feel sad, but hopeful) by Khanh Tran
Artist Statement
I painted this after I was fired from my internship.
After graduating in 2020, I decided to try a different career direction, graphic design (something I have always been passionate about but too hesitant to pursue). So after completing my bachelor's degree, I applied to a course closer to art. Before I continue the story, bear in mind that I am a non-EU/EEA resident, registered as a first-year student in Europe. To apply for an internship where I am living, I first need approval from my university. The problem here is that students cannot apply for an internship until their second year. With that restriction in combination with the fact that I am a foreigner, it is essentially saying “You cannot have an internship”. I did not know this until after I had applied.
It was a graphic design position at a local company that I (thought) was completely aligned with my interests: sustainable, flexible working hours, and free lunch. Because I had had an internship during my previous study, I know that the process of finalizing the working contract is quite extensive and time-consuming for non-EU/EEA residents. If the contract is not finished before the first day of work, I would be considered an illegal worker, and potentially deported. As I could not risk anything going wrong during the process, I was constantly in contact with the HR department of the company to complete my contract ASAP. At first, I was told everything is being taken care of, so I trusted the adults to do their jobs. When I started my first day without a contract, it was with the confirmation that it was nearly ready. But this was not the case. Up until my third week, the contract was nowhere near ready. This time, I pushed the HR person harder and demanded she finalizes my contract. A day later, she got back to me with the news that the company was supposed to have completed my contract WEEKS before my first day of work, otherwise, I would be working illegally, and the company would have to pay a large fine for harboring an illegal worker. They had two options to solve this messy situation. One was to hire me as an official employee and pay for my working permit. The second was to kick me out and keep this a secret. They went for the latter.
What upsets me most of all was that despite having risked my deportation, they brushed the matter off easily as if I were nothing. Of all the colleagues in my team, only one argued my case; and they were not even informed about my situation until after the damage was done.
I felt humiliated and blamed myself for what happened. I was young and inexperienced. But worst of all, the people who were supposed to help did not. This piece is the result of painting the emotions I felt at the time.
The piece, which I later digitalized, reflected the helpless state I was in.
After graduating in 2020, I decided to try a different career direction, graphic design (something I have always been passionate about but too hesitant to pursue). So after completing my bachelor's degree, I applied to a course closer to art. Before I continue the story, bear in mind that I am a non-EU/EEA resident, registered as a first-year student in Europe. To apply for an internship where I am living, I first need approval from my university. The problem here is that students cannot apply for an internship until their second year. With that restriction in combination with the fact that I am a foreigner, it is essentially saying “You cannot have an internship”. I did not know this until after I had applied.
It was a graphic design position at a local company that I (thought) was completely aligned with my interests: sustainable, flexible working hours, and free lunch. Because I had had an internship during my previous study, I know that the process of finalizing the working contract is quite extensive and time-consuming for non-EU/EEA residents. If the contract is not finished before the first day of work, I would be considered an illegal worker, and potentially deported. As I could not risk anything going wrong during the process, I was constantly in contact with the HR department of the company to complete my contract ASAP. At first, I was told everything is being taken care of, so I trusted the adults to do their jobs. When I started my first day without a contract, it was with the confirmation that it was nearly ready. But this was not the case. Up until my third week, the contract was nowhere near ready. This time, I pushed the HR person harder and demanded she finalizes my contract. A day later, she got back to me with the news that the company was supposed to have completed my contract WEEKS before my first day of work, otherwise, I would be working illegally, and the company would have to pay a large fine for harboring an illegal worker. They had two options to solve this messy situation. One was to hire me as an official employee and pay for my working permit. The second was to kick me out and keep this a secret. They went for the latter.
What upsets me most of all was that despite having risked my deportation, they brushed the matter off easily as if I were nothing. Of all the colleagues in my team, only one argued my case; and they were not even informed about my situation until after the damage was done.
I felt humiliated and blamed myself for what happened. I was young and inexperienced. But worst of all, the people who were supposed to help did not. This piece is the result of painting the emotions I felt at the time.
The piece, which I later digitalized, reflected the helpless state I was in.
Originally from Viet Nam, Khanh currently lives in the Netherlands. Her art touches on the issues of climate change, inequality and racism. She has appeared in Opia magazine. Khanh can be found on Instagram (@ikhanhart), or on her website (www.khanhtdm.com).