Penmai Chongtoua

Penmai (Sensei Mai) is a second generation Hmong-American woman with Indigenous roots to Southeast Asia. She aims to reconcile severed relationships between Earth and humans through a series of intimate rituals of care and reciprocity which are embodied within her research and artistic practice.

Penmai received her M.A. in Climate, Earth and Society from Columbia University in 2022 and her B.A. in Environmental Politics from Brown University in 2019. She currently works as a Faculty Researcher at the Natural Materials Lab, a research hub for earth and bio-based material exploration. Penmai has received grants from GSAPP, the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise and has presented her work with Central Saint Martins in London, Pioneer Works in New York City and the Indian Ceramics Triennale in New Delhi, India.

At Woodward, Penmai will develop Tshuaj Yej [tea], a poetry and photo book reflecting on the tangible and intangible components of herbal teas as a tool to catalyze transformative healing and to gain intergenerational plant wisdom.