‘50 Objects’ welcomes Year of the Cat

By Mai Nguyen-Long

50 Objects is inspired by the 50th anniversary of the friendship between Australia and Vietnam, spanning from 1973 to 2023. This exhibition is led by myself (visual artist Mai Nguyen-Long), in collaboration with actor Hanh Nguyen and writer Linh Ngoc Le. We are all informed by different experiences of our Vietnamese heritage.

January coincides with Lunar New Year celebrations (Tet) and 2023 is Year of the Cat in Vietnam (not Rabbit as in China). Originally focussing on cats, 50 Objects quickly expanded into an opportunity to display visual art and cultural resources about Vietnam not so widely accessible in Australia. The objects were sourced through our personal connections and a process of six degrees of separation. Loans from private collections and the Vietnam Centre comprise original artworks from artists in Vietnam – some born in the 1940s, others are millennials; folk art prints, museum reproductions of artworks, art books, water puppets, and posters. There are contributions from local Australian creatives of Vietnamese descent, and a UOW New Colombo Plan project.

This exhibition honours an idea of subjectivity within the context of appreciating the vibrancy of Vietnamese heritage, including rich spiritual and art historical narratives.

50 Objects hopes to inspire a viewer’s curiosity to embark on their own journeys of discovery. This collaborative exercise extends friendships, the process and outcome hint at future stories, conversations, new connections and imaginings.

Contact: mailongx@gmail.com.

When & where: 5-30 January at Thirroul District Community Centre and Library. Visit: www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/ your-library/locations-and-hours/libraries/ thirroul-library

Top: Tran Khanh Chuong (1943-2020), courtesy private collection. Middle: Water puppet, souvenir maquette, courtesy private collection.

Bottom: Woodblock print, Girl with Cat, Dong Ho genre, Courtesy private collection