Shaping Fluidity

Installation, photography, printed curtains,
interior design, pop-up coffee shop

Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, 2024-2027

Shaping Fluidity is a multidimensional installation that brings together photography, spatial design, handcrafted elements and a pop-up café to explore the complex interplay of identity, belonging and diasporic (Vietnamese) culture. Inspired by her Vietnamese heritage and the adaptability inherent in its traditions, Nguyen creates a space that is both reflective and participatory.

The installation emphasizes flexibility and fluidity – a state of being inspired by the artist’s family and ancestors. The modular furniture can be rearranged and adapted by users to suit different situations and contexts, while for example the materiality and effect of the curtain fabric highlight the recontextualization of traditional materials, such as áo dài fabric, as printed curtains. Handmade ceramics sourced from Vietnam and Switzerland further enrich this interplay. Collaborating with artisans, designers, and friends from both countries, Nguyen carefully assembled elements ranging from traditionally Vietnamese handwoven straw mats and Swiss-designed tables to Vietnamese plastic stools. Each element contributes to a thoughtful dialogue between tradition and innovation, craftsmanship and context.

Through these elements, Nguyen explores the negotiation between cultures, intertwining personal narratives with broader reflections on resilience and cultural preservation. The artist reexamines the concept of «tradition» and challenges the local audience to reflect on and broaden their understanding of a diasporic culture, its food, aesthetics, and practices—moving beyond familiar or Western-framed interpretations.

Curated by Nadia Veronese

Production assistance: Vanessa Drummond, Lien Pham
Production Everything For Everyone, 2024: Severin Reusser

> Coffee sourced by RAAW coffee Hanoi, roasted by Linh Nguyen
> Design Logo on Phin filter by Ngoc Vo
> Ceramics by Nắng ceramics and Hîen Vân ceramics
> Chiếu straw matts by SŌNSŌN collective, Hanoi

Museum technicians: Oliver Meier, Hugo Borner, Jonas Senn, Herbert Weber
Exhibition Documentation: Sebastian Stalder

The installation was generously supported by the Foundation of Culture of Canton Thurgau, Susanne and Martin Knechtli-Kradolfer Foundation and Senn Resources AG St.Gallen

Thi My Lien Nguyen

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