Surface/Postcards from Vietnam

Liza Nguyen’s work explores representation, memory and aesthetics that question how the past is created, discussed and remembered. Nguyen’s practice also actively engages issues of how to create links between aesthetics and ethics.

Souvenirs of Vietnam exemplifies this way of working as it commemorates, in a very particular way, the 30th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. Nguyen’s Surface series depicts samples of soil she collected from historic sites of battle. Names such as Hanoi, Saigon and My Lai evoke vivid images of horrific events, the ground a metaphor for a stained history. Postcards of Vietnam is a series of photographs shot in Vietnam war museums, ironically replacing typical tourist postcards with images depicting war and ruin, including those of old weapons, bunkers and cemeteries.

Liza Nguyen has exhibited widely throughout Europe, Asia and North America. Her book My Father received several French awards and was published by Schaden.com in 2006. Souvenirs of Vietnam has received the FNAC Prize and the International Biennial of Art of Lulea (Sweden) Award.

Gallery 44 wishes to acknowledge the Consulate of France in Toronto for their support.