Recorded on May 4, 2025 at the Des Moines Art Center.
This lecture features artist Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn. Nguyễn’s absorbing video “The Boat People” (2020), was a major element of the exhibition “Time Travelers” (on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery February 18 – May 11, 2025). This video is part of the museum’s permanent collections, as is “AK-47 vs. M16” (2015), a mixed media sculpture by The Propeller Group, an artist collective of which Nguyễn is a founding member.
Nguyễn’s practice explores the power of memory and its potential to act as a form of political resistance. His method is fueled by research and a commitment to communities that have faced traumas caused by colonialism, war, and displacement. Through collaborative endeavors with various communities throughout the world, Nguyễn sets out to cultivate and empower his collaborators, emphasizing the power of storytelling as a means for healing, empathy, and solidarity.
