FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [June 2025]
“Nước | Water Resistance” — Thom Nguyen’s solo exhibition at A. Farm unveils a powerful multidisciplinary portrait series exploring queer Vietnamese identity through the shifting forms of water and nation.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — [June 2025] — A. Farm is proud to present Nước | Water Resistance, a solo exhibition by multidisciplinary Vietnamese-American artist Thom Nguyen, opening on Saturday, June 28th at 19:00. Developed during Nguyen’s residency at A. Farm, this series offers a deeply intimate and politically resonant reflection on queerness, diaspora, and visibility.
Anchored in oil painting, sculpture, and installation, Nước | Water Resistance is a portrait-based series that investigates queer Vietnamese identity through the layered meanings of the word nước — simultaneously translating to both “water” and “nation” in Vietnamese. Nguyen harnesses the physical states of water — liquid, vapor, and ice — as metaphors for queer adaptation, obscurity, resistance, and transformation.
Drawing from classical European portraiture traditions while purposefully disrupting them, Nguyen reimagines figures of beauty and power through a queer, diasporic lens. This body of work places queer Asian subjects within visual traditions that have historically excluded them, reconfiguring the gaze with tenderness, assertiveness, and intentional slipperiness.
“The resulting works are intimate yet political, soft yet assertive, and intentionally slippery in meaning — much like queerness itself,” Nguyen states.
The exhibition also speaks to themes of speculative ritual and the politics of care. Nguyen's material process, from hand-built sculptural frames to slow, attentive portraiture, becomes a ceremonial act — one that honors queer lives and diasporic memory while resisting the forces of erasure.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [February 2025]
Artist Thom Nguyen Accepted into A. Farm International Residency in Ho Chi Minh City for New Project Exploring Identity, Queerness & Resistance
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – [February 2025] – Acclaimed Vietnamese American artist Thom Nguyen has been selected for the prestigious A. Farm residency in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he will develop his latest project, Nước | Water Resistance: A Portrait Series Exploring Identity, Queerness & Resistance. The residency will run from April 15 to June 30, 2025, culminating in a public exhibition at A. Farm Gallery at the end of June.
Deeply inspired by the Vietnamese word nước—which means both “water” and “homeland”—this new body of work will explore themes of queerness, resilience, and resistance through a striking portrait series. Nguyen’s artistic practice often investigates personal and cultural identity, and Nước will serve as a powerful reflection on the intersections of displacement, belonging, and self-expression.
“I am honored to be joining A. Farm and engaging with the vibrant art community in Ho Chi Minh City,” said Nguyen. “This project is both personal and collective, touching on the ways water—both as a life source and a metaphor—shapes our identities and our ability to resist.”
Nguyen, whose work has been exhibited internationally, brings a dynamic and deeply introspective approach to contemporary portraiture. His previous exhibitions include Divorce Part 1 & 2, Nocturne Electronica, and One Night Stand.
The final exhibition at A. Farm Gallery in late June will showcase Nguyen’s completed works, offering an intimate and thought-provoking experience for viewers.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A. Farm Gallery is a contemporary art space located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It serves as a platform for emerging artists to showcase their work, fostering a vibrant art community. The gallery hosts a variety of exhibitions, workshops, and events, contributing to the city's dynamic cultural scene. Visitors can explore a diverse range of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces, reflecting both traditional Vietnamese themes and modern artistic expressions.
Thom Nguyen is a Vietnamese American visual artist based in Scituate, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. His work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. and internationally, including at the Levitate Foundation, Rowan Artist Group, Santa Clara University, Project One Gallery, The San Francisco Academy of Sciences, and Substrate Gallery. Notable exhibitions include his "Divorce" series and "Nocturne Electronica" With a career spanning over a decade, Nguyen explores themes of visibility, transformation, and queerness through his art.