Huy Khue Nguyen

Khue Nguyen is a Vietnamese-born Australian artist based in Melbourne, represented by Art Atrium Gallery in Sydney. His practice spans both local and international exhibitions, offering a continued exploration of the human form while engaging with themes of diaspora and identity.

Nguyen’s first body of work is rooted in lyrical abstraction, examining the gestural communication of the human body through the medium of dance. His artistic approach navigates the imagined landscape of human emotion, revealing a deep curiosity about spatial awareness and the dynamic interaction of bodies within space. Central to this inquiry is the creation of dialogue and movement-based communication, reflecting his profound connection to music and dance.

His second body of work – including Forty Acts of Remembering, Vietnam/Australia: Voicing the Unspoken, and From a Home to a Home – interrogates the lived experiences of the Vietnamese diaspora and the complexities of identity formation. Through these works, Nguyen explores memory, cultural displacement, and the intersection of personal and collective narratives, providing a nuanced perspective on belonging and resilience.

In 2010, Nguyen became the first Vietnamese Australian finalist for the prestigious Archibald Prize, marking a milestone for both his career and the Vietnamese Australian artistic community. He has also been a finalist in the Paul Guest Drawing Prize (2018) and Hutchins Art Prize (2013), and his work has gained international recognition, including participation in Malaysia’s Art, Life & Vision – 100 Excellent International Artists Exhibition (2009).

Nguyen’s commitment to cultural dialogue has led to numerous exhibitions, such as Spiritus (Vietnam, 2018), Mapping Melbourne – Traces of Transformation (2013), and Transfiguration Exhibition (Vietnam, 2011). In 2017, he was appointed Emerge Cultural Ambassador for the City of Yarra’s EMERGE – Culture Empowering Community Festival. Since 1989, he has received over 25 awards across Fine Arts and Graphic Art.

Beyond exhibitions, Nguyen has contributed to public art initiatives across Australia, collaborating with the City of Melbourne, Creative Victoria, and Multicultural Arts Victoria to inspire audiences through his visual storytelling.


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