Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn: SPACE FICTION & THE ARCHIVES

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Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn, "Slide," 2012

lightbox, 93 x 93 x 17.5 cm, courtesy of the artist

Space Fiction & the Archives, by artist Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn, transports the viewer to the small town of St. Paul, Alberta, in 1967. Canada’s centenary was a time of unparalleled optimism as the country unveiled ambitious projects showcasing its culture and history to the world. One of these projects was the construction of the world’s first “UFO Landing Pad” that was built in St. Paul, and proclaimed a “symbol of Western hospitality” by Paul Hellyer — Canada’s Minister of National Defence at the time.

“Jacqueline’s work is remarkable,” says Anthony Kiendl, exhibition curator and the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Executive Director and CEO. “It brings together many compelling factors, originating from in-depth research into archives and other sources of information to create an immersive experience where the viewer is transported to another time and place. She brings to conceptual art a playfulness that is in contrast to what one might assume is a textual form. This exhibition is a delight, and touches on ideas that are especially relevant at this time — including questions around things like immigration reform, citizenship and, in Canada’s 150th year, what it means to be Canadian.”

While at the MacKenzie, Space Fiction & the Archives reconstructs the opening of this curious monument through the use of archival artifacts — some reproduced — such as newspaper clippings, memorabilia from the centenary year, and a loop of a short film by the artist titled 1967: A People Kind of Place; all of which serve as markers for Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn’s thoughtful exploration of immigration reform in Canada.

About the Artist Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn is a research-based artist currently living and working in Stockholm, Sweden. She works with a broad range of media, including printmaking, sound, and video installation. Through her investigations of feminist theory, multiculturalism, collectivity, and utopian politics, Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn illuminates seemingly insignificant stories in order to underline the political relevance of otherwise marginalized or forgotten histories. Born in Montreal, Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn received her BFA from Concordia University (2003) before earning her MFA and a post-graduate diploma in Critical Studies from the Malmö Art Academy, Sweden (2005). In 2011, she completed the prestigious Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program. She is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including the Swedish Research and Development Fellowship in the Arts (2007), Iaspis (Swedish Arts Grants Committee) (2010), Brenda and Jamie Mackie Fellowships for Visual Artists from the Banff Centre (2012), and Council for the Arts Production Grants (2012). Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn’s work has been widely exhibited in group shows at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia (2011); Apexart, New York (2013); PAVED arts, Saskatoon (2013); Or Gallery, Vancouver (2013); MTL BNL, Montreal (2014); and A Space, Toronto (2014); and in recent solo exhibitions at VOX: Centre de l’image. contemporaine, Montreal (2012); Kunstverein Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany (2013); Momenta Art, Brooklyn (2014); MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), Montreal (2014); and The New Gallery, Calgary (2015).