Áo dài
A photographic series of performative acts
Machynlleth/Mid-Wales and Walthamstow Marshes/London - Current 2022
A series of documented performative act aiming to challenge the traditional rural equestrian image and increase diversity representation in the British landscape. SLQS wears an Áo Dài, the traditional Vietnamese dress. The fabric is screenprinted with public rights of way from the Definitive Map of the UK, alluding to her experience of walking these paths as a non British woman of colour for her project Find.ers.Keep.ers. Being a second generation Vietnamese descendant born and living outside of Vietnam, wearing the Áo Dài is an act of reclaiming her Vietnamese origins and her cultural heritage. The last woman in her family tree to have worn the traditional Vietnamese dress is her grandmother Trong.
These photographs were taken in Machynlleth in Mid-Wales with the support of Welsh artist Jane Lloyd-Francis and Blue the Welsh Section D pony. Some photos were taken by Annette Lister, others by SLQS.