Thuy Tien Nguyen's 'Press, Release' at Gasworks Explores Memory and Movement
Thuy Tien Nguyen's first solo exhibition in the UK, called 'Press, Release,' will open at Gasworks in South London from July 9 to September 13, 2026. Nguyen, who splits her time between Hanoi and Frankfurt, presents a unique installation featuring a skeletal conveyor belt. This belt transports everyday items from Vietnam, Thailand, and Britain, including krathongs—traditional floating offerings crafted from banana materials meant to cleanse waterways. Made from polished steel and reclaimed wood, the conveyor moves unpredictably, pausing before letting go of its items. Nguyen's work explores themes of memory through familiar objects and connects local histories of Phuket and South London in a broader narrative about the movement of labor and goods.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Press, Release' runs July 9 to September 13, 2026 at Gasworks, London.
- Conveyor belt installation carries Vietnamese, Thai, and British vernacular objects.
- Krathongs are traditional floating bouquets made from banana trunks and leaves.
- Work 'In the manner of speaking (me and grandma and you are both tired)' uses aluminum brackets and memory foam.
- 'Gentle Integrity' (2022) uses cast caramelized sugar from grandmother's chair leg.
- 'Gentle Integrity' was shown at Nha San Collective's presentation at Documenta 15 in Kassel.
- 'Transcripts from Home for December' (2024) features recordings of stepsister practicing Tchaikovsky.
- Nguyen is based in Hanoi and Frankfurt.
Entities
Artists
- Thuy Tien Nguyen
Institutions
- Gasworks
- Nha San Collective
- Documenta 15
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Hanoi
- Vietnam
- Frankfurt
- Germany
- Phuket
- Thailand
- Kassel