Vietnamese artist Hiền Hoàng's provocative food-body works confront Asian stereotyping in Europe

Based in Hamburg, Vietnamese multimedia artist Hiền Hoàng delves into themes of racial and sexual stereotypes using striking food-body visuals. Her ongoing series, Asia Bistro (2019–), features disturbing photographs that critique the interchangeable nature of Asian cultures, highlighting society's acceptance of their cuisine while rejecting the individuals behind it. In 2023, Hoàng showcased parts of this series at Les Rencontres d'Arles, where her installation Across the Ocean included warped Plexiglas sculptures and vacant Kikkoman bottles, along with her video performance Made in Rice (2021). Drawing from her own experiences of racial and sexual discrimination in Germany, Hoàng, who earned a master’s degree from HAW Hamburg, is set to participate in PhotoIreland, Fotodok, and Manifesta 15 in 2024.