The Gallery at Chandler Center for the Arts will present “Rice is Mẹ: Anh-Thuy Nguyen” from November 15, 2025, through February 7, 2026. The exhibition features Tucson-based artist Anh-Thuy Nguyen and focuses on themes of cultural identity, memory, and intergenerational connection using rice as a central symbol.
Nguyen draws on her experiences as a Vietnamese immigrant and mother to explore how traditions and wisdom can be lost or changed over generations. She describes this process by saying, “Like grains of rice running through her hands,” referencing the sensation of culture slipping away between generations—a metaphor that grounds the exhibition in both loss and resilience.
In the exhibition titled “Rice is Mẹ” (translated as Rice is Mother), Nguyen uses rice as her artistic medium by sculpting each grain from both Vietnamese and American clay. This approach transforms rice into a poetic representation of identity. The show includes photography, video, ceramics, sculpture, poetry, and sound to create an immersive experience honoring the cultural wisdom passed down by women in her family.
Nguyen says about her work: “Through rice, I find my way back home—to my family, to my roots, to the stories that shaped me. This work is my way of preserving what might otherwise be lost.”
Vision Gallery will also host public programming related to this exhibition during its run. Vision Gallery is located at 10 E. Chicago St., open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Mondays and Sundays. Admission is free.
More information about current exhibitions can be obtained by visiting Vision Gallery or calling 480-782-2695.
