Royal Bloodlines is based on an image discovered at the Imperial Citadel in Huế, Vietnam – a photograph of a royal concubine of Emperor Thành Thái. An uncanny similarity between myself and this historical figure opened for contemplation of possible ancestral connections, and the blending of personal narratives with the layered complexities of cultural identity. As a Vietnamese Australian growing up immersed in Western culture, I often feel disconnected from my own culture, and this painting becomes an affirmation of my Vietnamese heritage. The resemblance between myself and the royal concubine serves as both a visual and symbolic link to my culture, reaffirming the validity of my identity despite the diasporic dissonance.

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The Last Great Dynasty is the companion piece to Royal Bloodlines. As a self-portrait, The Last Great Dynasty visually echoes the royal concubine through my adoption of a similar pose whilst wearing a modern iteration of the aó dài. Here, the title refers to the final imperial rule before Vietnam’s transition to a communist state, hinting at both historical lineage and personal continuity. 

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The materiality of the portraits extends this conceptual framework, in which rabbit skin glue’s traditional use as a size creates a corresponding effect on the canvas. It subtly embosses the fabric and creates an almost invisible texture that invites close inspection, echoing how identity can feel both present and elusive. Through the juxtaposition of two portraits – one historical, one contemporary – I challenge the notion of authenticity and originality. This mirroring playfully blurs the boundaries between past and present, questioning how much of our identity is shaped by history and how much is a conscious act of reconstruction.