via SBS Vietnamese, 14 November 2023: Kerry Nguyen-Long’s book “Vietnam Visual Arts in History Religion & Culture” offers an in-depth exploration of over 3,000 years of Vietnamese art, reflecting her extensive study and passion for the country’s culture. Her journey began in Tasmania, where she studied ancient civilizations and English literature, leading to a lifelong connection with Vietnam. Nguyen-Long’s deep engagement with Vietnamese culture is evident in her work on Vietnamese ceramics, including co-authoring books and cataloging significant collections. Her time in the Philippines and Vietnam enriched her understanding of the region’s art and history, culminating in her latest book, which has been lauded for capturing the essence of Vietnamese cultural heritage.
Ms Nguyen-Long’s tireless studies of stoneware jars at the National Museum of The Philippines culminated in her co-authoring a book entitled ‘A Thousand Years of Stoneware Jars in the Philippines’, published in 1992.
The book was a collaborative effort that drew on the passion of many collectors across the archipelago. Ms Nguyen-Long’s cataloguing of the 150 jars selected for publication became a key feature in the book’s section entitled ‘Typology and Classification’.
In 1986, Vietnam’s reform policy, known as đổi mới (renovation), was implemented. This policy provided an opportunity for Ms Nguyen-Long and her family to make deeper connections with Vietnamese professionals in the arts, further fuelling her curiosity and passion for the country’s culture.
She contributed a short essay to the book ‘Bát Tràng Ceramics 14th-19th Centuries’ and, several years later, co-authored ‘Vietnamese Blue and White Ceramics’. Her husband played an instrumental role in translating these bilingual books, as well as other museum catalogues, enriching her research.
Source: New book provides a rich record of Vietnam’s visual art history | SBS Vietnamese
