Artist  Statement

Having clocked up 3135.7 km to date in runs in sixteen locations around the world, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba speaks about the premise and importance behind his ongoing body of work, Breathing is Free: 12,756.3 (commenced 2007). This ongoing video series by one of the world’s leading contemporary video artists will be shown in the Running the City exhibition. It follows the artist as he runs through cities of the world, including Tokyo, Geneva, Singapore, Chicago and Canberra. Running the City will present all the artist’s runs so far in a multimedia installation across several gallery spaces.

• Born in Japan, raised in the United States and currently residing in Vietnam, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba is a truly global artist. Concerned with Vietnamese history and national identity, Nguyen-Hatsushiba incorporates drawing, video, installation and photography to explore the migratory movements and worldwide displacement and interchange of refugees. His work repeatedly references the impact of the Vietnam War, both locally, for the Vietnamese people and worldwide. Seen as a triggering point for significant change, Nguyen-Hatsuhiba identifies the social and political consequences of this significant event in Vietnam. His work his been included in the 2011 Yokohama Triennial and 2009 Asia Pacific Triennial. http://www.nguyen-hatsushiba.net/