Papillon – A Queen Bee Production
26 Apr – 07 May 2025
Minh Tâm Hotel
4B Lê Quý Đôn, D.3, HCMC
From the organizer:
A very special conceptual art piece has just arrived in Saigon: Papillon, Saigon 2025 — created by artists Rodney Dickson (USA) and Mai Do (Vietnamese-American).
Inspired by the bars that once existed in downtown Saigon during the 1970s, particularly the peripheral lives of American soldiers, Papillon recreates an emotional slice of history where memory, atmosphere, light, and fragments of the past coexist.
The installation spans 10 meters, constructed with wood, LED, composite materials, and flickering neon signage, evoking a Saigon that feels both familiar and distant. Rather than telling a specific story, Papillon evokes a mood — moments of stillness, nostalgia, and a deep reflection on a turbulent era.
In addition to Rodney Dickson and Mai Do, the project features the participation of international artists such as Natanal (Korea), Ngo Thanh Phuong (Vietnam), Mideo Cruz (Philippines), Myk Henry (USA), DeepPond Kim (Korea), and filmmaker Nguyen Trinh Thi (Vietnam).
Papillon, Saigon 2025 is not a conventional exhibition. It is a different perspective on memory — reimagined through art: subtle, evocative, and deeply contemplative.
About artists:
Rodney Dickson (1956)
Rodney Dickson is an American artist born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, currently based in New York. With a background in painting, he is renowned for his conceptual and installation works, focusing on themes of war, memory, and societal change.
Over his three-decade career, Rodney has exhibited extensively across New York, Los Angeles, Belfast, Seoul, and other major cities. His art often draws on post-war experiences, evoking quiet yet profound emotions tied to history and humanity.
E-mail: [email protected]
Mai Đỗ (1970)
Mai Do is a Vietnamese-American visual artist, living and working between Vietnam and the United States. Her works explore personal memory, cultural intersections, and the perception of history through intimate, everyday details.
Through a personal lens that connects with broader historical narratives, Mai Do’s art offers a delicate yet powerful reflection on memory and identity.
E-mail: [email protected]
The project is supported by the British Council and has been officially licensed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture.
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