In honour of the 50th anniversary of Vietnamese migration to Australia, Yarra City Council has commissioned a deeply personal and evocative artwork by second-generation Vietnamese-Australian artist Viet-My Bui.
Titled Đi Chợ Với Mẹ (Going to the Market with Mum), the piece captures the vibrant cultural tapestry of Victoria Street, Richmond—a place synonymous with Melbourne’s Vietnamese community—and pays tribute to the resilience and contributions of Vietnamese migrants over the past five decades.
Viet-My’s parents arrived in Victoria in the 1980s, settling in Richmond, where she grew up immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the bustling markets. Her artwork draws on cherished childhood memories of accompanying her mother on weekly market trips, a ritual that shaped her identity and connection to her heritage.
“Going to Richmond was a seminal experience for me as a young Vietnamese-Australian,” Viet-My said. “It was a time where I was surrounded by people who looked and sounded like me, who spoke my language. It was a time where my mum seemed most vibrant.”
The artwork features five versions of Viet-My’s mother, each representing a decade of Vietnamese migration. From her teenage self in Vietnam, dressed in an áo dài, to her present-day self, the piece weaves a narrative of strength, adaptation, and cultural pride.
Through vivid imagery and heartfelt storytelling, Viet-My honours not only her family’s journey but also the broader Vietnamese community’s enduring legacy in Melbourne.
Đi Chợ Với Mẹ is showcased as as part of the City of Yarra’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, with more events and initiatives planned throughout the year.
