3. The first exhibition Suzanne curated in Vietnam was ‘A New Morning’, inspired by Đặng Xuân Hòa‘s painting of the same name. It was done in honour of handicapped athletes and exhibited works from 30 artists of all brushstrokes. It marked the start of the Vietnam Challenge on 30 January 1997; a bicycle ride from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City done by 70 participants. Mostly veterans from both sides of the American War and sponsors like Suzanne herself, who completed the challenge and still calls the ride “one of the stellar moments of my life.” She rode along three blind participants, three participants on handcycles and two one-legged Vietnamese women.
Hòa said of his work: “Every day I go out to get a bowl of phở and I see the old men sitting on a brick, rain or shine, just hoping to make a few dong by pumping air into the tires of the bicycles.” And to Suzanne that made the perfect tagline for her exhibition and for what it was trying to achieve.
‘A New Morning’ by Đặng Xuân Hòa – 90 x 200 – Oil on Canvas – 1997
