Introduction to Dismantle / Assemble

Transcript

Welcome to the exhibition Dismantle / Assemble by Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen. The exhibition dates are 9 April to 22 May, 2026, at Verge Gallery at The University of Sydney, Gadigal Country.  

Verge acknowledges the Gadigal People, the traditional custodians of the land on which Verge operates. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to all First Nations people across the world, acknowledging and respecting their relationship with land.  

Dismantle / Assemble holds stories of tactility told through encounters with Chen’s maternal grandfather’s coins and grandmother’s cultural garments. Featuring a video installation, experimental tactile sound sculptures and drawings that engage with historical and personal narratives of European colonisation in Southeast Asia, the works examine how we choose and craft meaning from versions of history to shape our identities in the present.  

Reflecting upon trajectories of intergenerational migration and cultural transmission, this exhibition foregrounds transcultural practices and the complex cultural identities of Southeast Asian migrant peoples in Australia.  

More information about the exhibition can be found on the Verge Gallery website.  

The gallery is a rectangular open space. There is one moveable wall located towards the back-left of the gallery, in front of the staff desks. 

There is blue carpet positioned on the left and the right of the gallery. Towards the middle-left of the space, there is a section where the cement flooring of the gallery is revealed. 

When walking into the gallery, five sculptures are placed on the right-hand side. Grip tape has been placed around these sculptures and are cane detectable. 

For accessibility, audio descriptions of selected artworks are available and can be accessed via wall mounted QR codes near the corresponding artwork, as well as at reception. These QR codes link to both the audio descriptions, as well as descriptions of the works in the language Auslan for d/Deaf or hard of hearing gallery visitors. Tactile floor markings, detectable by cane, are aligned below these QR codes which are positioned one metre above the floor. 

These audio descriptions were developed by accessibility consultant, Sarah Empey, alongside Natasha Frazer.