Welcome Spring New York City Fellow Anh Nguyen
Ông Địa, the “Earth God” or sometimes also known as the “Laughing Buddha,” is a character sometimes present in traditional lion dances. He is brought out to bring comic relief, but also plays a role in guiding the dancers. Photo by Anh Nguyen.
Magnum Foundation is pleased to announce Anh Nguyen as our newest New York City Fellow. Throughout the Spring of 2025, Anh will split time between supporting Magnum Foundation’s programming and pursuing her project exploring the 50th anniversary of the beginning of mass Vietnamese immigration to the U.S.
Anh is a Vietnamese photographer based in Brooklyn, NY, and she graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in photojournalism and completed the Documentary and Visual Journalism program at the International Center of Photography in 2024. She also received the Aperture x Google Creator Labs grant in 2024.
On receiving the fellowship, Anh shared: “To be able to view my work in the context of a rich visual history that exists at Magnum Foundation allows me to become aware of the narrative gaps that can be filled. I feel inspired by many fellows and grantees that come before me and look forward to engaging in conversation about my work and improving as a storyteller.”
About the project:
Springtime in Vietnam symbolizes liberation. Beyond the Lunar New Year traditions that welcome new beginnings, April 30 marks the end of the U.S.–Vietnam War and the nation's reunification. In Vietnam, it is celebrated as the start of a new era, but for some overseas Vietnamese communities, it is a day of reflection and remembrance of their difficult experiences. On the 50th anniversary of the war’s conclusion and the beginning of mass Vietnamese immigration to the U.S., Vietnamese American communities in New York are celebrating with pride, as it represents the dawn of their freedom. These celebrations reminisce over a version of Vietnam that older generations strive to preserve, but their embrace of American values creates a growing distance from it. How does the evolving identity of being Vietnamese American shape what it means to be American today?
Tony Chung (center) and his parents, Dennis (left) and Lily (right) in the kitchen of their restaurant Pasteur Grill & Noodles in Chinatown. Dennis and Lily left Vietnam and immigrated to America in the 1970s. They soon after opened the restaurant and have been running it since, with no wish for their kids to take over the business. Photo by Anh Nguyen.
Women wearing the national garment, áo dài, at a Lunar New Year celebration in Queens. Traditionally worn during Lunar New Year celebrations in Vietnam, it is lucky to wear red áo dài -- but for Vietnamese Americans, yellow more accurately resonates with their separation from present-day Vietnam. Photo by Anh Nguyen.
The New York City Fellowship is a program offering a project production grant, mentorship, and arts administration experience to NYC-based early-career photographers and photojournalists. This fellowship is designed for early-career photographers looking for an opportunity to deepen, expand, and complete a New York City based project that speaks to social issues in NYC communities. In addition to producing a project, fellows gain arts administration by spending two days a week working in the Magnum Foundation office. Learn more here.
The New York City Fellowship is made possible with the support of the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation and the Select Equity Group Foundation.