To promote intercultural dialogue, the foundation KfW Stiftung has set up an artists-in-residence programme in collaboration with the international cultural centre Künstlerhaus Bethanien, offering up-and-coming artists from Latin America, Africa and Asia the opportunity to spend twelve months in Berlin. The series edited by Nicola Müllerschön and Christoph Tannert documents the artistic work of the grant holders in detailed studies.

The Vietnamese artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai is aware of the received ideas and stereotypes especially regarding women in her native Vietnam. She is familiar with the social pressure and the fight for social recognition that many women are faced with throughout their lives. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai’s current work explores sexuality in a variety of ways. By taking on different female identities and stepping into the shoes of others, she illustrates the unease many Vietnamese women feel with respect to their bodies. In addition, she uses photography, sculpture and drawing as a way to express her own feelings.