Re-Orient is a podcast miniseries of conversations with creative students, alumni and staff from the RMIT Asian Australian community. Hosted by 2020 Committee Chair Monica Do, a Vietnamese-Australian woman, Re-Orient looks at migration, identity, belonging, creativity and accessibility.
In our first episode, Monica Do chats with RMIT alumna and writer, actor and comedian Margot Morales Tanjutco. Moving from Australia at 10 years old from the Philippines, Margot shares how she adapted to a new life in an unknown country and pursued a passion in performance. Margot speaks about being creative in 2020 and deciding what is important to say in today’s hypercritical zeitgeist, particularly for people of colour whose narrative often is define by their identity rather than the work they produce.
Photography by Leah Jing.
RMIT alumnus William Duan is a queer Chinese-Australian filmmaker. In this episode Monica and William discuss identity, growth and dealing with the challenges of creativity in white spaces. William also describes how he came to filmmaking after beginning his education in fashion, and speaks about support from his family and creating work for his community.
In this episode, Monica speaks with Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert, an artist, curator and lecturer in the Masters of Arts (Arts Management) program at RMIT about collaborative practices and the value of collective voices in Curation. Monica speaks with Tammy Wong Hulbert about connecting to community and culture through creative practices. Tammy looks at the ways that the arts can bring people together and positive change to their lives when done authentically and with agency.
Phuong Ngo is a Vietnamese-Australian artist living and working in Melbourne, Australia. In this episode, Phuong shares his experience of researching Vietnamese Australian histories and how colonialism has impacted contemporary retelling of these histories. He also discusses how he has spent time during lockdown to dissect the normal ways the world operates, and what it was like planning the recently launched collaborative project ‘Hyphenated Biennale’.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.