Anney Bounpraseuth

Anney Bounpraseuth is an Australian-born artist of Laotian heritage who lived somewhat removed from these cultural identities as a Jehovah’s Witness for 30 years. Since leaving the high-commitment faith, Bounpraseuth’s art practise now focuses on representing her self-made paradise in the present without god and religion. Bounpraseuth’s textile artworks, self-coined as crapplique (crap + applique), are created from found, upcycled fabrics, mostly donated by chosen community members.

Bounpraseuth describes her kitsch, vivid, and intensely patterned aesthetic as “Cabracadabra” in honour of the fabric stores of Cabramatta or “Lao mum style”. By reinterpreting the personally significant matriarchal tradition of sewing, Bounpraseuth asserts self-determined identity.

Bounpraseuth considers her art practise a form of Post-Traumatic Growth- a way to reconcile her religious trauma and transcend it. Bounpraseuth shares her story verbally and visually to create community connection and reimagine negative life experiences. Responding to negative portrayals of the world beyond the exclusive gates of paradise and its inhabitants, Bounpraseuth’s work documents personal milestones and features personalised spiritual iconography to present meaningful and empathetic possibilities.

Bounpraseuth’s story and art has been featured on ABC TV and iView, ABC Radio National, FBI Radio’s Canvas program, and in Frankie Magazine and The International Cultic Studies Association Journal. Since 2001 Bounpraseuth has exhibited in galleries across NSW with solo shows at Fairfield City Museum and Art Gallery and Bankstown Arts Centre, with work held in local and international private collections. Bounpraseuth completed a Diploma of Fine Arts at Campbelltown TAFE (2003 - 2004 & 2007) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the College of Fine Arts with Honours (2010 - 2012). Her achievements include being a finalist for the Hidden Rookwood Sculpture Exhibition and Prize (2019) and Artexpress (2001). Bounpraseuth also guest curated the February ARTBAR, Museum of Contemporary Art (2018) and is a William Fletcher Foundation Award grant recipient (2012).

Since 2001 Bounpraseuth has also been a dedicated recreational community art educator working across Sydney for 19 years, with 10 years of experience in art event and education programming.