Branigan Cultural Center opens ‘Trinity’ exhibit

Branigan Cultural Center (BCC) opens its newest exhibition, “Trinity,” on Friday, May 5.

The exhibit features artwork by Sarah Nguyen addressing “political, cultural and scientific events by questioning our past and the choices we have made” through Nguyen’s artwork “Break into Blossom,” the City of Las Cruces said in a news release.

An opening reception will be held 5-7 p.m. May 5 at BCC, 401 N. Main St. downtown.

The exhibit continues through July 1, 2023, at BCC.

“’Break into Blossom’ reimagines history with an aged, moss covered and undetonated accurate-scale replica of the “Little Boy” bomb, asking “what if?” the atomic bomb in Hiroshima failed to detonate,” the news release said. “The installation piece considers an alternative history whereby the failure of the Manhattan Project resulted in the atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ being a dud, thus causing the nuclear weapons project to be abandoned.”

Nguyen’s work “has appeared in numerous national and international solo and group exhibitions and publications,” according to sarahnguyenart.com. She has participated in artist residencies in Serbia, Bulgaria, Japan, France and the United States.

Nguyen has worked as an art instructor for 10 years at the University of Central Missouri, teaching courses in foundation, design, painting and illustration, the website said. She has taken part in artist residency programs around the world as a visiting artist and teacher.

Nguyen is also the book designer for Pleiades Press and Magazine and is a freelance illustrator and art installations curator for the True/False Film Fest.

Nguyen has a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in painting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

BCC is open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday. The museum is accessible from RoadRUNNER Transit Route 1 Stop 1.

For more information, call 575-541-2154. Visit www.lascruces.gov/Museums.