cát nguyên

cát nguyên (they/them pronouns) is a queer, non-binary storyteller. As an experimental poet, performance artist & wanderer of worlds, cát nguyên searches for solace beyond society’s borders & bones. They are a diasporic dreamer & living manifestation of the U.S. war in Việt Nam.

Born & raised in the U.S.A., cát nguyên watched leaves gold & crisp in Paris & Berlin for several years until they began discovering old roots & planting new ones in việt nam. cát nguyên’s artistry is inspired by this constant movement as well as their lived experiences.

Through their art, cát nguyên is in conversation with love, grief, intergenerational trauma & healing, queerness, relationships, discrimination & migration. They aspire to transform poetry into an immersive experience rather than one limited to reading. In doing so, cát nguyên hopes to dismantle the boundaries of, and ultimately revolutionize, poetry.

cát nguyên is best known for their unique performance style, cảm diễn (emotional embodiment in Vietnamese), because of its deeply expressive nature in which cát nguyên connects with not only their own soul, but also the audience’s. Their performances conjure a dramatic spell of poetry, movement, and sound. cát nguyên’s performance practice is inspired by Vietnamese spirituality, folklore & ancestral wisdom, and experiments with elements of Vietnamese traditional music, theater & narrative forms.

In 2023, cát nguyên published their debut zine, returning to where i’ve never been. They also co-founded Chữ Cháy, a space to reimagine & experiment with poetry as well as support Vietnamese local & diasporic writers to connect with each other and nurture their writing through open mics, performances, workshops, and writing programmes. In 2024, cát nguyên wrote & played the lead role in their experimental poetry film, Thân Thể Rừng Thiêng | Landscape of our Body. In 2025, they premiered their short film, Hai Bà Cháu | Grandma-Grandchild.