Image from: 2012 Mission Mongrel joined Viva la Gong as a Community Cultural Development project under the name “Metamorphic Mongrels” thanks to generous support from Wollongong City Council Cultural Services and Festivals Australia…see below for more…
Journey Drawing 2014
Grid-Heart/Mongrel Workshop: March 25, 26, 28 Wollongong Art Gallery
Years 7 & 8 Beyogmos Workshop, Schools Enrichment Program, Wollongong Art Gallery 2014
Years 11 & 12 Beyogmos Workshop, Wollongong Art Gallery Schools Enrichment Program 2014
Year 9 & 10 Beyogmos Workshop, Schools Enrichment Program ,Wollongong Art Gallery 2014
Mission Mongrel (renamed Metamorphic Mongrels April 2012) Mission Mongrel was conceived in 2008 with the first workshop “Pho Dog the Mongrel Adventurer”, linked with the Casula Powerhouse Project “I Love Pho” curated by Cuong Phu Le.
Metamorphic Mongrels background & concept 22 August 2012 update METAMORPHIC MONGRELS_Background&Concept_lastupdated22Aug2012_ 1pg. See story & slideshow https://open.abc.net.au/posts/metamorphic-mongrels-02rs4bo by ABC Open Producer Sean O’Brien Monday 29 Oct 2012.
In 2012 Mission Mongrel joined Viva la Gong as a Community Cultural Development project under the name “Metamorphic Mongrels” thanks to generous support from Wollongong City Council Cultural Services and Festivals Australia. 20 sessions of group workshops commenced in July and ran until October. Over 115 mongrels were created by just as many participants. Workshops concluded with a Viva la Gong parade and exhibition at MacCabe Park on 10th November.
Metamorphic Mongrel parade in motion. Left to right: Brian Pember, Jennifer Roberts, and Lila Lawrence with her mongrel. Photo: Stuart Horstman
Metamorphic Mongrels on Kembla St. Far left in hat: Paddy Redmond, with Mai Nguyen-Long & Alyssa Allen pulling float. Photo: Stuart Horstman
Metamorphic Mongrels in Crown St Mall. Photo: Stuart Horstman
METAMORPHIC MONGRELS: Conceived & Facilitated by Mai Nguyen-Long Metamorphic Mongrels is a fun, messy, fast-paced (two 3 hour sessions) workshop inspired by breaking and remaking, the complicated self, and a mongrel dog. Metamorphic Mongrels are created using chopsticks, plastic bottles, packing tape, and newspaper. Participants begin by removing the head of a calico bear. The bear is transformed into a unique mongrel creature. Painting, collage, and other mixed media methods complete the process. Metamorphic Mongrels was inspired by Southeast Asian festivals and folk arts, especially transitory objects used in the ritual honoring of ancestors. Metamorphic Mongrels echoes experiences of colonization, migration, assimilation – and many other forms of adaptation and change. It is about loss, violence and healing. 2012 Viva La Gong Metamorphic Mongrel Workshop Participants Groups: The Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation; WCC Cultural Services & Wollongong City Gallery; Links to Learning x2 & Wollongong Youth Centre; Essential Personnel; Wollongong West Public School x2; Waniora Public School; Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra; Coniston Men’s Shed & Healthy Cities Illawarra. Special thanks to: Festivals Australia for funding this Metamorphic Mongrels 2012 community cultural development project including July to October workshops + parade & exhibition; Program Manager Megan McKell Wollongong City Council Cultural Services; Kanahooka Men’s shed for making the two mongrel floats for the Viva La Gong parade & exhibition; Wollongong City Gallery education volunteers & University of Wollongong work placement program for support and involvement. http://www.illawarramercury.
WOLLONGONG CITY GALLERY: A Wollongong City Gallery Mission Mongrel workshop took place February 2012:
2012 Mission Mongrel in action with Mai Nguyen-Long photo courtesy Paddy Blue
A fun, messy, fast-paced two session workshop about destruction, rebirth, transformation, and hidden identities. Behead a bear and create your own unique mongrel using techniques of papier-mâché, painting, and collage.
Jill & Alison with their Mongrels WCG 19.02.2012
CASULA POWERHOUSE ARTS CENTRE & TOURING: Mission Mongrel genesis article: “More than Mere Nourishment: I love Pho”, pages 16-21, Art Education Association of Australia WA. Pho Dog Workshop 2008_WA Art Ed Mag 2008: “Pho Dog the Mongrel Adventurer”; a workshop for adults & children in VIC, WA, NSW: at ArtPlay, Footscray Community Arts Centre, KULCHA, Casula Powerhouse – funded and toured by KULTOUR, and Casula Powerhouse. 
CITY OF MELBOURNE GRANT WITH ARTPLAY, AUSPICED BY MUTICULTURAL ARTS VICTORIA: 2009: City of Melbourne/ ArtPlay $20,000 grant for “Mission Mongrel” workshop & exhibition auspiced by Multicultural Arts Victoria:
Mission Mongrel ArtPlay 2009 photo courtesy Kelly Manning
Primary Schools Mission Mongrel Structuring Session 1 ArPlay 2009
Primary School Mongrels photo courtesy Eelin Cheah 2009
More Primary School Mongrels photo courtesy Eelin Cheah 2009
Another Primary School Mongrel photo courtesy Eelin Cheah 2009
More Primary School Mission Mongrels ArtPlay VIC 2009
…and more Mission Mongrel creations ArtPlay 2009
Visual Artist / Assistant Facilitator Kelly Manning with “Big Willy from Newcastle” and Dognapping Rescue Team 2009
Mission Mongrel facilitator Mai with Rocky and Rocky’s creator Eldrain Naidoo 2009
Copyright All material on this site is copyright of Mai Nguyen-Long unless otherwise stated. All other images/photographs are the property of their respective author/s and may not be used without permission.