Submerged was a collaborative exhibition commissioned by MAV, featuring digital artworks by Mimi Leung and Ree, two women of colour from Shepparton in regional Victoria. The exhibition explored themes of identity, representation, race, and acceptance through the lens of the female body. Through their depictions of yellow, brown, and black bodies, the artists challenged stereotypes and asserted agency and power.

The exhibition presented two distinct responses to the experience of being ‘othered’ as women of colour and emphasised the importance of self-definition. For Mimi Leung, it involved grappling with an internal struggle with her body and breaking free from societal and self-imposed expectations. Ree’s work, in contrast, examined external representations of the physical body, challenging white beauty standards by centering Afrocentric beauty and solidarity.

As part of MAV’s creative responses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Submerged provided artists with support and resources to develop their practice and experiment with new modes of collaboration and digital delivery. The project included a mentorship with curator and arts writer Sophia Cai, helping the artists articulate their work within the context of their lived experiences.

MAV CEO Veronica Pardo (2018 - 2021) reflected on the significance of the project, stating:

This project was part of MAV’s new strategy, which not only responded to the challenges of this COVID time by amplifying the voices of people of color but also expanded our understanding of diverse lived experiences. This approach offered a way to engage with contemporary perspectives on Victorian multiculturalism—rich, complex, and ever-evolving.