THE JOURNEY

The hands have a history.

The hands have a history.

The hands have a history.

Born in Pleiku in 1964, Duy Long Nguyen’s path led through Saigon, Japan and a new life in Sydney. The work came later.

Born in Pleiku in 1964, Duy Long Nguyen’s path led through Saigon, Japan and a new life in Sydney. The work came later.

PLEIKU → SAIGON → JAPAN → SYDNEY

1964–1980 / PLEIKU · FAMILY · BEGINNINGS

Family

Duy Long Nguyen was born in Pleiku on 17 October 1964. His childhood unfolded amid war, family life and martial arts. After the upheaval of the 1972 Easter Offensive and the fall of South Vietnam, the family’s story continued in Saigon.

Duy Long Nguyen was born in Pleiku on 17 October 1964. His childhood unfolded amid war, family life and martial arts. After the upheaval of the 1972 Easter Offensive and the fall of South Vietnam, the family’s story continued in Saigon.

“My mother was a healer.”

“My mother was a healer.”

In a 1999 Daily Telegraph profile, Longy recalled his mother telling him that during wartime he should learn to help people when doctors could not get through.

In a 1999 Daily Telegraph profile, Longy recalled his mother telling him that during wartime he should learn to help people when doctors could not get through.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH / “Freedom” · 8 May 1999

  • Longy Nguyen with his mother Teresa in a garden
    Longy with his mother Teresa · family archive
  • Two children sitting in the branches of a tree in a family archive photograph
    Childhood · family archive
  • II Corps advisers and ARVN counterparts at II Corps Headquarters in Pleiku, February 1972

    II Corps Headquarters, Pleiku, February 1972. Longy’s father, Lieutenant Colonel Hien, is in the second row, fifth from the right.

  • Longy Nguyen with his mother Teresa in a garden
    Longy with his mother Teresa · family archive
  • Two children sitting in the branches of a tree in a family archive photograph
    Childhood · family archive
  • II Corps advisers and ARVN counterparts at II Corps Headquarters in Pleiku, February 1972

    II Corps Headquarters, Pleiku, February 1972. Longy’s father, Lieutenant Colonel Hien, is in the second row, fifth from the right.

1980s / JAPAN → SYDNEY

Movement as a language.

Movement as a language.

After leaving Vietnam, Longy spent time in Japan before arriving in Australia in 1981. Martial arts remained a constant through those years, deepening a practical understanding of movement, pressure and the body that would later shape his hands-on work.

After leaving Vietnam, Longy spent time in Japan before arriving in Australia in 1981. Martial arts remained a constant through those years, deepening a practical understanding of movement, pressure and the body that would later shape his hands-on work.

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  • Archival group portrait of a karate cohort
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  • Archival group portrait of a karate cohort
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1980s–MID 1990s / FROM MARTIAL ARTS TO HANDS-ON WORK

The work travelled person to person.

The work travelled person to person.

By 1990, Longy’s Sydney practice was growing through personal referrals. People spoke to one another; the rooms he entered changed, but the work remained hands-on.

By 1990, Longy’s Sydney practice was growing through personal referrals. People spoke to one another; the rooms he entered changed, but the work remained hands-on.

1990s / PROFESSIONAL SPORT

Inside rugby league.

Inside rugby league.

Referrals carried Longy into rugby league dressing rooms and elite competition. The surviving archive connects his hands-on work with Manly players and the wider State of Origin and Kangaroo/Test-era world.

Referrals carried Longy into rugby league dressing rooms and elite competition. The surviving archive connects his hands-on work with Manly players and the wider State of Origin and Kangaroo/Test-era world.

  • Longy Nguyen with Bob Fulton — Kangaroo Test, 1997.

  • Rugby-league dressing-room treatment and support.

  • Longy Nguyen with Terry Hill and Geoff Toovey — rugby-league.

  • Longy Nguyen with Mark Coyne and Rod Wishart at a Kangaroo Test match in 1997

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  • Signed Queensland State of Origin photograph with Longy Nguyen and Kevin Walters

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  • Longy Nguyen with Allan Langer in a Queensland State of Origin archive photograph, 1996

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  • Archival on-field image of a Queensland rugby league team

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1990s–EARLY 2000s / BOXING

Inside the corner.

Inside the corner.

The work led into dressing rooms, ringside corners and fight nights. Unforgettable moments with Troy Waters, Shannan Taylor and Johnny Lewis, from Australian boxing to Madison Square Garden and Las Vegas.

The work led into dressing rooms, ringside corners and fight nights. Unforgettable moments with Troy Waters, Shannan Taylor and Johnny Lewis, from Australian boxing to Madison Square Garden and Las Vegas.

BOXING ARCHIVE FILM
PLAY THE FILM
Boxing still 4 of 4, victory sceneBoxing still 1 of 4, ringside sceneBoxing still 2 of 4, backstage sceneBoxing still 3 of 4, corner sceneBoxing still 4 of 4, victory sceneBoxing still 1 of 4, ringside scene
BOXING ARCHIVE · SWIPE TO VIEW
01 / 04
  • Longy Nguyen working in a ringside boxing treatment corner

    Longy Nguyen working in a ringside boxing treatment corner.

  • Longy Nguyen working hands-on with a boxer
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  • Longy Nguyen with Troy Waters and Don King at Madison Square Garden in 1997

    Longy Nguyen, Troy Waters and Don King — Madison Square Garden, 1997.

  • Longy Nguyen with Troy Waters at the Australian National Boxing Federation in 1997

    Longy Nguyen and Troy Waters — Australian National Boxing Federation, 1997.

  • Longy Nguyen with a boxer outside a boxing gym
    The boxing years · archive
  • Longy Nguyen with Shannan Taylor and Shane Mosley at a Las Vegas world title fight

    Longy Nguyen, Shannan Taylor and Shane Mosley — Las Vegas world title fight.

  • Longy Nguyen with two men in a boxing archive photograph
    Boxing circle · archive
  • Illawarra Mercury boxing archive featuring Longy Nguyen and Shannan Taylor

    Illawarra Mercury — Good Sport, 25 September 1998.

  • Bulli Tops boxing friends newspaper archive

    Bulli Tops Boxing Friends — archival newspaper material.

  • Longy Nguyen with Australian boxing trainer Johnny Lewis

    Longy Nguyen with Australian boxing trainer Johnny Lewis.

  • Archival boxing press coverage mentioning Anthony Mundine and Danny Green

    Archival boxing press coverage mentioning Anthony Mundine and Danny Green.

RACING / JIM CASSIDY

Day in, day out.

Day in, day out.

Jockey Jim Cassidy recalls Longy’s regular access to the jockeys’ room and the years they worked together around major race meetings, including the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper. In his own words, the relationship was ‘day in, day out’.

Jockey Jim Cassidy recalls Longy’s regular access to the jockeys’ room and the years they worked together around major race meetings, including the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper. In his own words, the relationship was ‘day in, day out’.

“Longy was the king.”

“Longy was the king.”

— JIM CASSIDY

  • Jim Cassidy race day photograph from Longy Nguyen’s archive

    Jim Cassidy — race day archive.

  • Signed Jim Cassidy photograph to Longy Nguyen

    Jim Cassidy — signed photograph to Longy Nguyen.

  • Longy Nguyen and Jim Cassidy newspaper feature

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  • Jim Cassidy trophies in Longy Nguyen’s archive

    Jim Cassidy trophies — personal archive.

  • Newspaper image of Longy Nguyen treating Jim Cassidy

    Longy Nguyen treating Jim Cassidy — archival press.

1998–2003 / THE MATRIX

Then word reached a film set.

Then word reached a film set.

A practice built on referrals moved from professional sport into major film production. During the years The Matrix films were made in Sydney, Longy worked with members of the production.

A practice built on referrals moved from professional sport into major film production. During the years The Matrix films were made in Sydney, Longy worked with members of the production.

Keanu Reeves, Longy Nguyen and Hugo Weaving in the Matrix-era Sydney archive

Keanu Reeves, Longy Nguyen and Hugo Weaving.

FROM THE MATRIX ARCHIVE / SCROLL TO EXPLORE →

  • Signed Laurence Fishburne photograph from Longy Nguyen’s Matrix archive

    Laurence Fishburne — signed photograph from Longy Nguyen’s archive.

  • Longy Nguyen with Laurence Fishburne during The Matrix era

    Longy Nguyen with Laurence Fishburne during The Matrix era.

  • Longy Nguyen with Keanu Reeves during The Matrix era in Sydney

    Keanu Reeves with Longy Nguyen during the Sydney Matrix period.

  • Longy Nguyen with Keanu Reeves during filming in Sydney

    Longy Nguyen with Keanu Reeves during filming in Sydney.

  • Carrie-Anne Moss, Longy Nguyen and Keanu Reeves during The Matrix period

    Carrie-Anne Moss, Longy Nguyen and Keanu Reeves during The Matrix period.

2000–2004 / OLYMPIC YEARS

Sydney 2000 → Athens 2004.

Sydney 2000 → Athens 2004.

Longy’s work crossed into international athletics during the Sydney 2000 period and continued into the Athens 2004 era. These photographs document Sydney and the wider athletics archive, including Darren Campbell, Frankie Fredericks and Linford Christie.

Longy’s work crossed into international athletics during the Sydney 2000 period and continued into the Athens 2004 era. The photographs here document Sydney and the wider athletics archive — Darren Campbell, Frankie Fredericks and Linford Christie among them.

  • Longy Nguyen stretching British sprinter Darren Campbell during preparation for the Sydney 2000 Olympics

    Longy Nguyen stretching Darren Campbell at the British track and field team training camp, Couran Cove Island Resort.

  • Portrait of Darren Campbell during the Sydney 2000 Olympic period

    Darren Campbell — Sydney 2000 sporting context.

  • Longy Nguyen with Darren Campbell at Botany Gift after the race

    Longy Nguyen and Darren Campbell at Botany Gift after the race.

  • Frankie Fredericks, Longy Nguyen and Linford Christie in an elite athletics archive photograph

    Frankie Fredericks, Longy Nguyen and Linford Christie — elite athletics archive.

  • Darren Campbell and Longy Nguyen at the Sydney 2000 Olympic village

    Darren Campbell and Longy Nguyen at the Sydney 2000 Olympic village.

  • Longy Nguyen with Olympian Linford Christie

    Longy Nguyen with Olympian Linford Christie.

LATE 1990s–2000s / WORD OF MOUTH

Beyond sport.

Beyond sport.

Longy's practice continued into film, fashion, entertainment, media and public life.

Longy's practice continued into film, fashion, entertainment, media and public life.

  • Longy Nguyen with Brendan Fraser

    Longy Nguyen with Brendan Fraser — personal archive.

  • Longy Nguyen with Elle Macpherson

    Longy Nguyen with Elle Macpherson — personal archive.

  • Longy Nguyen with Tom Cruise

    Longy Nguyen with Tom Cruise — personal archive.

  • Deni Hines archive photograph

    Deni Hines — personal archive.

  • Megan archive photograph

    Megan — personal archive.

IN PRINT / 1998–2014

The printed record.

The printed record.

Newspaper clippings from the archive. Scroll horizontally to browse the original scans and their publication details.

Newspaper clippings from the archive. Scroll horizontally to browse the original scans and their publication details.

  • Preparing Keanu Reeves for The Matrix newspaper clipping

    PREPARING KEANU REEVES FOR THE MATRIX
    The Daily Telegraph · 19 June 1998

  • Preparing for the Melbourne Cup newspaper clipping

    PREPARING FOR THE MELBOURNE CUP
    Herald Sun · 2 November 1998

  • Freedom newspaper clipping featuring Longy Nguyen

    FREEDOM
    The Daily Telegraph · 8 May 1999

  • Longie’s magic works overtime newspaper clipping

    LONGIE’S MAGIC WORKS OVERTIME
    The Daily Telegraph · 4 June 1999

  • Matrix film trilogy newspaper clipping featuring Longy Nguyen

    STARS EMBRACE A DAZZLING FINALE TO MATRIX FILM TRILOGY
    The Daily Telegraph · 3 November 2003

  • Building a Body newspaper clipping

    BUILDING A BODY
    The Daily Telegraph · 14 February 2004

  • Cassidy beats the pain newspaper clipping

    CASSIDY BEATS THE PAIN
    The Sunday Telegraph · 6 November 2011

2004 / THE DRAGON’S JOURNEY

The Dragon’s Journey genuine book cover

The Dragon’s Journey.

The Dragon’s Journey.

Published in 2004, Longy’s memoir follows a life from Pleiku and Saigon to Japan, Sydney and the work that followed. Its foreword was jointly written by Rupert Murdoch and Frank Lowy.

Published in 2004, Longy’s memoir follows a life from Pleiku and Saigon to Japan, Sydney and the work that followed. Its foreword was jointly written by Rupert Murdoch and Frank Lowy.

EXPLORE THE BOOK →

Original 2004 foreword page by Rupert Murdoch and Frank Lowy

ORIGINAL FOREWORD · RUPERT MURDOCH & FRANK LOWY · 2004

TODAY

Still hands-on.

Still hands-on.

Longy continues his hands-on practice in Paddington and Milperra, Sydney. The history behind the work is long; the treatment remains individual, practical and present.

Longy continues his hands-on practice in Paddington and Milperra, Sydney. The history behind the work is long; the treatment remains individual, practical and present.

PADDINGTON · MILPERRA · SYDNEY

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