About the Artist

RHYS VƯƠNG NGUYỄN

My work examines the disquiet that nostalgia stirs in me: the sense of grief and yearning, softened by time and healing. I've lived much of my life holding myself at arms length -  eyes half closed, unable to fully connect my mind to my body. As a result, the sensory peaks of a memory-- sounds, textures, colors, emotions-- are often sharper to me than the events themselves. I document these impressions through abstract compositions and surrealist imagery, usually in graphite, ink, and acrylic paint.

My process is inspired by the forms and motifs found in traditional Vietnamese folk art and Japanese Ukiyo-e, the loose mark-making of 20th century impressionist painters, and my daily experience in a trans, neurodivergent, Vietnamese body.

CV