In Praise of Shadows
"The paintings I made before this one all felt very crowded and chaotic, so I wanted to paint something spacious, as if I give myself some space to breath. Hockney’s influence is very present here, as it shows isolation and space as a signifier of wealth and privilege. At the time, I had been reading In Praise of Shadows, which is an aesthetics essay by Junichiro Tanizaki that compares and contrasts the values of the East and the West, and how these values are reflected in their aesthetics.
Tanazaki, Junichiro. In Praise of Shadows. Sedgwick, ME, Leete’s Island Books, Inc. 1977."
Nguyen's illustrative paintings employ a variety of techniques using oil paint and pastel on a canvas surface. Rife with narrative symbols, her dramatic tableaus sing with chaotic tension and humorous undertones. Painted in jewel tones and highlighted by soft-hued pastels, starkly contrasted by bold gestural markings, Nguyen's works are ready to hang framed or unframed.