Water Feature (Bell Jar)
The artist states "This painting was inspired by 16th century ‘cabinet of curiosities’. They are objects of wealth, an aesthetic that often serves as a social device to establish and uphold rank in society. There is the painful reality of the institution of the museum that stems from the colonial mindset to collect, preserve, and curate the “exotic" and “otherly.” There is an unsettling nature to seeing these objects completely removed from context."
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.