Origins
The Origins exhibition showcases paintings by the Vietnamese artist Quang Tran at the Hole of Fame in Dresden from April 19th to May 4th. Tran, a young painter, has been living, studying, and working in Dresden since 2019. His work serves as a bridge between European and Vietnamese art, which was significantly influenced by French modernism in the 20th century.
In his paintings, Quang Tran draws upon the methodology of Vietnamese lacquer painting, where the application and sanding of multiple layers create a unique texture and atmosphere. This process undergoes the artist's personal interpretation. When crafting his images, Tran largely incorporates the 20th-century approach of construction and deconstruction. Therefore, the metamorphic transition between abstraction and form, or chaos and clarity, holds paramount importance in his artistic process. Through the thick application of paint (pastos) and his choice of motifs, Tran remains faithful to classic modernism. Landscapes, nudes, and still lifes featuring Vietnamese water puppets serve as essential subjects for his paintings. Just as abstraction echoes within these motifs, the motifs themselves resonate within the forms of his abstract paintings.
The Origins exhibition exemplifies the internationality and accessibility of art through a fresh and innovative perspective. As a representative of a generation living consciously in the age of globalization and networking, Quang Tran embodies international influence and does not shy away from it; as an artist, he feels obligated to reflect this reality in his paintings. Through his art, Quang Tran not only reconciles the two ends of different cultures but also maintains allegiance to traditional painting in both aspects.