TIA-THUY NGUYEN

‘Sparkle in the vastness’, Tia-Thuy Nguyen’s first show with Almine Rech presents a suite of more than twenty multi-media paintings from the artist’s ongoing series I, my, me, cloud (2018–). Impressed at an early age by her father’s experience as a Vietnamese Airforce pilot during the war with the United States (1954–1975), the artist has developed a deeply nuanced appreciation of clouds–what they can reveal and resemble, but also what they might hide. Enchanted by her father’s majestic descriptions of flying through clouds in his plane, Tia was also frightened by his cautionary tales of clouds providing cover for enemy planes.

Capturing this dichotomy, Tia’s paintings evoke a wide range of moods - from joy and hope, to gloominess and anxiety. Embellished with beads and embroidery, the glittery, shimmery works reflect the complexity, mystery and mutability of Tia’s chosen subject matter. Representing an homage to her father - who passed away in 2022, and whose presence the artist has since experienced as a light radiating from inside herself–Tia’s recent works evoke historical associations of light and spirituality, from sun streaming through stained-glass windows in a cathedral to Mark Rothko’s radiant abstractions.

Press release courtesy Almine Rech. Text: Mara Hoberman.