Central Piedmont’s Dove Gallery will host a new exhibition by esteemed Vietnamese artist Kenny Nguyen. Born in Vietnam and with a background in fashion design, Nguyen exhibits his work across the US and internationally.

As a Vietnamese immigrant now living and working as an artist in the United States, much of Nguyen’s work explores ideas related to cultural identity, displacement, reconciling with the past, and the artistic fusion of Vietnamese and American cultures.

Nguyen uses silk in tribute to his Vietnamese culture, deconstructs it into strips, and then dips it in paint. Thousands of these strips create sculptural works of art that Nguyen calls “deconstructed paintings.” The action of deconstruction and reconstruction, and transformation of the fine silk into a sculptural painting, echoes Nguyen’s journey of forging his own identity while continuously incorporating all of the unique elements that make him who he is today.

Each work of art by Nguyen is carefully arranged and pinned into place. As a result, each installation never looks the same twice. The folds and drapes take on a three-dimensional form, undulating like waves across the wall. While stationary, each piece has an element of movement as the delicate strips of fabric catch slight drafts of air from ventilation or passers-by. These thoughtful and intentional artistic interventions by Nguyen engage the viewer visually and invite them ‘Land/mark’ will feature new works by Nguyen as well as an interactive workshop for students to see and learn Nguyen’s process of creating deconstructed paintings.

WHEN: January 8 – March 15
WORKSHOPS: January 24 and March 14
WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus
Parr Center Student Union
1201 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204