uncommon
"uncommon" opens at the Articultural Gallery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 18th, 2003. The exhibition features works by Vietnamese American artists: Thai Bui, Vi Ly and Lien Truong, and Vietnamese artists Vu Dan Tan, Le Hong Thai and Nguyen Van Cuong.

Join us for the opening reception for the artists on Saturday, October 18, from 6-10 PM.

Exhibition dates Saturday, October 18 through Thursday, October 30, 2003. Articultural Gallery, 10469 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, www.articulturalland.com.

"Uncommon" alludes to how remarkable the works of these artists are, and also calls into question whether these Vietnamese American and Vietnamese artists have a common ground that informs their works.

Thai Bui’s sculptures combine raw natural materials and recycled materials in unexpected ways. He creates poetic objects that confound your senses. The materials employed in his evolving “don’t pressure me” series belie the pieces’ heritage so well that the viewer becomes absorbed in contemplating their origins while admiring them.

Vi Ly's new paintings are intense abstract works that are sparse in color and texture. Her works exude energy from every stroke. In these new pieces she successfully conjures ethereal atmospheres and other worldly landscapes with a minimum of line and form.

Lien Troung's paintings are beautiful "family portraits," but of non traditional families. She paints what could be groupings of random people at bus stops if you didn't know they were families. Some are mixed race, some are same sex partners, some with kids, some with dogs. These works are life size, which effectively brings the audience into relationship with the families, creating an intimate experience.

Vu Dan Tan's works transport you to the magical kingdom of his imagination, filled with winged creatures and Venuses made of discarded consumer packaging. He is a genuine free spirit, he follow his whims, he creates with out feeling constrained by preconceived notions of what is and is not possible.

Le Hong Thai's silk scrolls offer fresh interpretations of tradition. Thai combines the past and the present with skill and grace using the medium of silk painting infused with contemporary imagery. These scrolls focus on a central character and captivate with their soft pallet of earth tone reds and browns. These pieces are like the fleeting memories of dreams. The combination of his elegant lines and the materials create sublime works.

Nguyen Van Cuong's works on paper offer edgy, satirical comments on modernization. He illuminates the dark side of modernization as he sees it in Vietnam, in so doing he questions the archetypical roles of good and evil that continue to be played out despite global progress.

Curated by Beth Gates.

Articultural Gallery 10469 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90025 310.481.9966 www.articulturalland.com

Thai Bui

Vi Ly

Lien Truong

Vu Dan Tan

Le Hong Thai

Nguyen Van Cuong

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