From last May 10th to September 24th, the Fundació Joan Miró will host among its temporary exhibitions the work of the artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen, “Nuestros fantasmas viven en el futuro”, in which he reflects his life experience as the son of refugees from the Vietnam War.
Nguyen’s life story is undoubtedly the driving force behind his creation and makes his work both a raw and moving experience. Tuan Andrew Nguyen was born in Saigon in 1976. His parents fled the country during the “boat people” migration after Vietnam War and settled in the United States as refugees. It is from this personal experience that the artist develops much of his artistic work.
In this exhibition, Nguyen carries out an artistic proposal that revolves around the human and material consequences of the two Vietnam wars, waged by France and the United States. But his work does not stop there, he also engages in a dialogue between Joan Miró y Alexander Calder two exponents of Western art during the Cold War era.
Projectiles and bombs used in Vietnam War
The exhibition, commissioned by Martina Millà, presents some of Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s most striking video installations, which explore themes such as memory, trauma and the legacy of war.
In addition, visitors can also view a selection of sculptures made from discarded bombs and abandoned artillery shells from the Vietnam War. The sculptures are presented hanging from the ceiling, in different sizes and in gold and silver tones.
Despite a striking, even pleasing and aesthetically pleasing first impression, the nature of these works continually pushes one to reflect on the human and material consequences of war. In all his work, moreover, one can see the clear influences of the artists Joan Miró and Alexander Calder, with whom Nguyen intends to establish a dialogue.
This is done through the characters of the projected films, their installations and the artworks and objects represented in these projects. As described by the foundation itself: “Calder is reincarnated in the body of a Vietnamese woman, an unexploded bomb speaks of his future as it is buried and detonated, letters written and read to estranged or deceased progenitors have the power to evoke and pierce family legacies.”