A Friday evening following a very long week… I don’t think any one would have blamed me if I had passed on an artist talk, especially right before the campus Halloween block party. However, I am so glad that I went. Hearing an artist talk about their work before viewing it changes the experience exponentially. Rather than guessing at what may have inspired a piece, you get to hear first hand at least a glimpse into the process behind the art. Even more so, I was so grateful for the experience to enter a dialogue with the art by asking questions. We talk about conversation with art and it seems so abstract, but when you are sitting in an auditorium literally speaking to the artist and hearing what they have to say in response, it provides a completely new perspective.

Martin Nguyen’s story was incredibly inspiring. I loved the way he spoke about the images that stay in his mind throughout his life. He showed us his last view of Vietnam as he left on a fishing boat and I was transported with him, imagining what it must be like to have that image burned in my mind. His explanation of using his art as a religious practice was also really moving. I’ve explored my own faith through art and it’s interesting to hear someone else’s perspective on this. It was incredible to hear Nguyen’s description of his process for painting a face. He devotes himself entirely to subject for two or three hours, doing his best to truly take time to see them. This was the thought that stuck in my mind as I moved to the gallery to see Nguyen’s work.

I had peered in through the windows of the art building throughout the week and caught glimpses of the work, but seeing it all as it was meant to be shown for the first time, after having just listened to the artist speak, was a whole different experience. I tried my best to both take in the piece as a whole and appreciate every subject. I have a feeling I’ll be spending more time in the gallery in the days to come. I want to get to know at least some of these faces the way that Nguyen did by painting them.

Description

Looking at time through the lens of art allows both the artist and the viewer to slow time down and appreciate the beauty of the subject for what it really is. Martin Nguyen’s collection “Drawing/Painting TIME” shown in the Fine Arts Gallery from October 23 to November 12, 2015 uses both drawing and painting to depict the portraits of people caught in time. The artwork appears to be a grid of faces, each taking up about the size of a sand dollar, on large canvases. Some of the faces are painted in black and white and others in color. There is a year below each subject, but no other identifying information. There are pencil marks present on the finished piece, showing where measurements were made to grid the faces.

Analysis

The presentation of of the subjects is what struck me as most powerful. I don’t think the individual faces Nguyen painted would be as interesting if they were not all together in such a calculated manner. At the same time, the grid like appearance would be boring if it weren’t on such a large scale. I think the balance that Nguyen was able to find is very effective. The variety of the different faces is also really engaging. It’s possible to see Nguyen’s work many times and notice a new face each time.

Interpretation

The artist is trying to capture a moment in time of the lives of different people with his interpretations of their faces. Each painting or drawing he does is a representation of a whole person and the image the viewer sees is only a glimpse of that. It’s almost like a game trying to figure out the life behind each of the faces. This creates an interactive experience for the viewer.

Evaluation

At first glance, I appreciated the artwork for the way all of the components worked together. As I thought about it more, I was more impressed by the concept of evaluating each face, each component of the piece and how they all are individual and also contribute to the whole. The use of time stamps below the faces adds another level to the work. It’s interesting to think that the only reason all of these images exist in the same space together is because the artist put them there. Nguyen’s work makes me want to do more portraits. I want to be able to see a person and their whole life in a single image and then share that life with my viewers.