Duy Huynh
Heritage: Vietnamese
As someone whose first language was not English, Duy Huynh has long been fascinated with the multi-layered ambiguities and nuances of certain words and phrases. As a visual artist, he enjoys taking things “too literally,” using the language of symbols and metaphors in conjunction with puns and hybrid words to add yet another layer of mystery to the narrative. Images that often reoccur in his paintings, such as moths/butterflies, boats, trains, musical instruments, flowers, trees, umbrellas, etc. have become a personal vocabulary used in deliberate combinations to evoke introspection and a sense of wonderment.
At the core of his work is a search for balance and continuity, usually between two or more mysteries. The characters he creates often float (literally) somewhere between science and spirituality, memory and mythology, structure and spontaneity, ephemeral and eternal, humorous and profound, connectivity and nonattachment. The intent isn’t necessarily to provide enlightenment, but to celebrate the quest itself.
SAMPLE ARTWORK
Dimensions provided in inches. All artwork © Duy Huynh
“As someone whose first language was not English, I have long been fascinated with the multi-layered ambiguities and nuances of certain words and phrases.”