The THRESHOLD of Mr. Nathan Nguyen

Nathan Nguyen, Untitled, 2018, oil on canvas, 52'' x 60"

Nathan V. Nguyen had a solo show in the Witt Gallery at Sac State from February 11 to February 15, 2019. In his show were recent works of his which included paintings, interactive painted blocks on pedestals, and an installation of used materials from his work.  Many of Nguyen’s paintings are very geometric and colorful, which is what appeals to me the most.  I felt a sense of calmness and serenity when I entered his show.  Although his work is geometric, the forms still feel organic. I believe this is due to the way he composes his forms as well as his compositions as a whole.  The forms repetitively build on top of each other, creating this world of natural, vibrant, and symmetrical organisms.  His paintings feel very balanced and harmonious to the point where I wish I could crawl inside his works and experience the realms in which they reside. 

I have known Nguyen for a number of months now and his work definitely matches his fun, friendly, and buoyant personality.  In an interview with him, Nguyen tells me that he has shown his work in one group show in the past but this was his first solo show.  Although, when it comes to curating a show, this isn’t his first rodeo.  He has helped many other artists with their solo exhibitions.  From his experiences, Nguyen expresses, “It’s overwhelming if you try and do it by yourself.” He explains that Kevin Ptak was a huge help for him during this process of curating his own show.  He wanted to personally recognize Ptak and said, “Shout out to him, thank you for that.”  

Nathan Nguyen’s exhibition was fun and exciting.  I can’t wait to see how his future as a contemporary artist unfolds and I look forward to his upcoming shows.