Cindy A. Nguyen
Skin
In this body of work, abstraction exists as a means to exploring my spiritual and physical self. I’m interested in organic elements such as lines and shapes to create form and depth. I’m hoping that viewers would be transported into a different space with curiosity, questioning “why is that there?” or “how did this happen here?”
Artist/Thesis Statement
My paintings can be read as skin and the subcutaneous activities that occur beneath the surface. I paint on wood and sandpaper in additive and subtractive processes that create a relationship between surface and material, to mirror the physical breakdown of skin barrier. After the skin is damaged, whether by internal or external causes, it tends to go through a recovery stage in which flakes become present and peel off.
I connect the journey of the skin to an emotional and spiritual journey; the color, the layering, and the repetition that occurs upon each panel is a reminder that during moments of breakdown, being gentle with oneself is critical to healing and growth. On a rough, distressed surface, gentleness exists through line movement and connections. I allow spatial depth to form through these lines and contrasting colors. Imagining a space where things can either exist right in front of me or deeper into space has transported me to places past physical reality, and this is what interests me the most in the process of making these paintings.
