Duy Huynh
Counting on the Cosmos, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 30″, 2017
Recursive Dream Study, acrylic on wood panel, 24″ x 36″, 2017
River of No Regrets, acrylic on wood panel, 18″ x 18″, 2017
Seahorse Oddisea, acrylic on wood panel, 24″ x 24″, 2016
Clear Mind Migration, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 30″, 2016
A Mindful Garden, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 30″, 2016
The Sway of Silver Linings, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 30″, 2016
Metamorphosis of a Metaphor, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 40″, 2017
Transfer of Grace, acrylic on wood panel, 30″ x 24″, 2017
Artist Statement
I create poetic and contemplative acrylic paintings that draw their inspiration from a variety of storytellers in formats that range from music and movies to ancient folklore and comic book adventures. While much of my work is deeply personal, I try to imbue it with clever and often humorous symbolism and wordplays to invite viewers to create their own storylines.
Geography and cultural displacement are prevalent themes in my art. My ethereal characters maintain a serene if precarious balance, often in a surreal or dreamlike setting, allowing me to explore motion as well as emotion to portray not just the beauty of the human form but also the triumph of the human spirit. My images — boats, trains, suitcases, anything that can fly — relate to travel, whether physical or spiritual.
I also attempt to connect, both literally and symbolically, fluid patterns in nature and wildlife with the patterns of human aspirations. The results often are hybrid dreamscapes filled with melodic manifestations and flowering fragments that transcend the limitations of logic. My goal is to nurture a visual language that evokes a sense of wonderment while celebrating the fragility of a precarious life.
About the Artist
Duy Huynh (pronounced “Yee Wun”) was born in Vietnam. His interest in art began shortly after his arrival to the United States in the early 1980s. Experiencing difficulties adapting to new surroundings and a new language, Duy Huynh took refuge in the art of comics, cartoons, and graffiti. His first art commission came in the third grade, when a classmate hired him to draw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Payment was two dollars and chocolate milk for a week. What was most important about this early experience was that Duy Huynh learned that it was possible to make a connection through visual language. Even today it serves as a reminder for him to always enjoy and maintain his childhood love.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which awarded him a degree in painting and illustration, Duy Huynh’s main objective has been to share his work with the public. In addition to painting murals and showing his work in a variety of public establishments, including restaurants, coffee shop, bars, and music venues, Duy Huynh has explored the performance aspect of painting, often collaborating with musicians and dancers to create works of art in front of an audience; among his most notable collaborations are those with the innovative dance company Moving Poets Charlotte and with the globally recognized band Linkin Park.
A full-time artist, Duy Huynh is represented by several galleries, including Lark & Key Gallery and Boutique, Charlotte, North Carolina, which he co-owns with his wife Sandy Snead; Art & Invention Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee; Blue Spiral 1 Gallery, Asheville, North Carolina; and Jules Place, Boston, Massachusetts.
Lark & Key Gallery and Boutique
Duy Huynh at EIL, Earlier Work
These are dreamy.
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