In Opposite 2

Best known for his distinctive wood burn paintings which often featured multiple self-portraits, Ngo Van Sac has taken a somewhat surprising but ultimately successful turn in choosing to work in the medium of collage and mixed media with his latest collection. The result is a series of ethereal and arresting works that show the artist turning his gaze outwards while masterfully engaging with new mediums.

Of his latest collection, Sac says, “The Earth’s components have always had close ties with each other. In such an environment, the relationships between human beings and the natural world is no exception to this rule. In creating this series, I wanted to highlight the interesting contrasts between the existences of people and nature. Rather than focusing on high concepts, I paint the simple things happening around me with events that I and everyone else face each day. Behind that are the reactions in relation to each event that my viewers point out.”

Born in a rural village on the outskirts of Hanoi, Sac has witnessed the constant encroachment of urban development into what was once a bucolic environment. In Opposite is the artist’s attempt to find a symbiosis between human kind and their constructions and the natural world and its creatures.

Ngo Van Sac (b. 1980) is a graduate of the Vietnam Fine Arts University. This is his second solo exhibition at Craig Thomas Gallery.