Opening Day Talk | Tammy Nguyen

Join us for an artist talk with Tammy Nguyen, acclaimed for her richly layered paintings and multidisciplinary work. In her solo exhibition, Timaeus and the Nations, Nguyen explores themes of national identity and world order through a unique lens inspired by Plato’s dialogue Timaeus and the global maritime practice of “Flags of Convenience” and delves into the fluidity of national identity.

About the artist

Tammy Nguyen, a multidisciplinary artist based in Easton, Connecticut, has received prestigious awards including the 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship and the 2024 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts. She was also a Fulbright fellow in 2008 and received a Scholarship for Advanced Studies in Book Arts from The Center for Book Arts in 2014.

Nguyen’s work encompasses paintings, drawings, artist books, prints, and zines. Her practice explores geopolitics, ecology, and lesser-known histories, often challenging conventional narratives through both her fine arts and publishing work. Her imprint, Passenger Pigeon Press, produces Martha’s Quarterly, a subscription series of artist books and interdisciplinary collaborations. Nguyen’s work is known for its ability to unsettle and provoke reflection. Notable projects include Four Ways Through a Cave (2021), which connects her travels in Vietnam with Plato’s allegory of the cave, and Stations of the Cross (2022), a reimagining that interweaves commerce, colonialism, and global politics. Her research-based practice examines multiple narratives, exploring the past, present, and future through both visual and linguistic lenses.

Nguyen is an Assistant Professor of Art at Wesleyan University and is represented by Lehmann Maupin Gallery.

Host or Publisher Sarasota Art Museum