Born in Bac Ninh, Nguyen Nghia Cuong (b.1973) graduated from Hanoi University of Fine Arts. Despite being raised in a family of classical painters, Cuong breaks the mould with his refreshing style of art. Cuong’s art presents vignettes that reference both his inner and outer worlds. His work veers from exuberance and glee to wrenching sadness, exploring the full range of human emotions. Sometimes personal anecdote and sometimes social commentary, his art never loses its wry humour and sense of playfulness.The work is a satirical take on how artists assume the role of the devil, depicted wittily as the artist’s brush. It comments on how some commercially successful artists stick faithfully to a formula without developing stylistically for fear of losing sales.
