Born in Hanoi, Nguyen Nhu Y (b.1970) attended Hanoi University of Fine Arts, but was unable to complete his studies due to a mental breakdown in his first year there. Drifting in and out of the art circles to sell his works, Y is often admired for his nomadic and simple existence. Carving wood intuitively and compulsively, Y’s talent can be seen in his fascinating works. Y’s sculptures are totemic effigies, often inspired by the primitive sculpture of the Gia Rai, an ethnic minority group that lives in the high plateaus of Central Vietnam. Without any preparatory sketches, Y carves directly onto rough pieces of wood, shaping them into knotted, whorled forms whose primitive appearance belies the artistic skill that goes into their making.
