Duc Van Pham - 'Multifaceted' Exhibition

''This show explores people and life from different perspectives. In modern times we tend to see people in black and white. Dividing narratives, creating segregations based on a perception of people and what we think they are. This is often based on beliefs, background, gender, sexuality, origin etc. all of which is often used to condense people down to one thing. But people are multifaceted and these divisions underline many of the problems we face in society today. Divide and conquer based on differences when the one thing we all have in common is that we come with many different forms and feelings based on a life lived. 

Our faces and bodies encapsulate these diverse feelings and thoughts. It suits higher powers to condense what we say into a singular narrative, which in turn allows a very limited view on a human, and we are very complex and diverse individual beings. How can we connect with a whole person when we have condensed them down to a single narrative?

I tend to see beauty in the imperfect. I work with older people and witness their lives at the later stages; their physical and mental being is deteriorating and in these moments the true spirit can be witnessed. As a portrait artist I try to capture the subtleties I see in a person. The small fractions of energy or light that come through a person in moments of joy or loss. I’m fascinated by the changes of deep emotions in people. 

When a person loses their diversity due to extremist thinking you can often see it on their faces, a mask of sameness, anger or hatred that doesn’t allow for the subtleties of change and beauty. 

 A person’s life is long, and I find the need to explore many different and changing perspectives. This allowance opens us up to people we might not otherwise interact with and allows us to see them in a different light. In order to do this I have to open myself up and become more vulnerable and sensitive to other people’s energies, I then transfer that onto the canvas.

This series of paintings was a big challenge for me as I wanted to express those ideas and there are no certain ways of constructing a complex portrait from the beginning to the end other than to just go with my feeling and intuition. For that I improvised a lot when working on those portraits. I got lost in each painting and simultaneously I explored myself and a deeper understanding of my inner world and my own multifaceted person.''

Opening Thursday 9th 6-9pm

Exhibition runs Friday-Sunday 1-6pm

https://www.ducvanpham.com/