Minh Dung Vu
”The artist with Vietnamese roots creates his works with minimal interventions, Minh Dung Vu sews finely painted and specially dyed fabrics, such as silk, to the canvas, thus expanding the classic concept of painting. The fascination for various fabrics and textiles and their versatility are the starting point for his work. Depending on its thickness and structure, fabric behaves differently and can be stretched and processed in different ways.
Vu combines colors and shapes with playful ease, yet precisely and harmoniously. Although the fabric is used one-dimensionally, light and shadow play a major role: depending on where the work is placed
in the room, different light and shadow formations become visible due to the materiality, determined by the permeability and fragility of the fabric. Vu experiments very unobtrusively with materiality,
he combines materials and explores the limits of perception. In doing so, the past, tradition and memory are combined with new impressions of the present to create timeless works of art.”
-Tanja Skorepa-
”Minh Dung Vu doesn’t just paint—he orchestrates fabric. His work reflects a tense negotiation between intention and material, where silk, linen, and canvas become collaborators. Dũng’s practice is rooted in geographical displacement, memory, and culture. Born in Vietnam, his move to Germany in 2013 sparked a new exploration of the relationship between composition and the fluidity of space. Through cutting, sewing, and manipulating fabric, Dũng establishes a tactile connection to his past. His work doesn’t explicitly depict tradition but offers a new way to engage with it, inviting intimate and unique dialogues with his pieces. The materiality, defined by the permeability and softness of various fabrics, allows Dũng to create forms and spaces that bring his artistic practice to life. Drawing inspiration from culture and history to personal experiences, his work reflects his personal memories and an unexplored family history. Traditional Vietnamese forms like chầu văn, ca trù, and his feelings of homesickness and unfamiliarity living abroad form the foundation of Dũng’s artistic language, shaping his distinctive exploration of fabric.”
– Karlie Ho-