An Doan Nguyen

An Doan Nguyen (b. 1978, Phuc Long, Vietnam). Vietnamese boat refugee from 1979. Works and lives in Moss, Norway. Education: Wimbledon College of Art (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and University of Bergen (Art History). His work has been acquired by major collectors both in Norway and abroad.

Nguyen’s paintings can be described as belonging to the photorealistic genre. His works are often highly detailed, featuring bold, expressive brushwork. Light and shadow are carefully considered, employed in a dramatic manner that emphasises the subject matter. The contrasts and dramatic compositions sometimes evoke the masters of the Baroque era, such as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Velázquez.

At the same time, the artist chooses not to confine himself to a single genre. Consequently, his work ranges from an impressionistic—and at times almost abstract-expressionist—style to a precise, photorealistic aesthetic. The paintings may appear as fragments or glimpses of a landscape, a memory, or an emotion. Some subjects are not rendered with slavish fidelity but are instead improvised, allowing elements such as colour, light, shadow, and objects to be altered. In this way, the artist’s work opens up a more meditative and painterly expression—one that occasionally drifts into a dreamlike, almost surrealist visual language.

In Nguyen’s work – whether depicting empty parking lots, desolate streets, or abandoned industrial sites -the absence of people, distracting elements, or noise creates an almost apocalyptic atmosphere; this often stands in stark contrast to the artist’s unconventional use of colour. Colour tones that can range from cool blue and light turquoise to magenta.

Although Nguyen’s works can vary greatly in theme and subject matter, a single work can express both deep loneliness and a vibrant zest for life.