Today we had the good fortune of connecting with artist Yeu Q Nguyen, who is making waves with her genre-defying artworks that drive positive community impact. Her exciting practice interweaves studio arts with public art and social practice to broaden our cultural empathy. A first-generation Vietnamese American artist, Q often takes inspiration from her cultural heritage and innovates traditional art-making with modern fabrication methods. We’d like to share our chat with you below.

Hi Q, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to connect with us. What can you tell us about your art practice and its impact on communities in Los Angeles and beyond? Why have you decided to focus on creating this type of work?
I think growing up in post-war Vietnam makes me appreciate art, and thus access to art, in ways that we often take for granted in the U.S. This is what drew me to creating works that foster empathy and resilience in society.

I like to make works that engage its audience in an activity, and challenge them to be vulnerable and take ownership of their own expression and opinions. A lot of times we hide behind words because we are afraid to be vulnerable. We don’t want to be judged as not intelligent or eloquent or powerful enough. As a result, we hide ourselves from one another.

I figure if I can use my work to encourage people to be more direct, authentic, and vulnerable with their communication with one another, I’ll be doing a real service to the betterment of our world.

That’s an inspiring message. We’re sure our readers would like to know more about your approach to creating, so let’s talk shop a bit? Your art has a very unique, vibrant aesthetics. Unlike most artworks seen in galleries and museums, yours often encourages a lot of audience interaction. We’re curious to hear what you have to share on that?

Most often we approach art as “things” and artists as makers of these “things,” which are then exchanged for X amount of dollars. I always tell people art is an experience, and thus I tend to create works that go beyond being “things” and intersect multiple disciplines. Boundaries are arbitrary. Life, existence, and art exists as a whole, not separate categories.

Many of my works are interactive, transient, and performative. Sculptures that change colors depending on time of day. Artworks that only “come to life” with audience participation. Works that aren’t things, but rather: self-transformative actions.

I tend to think of life in terms of rituals, so naturally I strive to convey that in my creative practice and try to encourage people to “live” my work instead of only observing it. It’s also more fun this way.

Fun is always good! Thank you for that. Speaking of fun, if your best friend were visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary?
I’m a foodie and a rock climber so I’d probably take them to Strong Hold, my neighborhood’s climbing gym. It’s one of the few independently owned climbing gyms, and it has a wonderful community of old-school, outdoor climber folks. Then I’ll take them to a happy hour for a beer or margarita and chowdown fries and tacos. I love LA’s happy hours. There are simply too many to name!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother left her life in Vietnam to bring us both here so I could pursue my own dreams. When I was a teenager, I never fully appreciated her sacrifice, or the hardship she had to endure. It still brings tears to my eyes to recall her red stiff fingers from working 14-hour shifts in a freezing supermarket to support us when I was still in school. We have a difficult, complicated, but beautiful relationship; and she has definitely inspired a lot of my work that deals with womanhood, feminism, cultural identity, and labor.

Website: www.yeuqart.com

Instagram: @yeuqart

Other: patreon.com/yeuqart

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