Anh Duong's first solo exhibit titled La Tentation d'Exister/There is Always Champagne In the Fridge at Galerie Gmurzynska in Zürich, which carefully negotiates and questions the self and identity in the 21st century is now on view until September 30. Deconstructing relationships and how they fit into the world around her, Duong’s frequently uses herself as a starting point for her creations. Analysing mirror reflections to understand what we really look like, sometimes being met with a dazed feeling, driving you to look at all the fine points, not a manufactured or altered version of yourself.
Following the spontaneity of the brushstroke as a unique force, she carefully translates her inner dialogue into an intriguing storyline acting as an instrument for the viewers' emotive interpretations. The title embodies a narrative of its own, features more than twenty oil paintings that spark memories to the surface, investigates the need to connect and establishes a modern paradigm where fashion and art meet.
The exhibition is a captivating and voyeuristic glimpse into the sphere of a women's direct relationship with their self-image. Duong's evocative self-portraits suggest a correlation between Frida Kahlo, Dora Maar, and the Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, her intimate visions construct a continuous narrative that seductively unfolds as you immerse yourself into her art. Playing with the viewer’s gaze, her use of dramatised doe eyes hypnotises us, urging your to keep on looking and decipher her romances. Duong’s caricatures are reminiscent of her daily life and should be read like a visual journal. She intentionally exposes the fragility, beauty, and raw tenderness of her subjects. Each canvas representing another accurate depiction of individuals in non-idealised positions.
The exhibition is a captivating and voyeuristic glimpse into the sphere of a women's direct relationship with their self-image. Duong's evocative self-portraits suggest a correlation between Frida Kahlo, Dora Maar, and the Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, her intimate visions construct a continuous narrative that seductively unfolds as you immerse yourself into her art. Playing with the viewer’s gaze, her use of dramatised doe eyes hypnotises us, urging your to keep on looking and decipher her romances. Duong’s caricatures are reminiscent of her daily life and should be read like a visual journal. She intentionally exposes the fragility, beauty, and raw tenderness of her subjects. Each canvas representing another accurate depiction of individuals in non-idealised positions.
