Nuge, b. 1987
Lives and works in San Diego, California, USA
Dan "Nuge" Nguyen is a self-taught sculptor, creating artworks from planks of ash wood, and urethane paint. Nuge was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, raised in Boston, Massachusetts and has been living in California since 2012.
Having studied architecture at Roger Williams University, Nuge regards his current shift to sculpting art installations as a rebellion to his hard-lined architectural background.
A theme that is present in all his works presents a juxtaposition of heavy materials contrasted with light aesthetics, rigid and organic. These relationships bring a new, contemporary appreciation to a material that is normally used in traditional settings. In a world where technology is integrated into every part of our lives feeding us instant gratification, Nuge finds beauty in the creation of sculpting and woodworking. This method requires enormous patience but also allows Nuge to revisit his work daily.