Temple: Michael Nguyen Finch Exhibition at Gallery 120

St. Paul multidisciplinary artist Now through Thursday, October 24, 2024

Temple, an exhibition by Michael Nguyễn Finch, a multidisciplinary artist based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is showing now through Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Gallery 120. Art shows and exhibitions are hosted at the Gallery 120 brick-and-mortar location in the atrium of the Fine Arts building on the Inver Hills campus in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

Michael Nguyễn Finch artist bio

Michael Nguyễn Finch; link to artist website
Michael Nguyễn Finch

Michael Nguyễn Finch is a multidisciplinary artist based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Finch’s work addresses immigration, heritage, and cultural evolution through high-contrast colors, bold forms, stylized mark-making, and new media.

Finch works in a variety of techniques and mediums including steel fabrication, cardboard, stucco masonry, and contemporary abstraction, serving to embody the perspective of a second-generation Vietnamese immigrant reestablishing cultural identity.

Artist statement

Temple draws on the principles of sacred space from the Eastern and Western cultural cannons, inviting viewers into the dialogue between Finch’s Southeast Asian and Scandinavian heritage. This juxtaposition explores the differences in the cultural iconography as well as their corroborating narratives.

The paintings form an altar to Finch’s Southeast Asian heritage. The dragon embodies the forces of nature and the cosmos, representing the dynamic energy of life. The phoenix symbolizes renewal and rebirth, signifying hope and emerging life.

The pairing of these heavenly forms relates to the duality referenced by the yin and yang symbol. A duality further explored through the symbolism of the sculptures. The foo dogs, or guardian lions, stand as protectors of sacred spaces. Simultaneously operating to establish the space as sacred while reflecting the trials of Vietnamese immigrants, alluding to Finch’s ancestry.

In contrast, the abstract sculptures of Madonna and Gabriel bring forth a narrative rooted in Western religious iconography, and a pairing omnipresent in the culture. Madonna represents maternal strength, while Gabriel symbolizes the bridging of realms. These meanings relate to Finch’s bridging of cultural iconography and the immigrant heritage of his maternal side. Additionally, this divine pairing mirrors that of the dragon and phoenix. The collective symbolism of the paintings and sculpture reflects the complex connections of a multicultural heritage.

The interplay between these elements explores the themes of culture and connection. Finch challenges the boundaries of cultural identity and provokes a deeper understanding of how these differing influences can coexist and enrich one another. Combining these iconographies into the shared space establishes a Temple of culture, contemplation, and coexistence.

Dance of the Heavens 96"x48" Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pastel, Enamel, Foil on Canvas 2024

WHAT: Temple

WHO: Michael Nguyễn Finch

WHEN: Now thru October 24, 2024

WHERE: Gallery 120

Fine Arts Building
Inver Hills Community College
2500 80th Street East
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
General: 651-450-3000
Gallery 120: 651-450-3101

Top image: Dance of the Heavens, 96″x48″, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pastel, Enamel, Foil on Canvas, 2024

Temple gallery

Learn more about Temple at Gallery 120 by contacting:

Janell Hammer
Gallery 120 Coordinator
Art Department 2D Art CLA
651-450-3101
Gallery 120 on Facebook
Gallery 120 Online

Learn more about the A.F.A. in Art at Inver Hills by contacting:

Rob Kolomyski
Painting and Drawing Faculty
651-450-3256

 

Gallery 120 at Inver Hills Community College

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