"Reflecting Us, Seeing Ourselves" Art Opening for Ngoc Nguyen
Date & Time
Fri Jul 11 2025 at 08:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Location
470 Castro St, San Francisco, CA, United States, California 94114 | San Francisco, CA
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Details
Join us the SECOND Friday of the month in July (because of 4th of July weekend) for the monthly Strut ART OPENING!For the month of July we are exhibiting the art of Ngoc Nguyen
Join us Friday, July 11 at 8PM for the art opening reception!
Light snacks, wine, and non alcoholic drinks will be provided! Come for the free wine, stay for the incredible queer art!
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work explores themes of identity, culture, and human connection, drawing from my experiences as a gay, Asian artist. Focused on portraiture and figures, my work stems from the lack of representation in the art world and years of studying and seeing European art. While these studies have informed my technical skills and understanding of art, I strive to challenge who gets depicted as beautiful, and seen in museums and galleries.
My paintings blend representation while using abstraction to touch on one’s emotions. The process of representation reflects my enjoyment of technical skills, while abstraction embodies expression and play. By emphasizing bold colors, textures, and expressive mark-making, I showcase the tension and complexity of my diverse identity, transforming moments of fear or shame into powerful visual narratives that celebrate self-acceptance.
I invite viewers to engage with the layers of my paintings, encouraging reflection on their identities and resonating with the shared human experience.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ngoc Nguyen is a gay multidisciplinary artist and master hairstylist, holding a Bachelor's degree in Studio Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz. His early childhood in Vietnam, followed by his immigration to the Bay Area, has profoundly shaped his perspective, which is clearly reflected in his work. After experiences moving around the US and exploring the world through travel, Ngoc's work reflects a broad worldview and personal insight. Now firmly rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area, he integrates his foundational artistic skills across various mediums, whether on a canvas or in the transformation of clients. Ngoc has years of experience developing his skills in portraiture and figure painting. His background as a hairdresser and business owner has honed his attention to detail, influencing the precision and care visible in his art. Ngoc’s artwork blends representation with abstract expressionism, inviting viewers to explore themes of identity and connection. He resides in Alameda, CA, with his husband, son Kiên, two chihuahuas, and his mother, Lieu.
If you have any questions about Strut’s Art openings, or this event, please feel free to contact our community events manager Baruch Porras Hernandez at [email protected].
For questions about Strut our services of The San Francisco AIDS Foundation visit sfaf.org
Accessibility: There are no stairs to enter the lobby level at Strut from the street level. The building has three floors, and there is a stairwell with handrails and a wheelchair-accessible elevator. There are 26 steps from the lobby to the 2nd floor and 48 steps from the lobby to the 3rd floor. All our bathrooms are gender neutral and we have restrooms that are accessible to people who use wheelchairs
Event Location
470 Castro St, San Francisco, CA, United States, California 94114Event Host
Strut
