Tran Dan

With a focus on people, Tran Dan explores spiritual topics, concepts, and surreal, semi-abstract imagery. “The beauty of lacquer lies in its elusive variable and the materials that go with it. With the language of gold and carmine, the artist can enter the dream world of his imagination. It is luxurious, arrogant, and very picky, limited to some. It is a device, a tool to express my own painting language."

Tran Dan studied architecture in university, but turned his artistic career to Vietnamese lacquer, and self learned painting and sculpture.

Tran finds a possibility in the lacquer medium beyond just traditional painting, and is keen to develop its form and artistic output further: lacquer with mixed-material paintings/ sculptures or installations.

Tran has worked with many foreign cultural institutions in Vietnam such as French, German, Japan and has broadened his art practice beyond paintings, by doing art installations about human consciousness, dreams, Vietnamese culture, culture invasion, human and culture migration.

He opened an Independent Experimental art space and organized and directed programs for local and international artists. While he is currently working by himself, he is still interested in organizing a program and inviting international artists in the future. He is also the founder of X-No8 Art Experimental Residency Homes.

 

EDUCATION:

2003 – 2006 Architecture University, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam

2005 – 2007 Phu Thanh Nguyen Artist Studio, HCM, Vietnam

 

EXPERIENCE:

October 2021 - Present : Artist/ Art director of X-No8 Art Experimental Residence Homes in Hanoi

November 2017 – Present: Founder of Atelier Dat Viet (design products – lamp – sculpture… )

June 2012 – October : Co-organizer and Art director at Tokyo x Hanoi x Art ( A collapborative contemporary art project between young and Emerging Japanese and Vietnamese artists) _ supported by the Japan foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam Grant/ Ha Noi, Vietnam  

Mach 2008 – october 2010: Founder and Art director at Dan Viet Art Studio/ HCM, Vietnam/ Building and developing the open artist residence programs

April 2007 Reported, Editor at VTC - Vietnam Digital Television at HCM

October 2006 – March 2007 Studio Designer at BHD Film in HCM

 

SOLO EXHIBITION:

April 2017 _ “ Dream in a palm – Chuyện Mộng “ / Lacquer and oil painting/ solo exhibition at V-art Working Space, IPH Building, Hanoi _ Viet Nam

January 2014 _ “ Dream Construct “ / Lacquer and oil painting/ solo exhibition at Venue Ritz-Carton, Hotel,IFC, 8 Centuary Avennue, Shanghai, Pudong, China

June 2012 _ “ Women and Flower”/ Lacquer painting and sculpture installation/ Solo exhibition at 87 Ma May, ( the antique house)/ Hanoi, Vietnam

January 2008_ “ The Blue Sleeping City”/ Video Art and Installation/ Solo exhibition at Institut Francais de Hanoi – L`Espace _ Centre Culturel Francais, Vietnam

December 2006 _ “ Sleep walking city “ / Painting and Video Art / Solo exhibition at Mai Gallery/ HCM, Vietnam

 

SOLO PERFOMANCE

November 2007 – “Dream” / Dance Performance / Contemporary Dance Competition at Youth Opera House sponsored by Culture Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) of the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam / Hanoi, Vietnam

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS & PERFORMANCE

January 2023 _ “ Bến Bờ “ / Group Exhibition / Lacquer Paintings and oil mix media painting / at 282 Workshop _ Long Bien, Hanoi,VietNam

December 2022 _ “ X-No8 Exhibition & Khởi Sinh Lacquer Collection “/ Paintings _ Group exhibition at Nam Thi House, Nam ki Khoi Nghia, District 1, HCM, Vietnam

September 2022 _ “ Khoi Sinh Lacquer by X-No8 “ / Paintings _ Group exhibition at V-Art Space _ Ciputra Club, Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam

October 2014 – ‘’ Space for new Palette ‘’/ Video art and Paintings / Art exhibition [ Palette Project] at CUCI FINE ART/ Ha noi, Vietnam

September 2013 – “ Góc Nhìn”/ Video Art and Photography / Art Exhibition Project at New Space Arts Foundation/ Hue city.Vietnam

July 2013 – The first exhibition by Vietnamese “Son Ta” Artist Group/ Lacquer Paintings/ Group Exhibition at Vietnam Fine Art Museum/ Hanoi,Vietnam

November 2012 –”Mot, Hai, Ba (1,2,3)” / Lacquer Paintings / Group exhibition at Mai Gallery (Art Talk Cafe) / Hanoi, Vietnam

October 2012 – “Tokyo x Hanoi x Art” (a collaborative contemporary art project between young and emerging Japanese and Vietnamese artists) / Project result presentation exhibition at La 4uatrieme&ete bar / Hanoi, Vietnam

November 2011 – "Open Academy Project"/ Photography / Collaborative exhibition after Open Academy Panorama workshop organized by British Council Vietnam/ Hue, Vietnam

October 2007 – “The Picture Month”/ Video / Group exhibition at Fine Art Museum sponsored by The Consulate of France / HCMC, Vietnam

December 2006 – “Masturbation in Mind” / Performance and Video / Group exhibition at Himiko Café / HCMC, Vietnam

October 2006 – “The Past & Present” / Video / “Pace on the Peace, Xin Chao My Darling” project group exhibition at Supplement Space: Stone and Water Festival/ Anyang, Korea

June 2006 – “I am a Somnambulist” “Having a conversation”/ Video art / Opening ceremony at Culture Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) of the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam / HCM, Vietnam

April 2006 – “Sexual Desire and Zen Space” / Mix material Installation / Group exhibition at Van Thanh Park / HCMC, Vietnam

  

ARTIST IN RESIDENCY

October 2013 – February 2014 Artist Residence in The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai/ China

May 2013 - July 2013 – “2013 Asia Artist Residence in ARTinNATURE & Asia Art space Network” / The Space for Creating Culture&Art “ARTinNATURE” / Busan, Korea

ARTIST TALK

December 2012 – MAC Hanoi, Skylines with Flying People at The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam / Hanoi, Vietnam

July 2012 – Arena Multimedia / Hanoi, Vietnam

 

SCREENING

March 2013 – “Screening of previous video works” / Single channel videos / Screening at Meta house / Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 

WORKSHOP

November 2012 - January 2013 – “Juxtaposition - old and new, back-to-back” / Collaborative video art project with Australian, French, Vietnamese and Korean artists/ DOCLAB, Goethe Institute Hanoi / Hanoi, Vietnam

November 2011 – "Open Academy Project" / Photography / Open Academy Panorama workshop organized by British Council / Hue, Vietnam

 

GRANT

October 2012 – The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam Grant Program / For supporting the project “Tokyo x Hanoi x Art” (Emerging Japanese - Vietnamese contemporary artists collaborative project) / Hanoi, Vietnam