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