Altar

Nguyen Quan (1948) was born in Ha Son Province, Vietnam and graduated with a degree in math and cybernetics in the German Democratic Republic in 1971. It was during this time abroad that Quan developed an interest in Surrealism. His painting style is one that incorporates Western influences with a Vietnamese sensibility that belies an Asian tendency. In the immediate post-Doi Moi period Quan'�s works and ideas became highly influential in the art circle, which was suddenly liberated, and allowed to paint non-representational works. Quan'�s works are often highly personal. This painting is from his well-known series titled Altar, where Quan replaced the government sanctioned motifs with objects associated with Vietnamese altar table. In this work, motifs such as national heroes, soldiers and farmers are replaced by idols, hand gestures, fruits and even common designs found on altar table legs, painted in surrealist manner. While Quan�'s paintings are often personal, this painting can also be seen as an example of the art movement then, with artists exploring their ancestral roots, traditions and village life.