About
Born in Vietnam, my family came to the United States as refugees in 1981. We were commonly referred to as “boat people”, a moniker I’ve often drawn inspiration from. Despite the challenges and a sense of displacement, growing up in southern California proved to be a transformative time. My first introduction to art was through murals, graffiti, comic books and animation. My passion for drawing began with attempts to create my own characters. I still find it magical what can be achieved with just a pencil and paper. For a kid that felt like an outcast, drawing became a means of transcending barriers and cultivating connections.
I attended UNC Charlotte in 1994 with the intention of becoming an illustrator. During my sophomore year I discovered a love for painting. Today, I am grateful to be a full-time artist. My work is featured in several galleries, including Lark & Key, which I co-own with my wife Sandy Snead.
Throughout my career, I have explored various applications for painting—from public murals and live stage painting to collaborations with writers and musicians. It remains a priority for me that my work is both accessible and far-reaching.
Artist Statement
As someone whose first language was not English, I have long been fascinated with the ambiguities and nuances of certain words and phrases. As a visual artist, I enjoy taking things too literal, and use the language of symbols and metaphors in conjunction with puns and hybrid words to add yet another layer of mystery to the narrative. Images that often reoccur in my paintings, such as moths/butterflies, boats, trains, musical instruments, flowers, trees, umbrellas, etc. have become a personal vocabulary. Used in deliberate combinations I hope to evoke introspection and a sense of wonderment.
A search for balance and continuity is at the core of my work. My characters often float (literally) somewhere between science and spirituality, memory and mythology, structure and spontaneity, ephemeral and eternal, humorous and profound, connectivity and nonattachment. The intent isn’t necessarily to provide enlightenment, but to celebrate the quest itself.
“Vietnamese artist Duy Huynh examines balance through nuanced scenes replete with ethereal, surreal elements: individual flowers ascend from a teapot, a chain winds around an artichoke heart, and figures float mid-air. Rendered in muted hues, the acrylic paintings are metaphorical and narrative-based, visualizing stories by connecting unusual symbols or positioning disparate objects together.” – Grace Ebert / Colossal