About
Tuan Vu deliberately avoids seeking the ideal form, recognizing that the spontaneity of his gestures and the apparent "mistakes" he makes often lead to the creation of something unique and extraordinary. His artwork is a projection of his thoughts, his state of mind, and his subconscious, taking on a life of its own as he allows himself to be guided by his intuition.
Drawing inspiration from some of the world's most renowned artists, such as Gauguin, Bonnard, Redon, and Peter Doig, Tuan Vu uses a rich palette of colors to create works that are not only visually striking but also deeply thought-provoking. His art invites the viewer to explore different layers of meaning, often reflecting his own quest for identity in a world marked by environmental, social, and economic turmoil.
His childhood memories of Vietnam are a frequent theme in his work, with lush natural landscapes and palm trees appearing in many of his pieces. These images, whether vibrant and flamboyant or stripped down and fragile, often serve as clues to the underlying message of the artwork. Water plays an important role in Tuan Vu's artwork. Not only is water a vital resource for life on Earth but its relationship with consciousness and spirituality has been explored throughout history in many cultures.
Ultimately, Tuan Vu's artwork is a powerful testament to the transformative power of art, capable of provoking deep introspection and reflection in those who encounter it. His thought-provoking creations serve as a reminder of the importance of engaging with the world around us, providing a source of inspiration and hope in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
Biography
Tuan Vu is an artist born in Saigon, Vietnam, and currently based in Quebec. A self-taught artist, his work encompasses drawing, painting, and photography, with a particular focus on the exploration of color as a vehicle for emotional expression and narrative. His oeuvre frequently features female figures set within vibrant tropical environments, drawing inspiration from the Parisian group Les Nabis, the work of Odilon Redon, as well as the flat planes and compositional approaches characteristic of traditional Japanese woodblock prints. Through a distinctive method of layering pigments directly onto the canvas, Vu produces dreamlike compositions enriched with texture and intricate patterns. His practice invites viewers to enter mystical realms where beauty and imperfection coexist, aiming to evoke joy and serenity in response to life’s challenges.
Vu’s work has been showcased at major international art fairs, including Plural, Focus Paris, Art Toronto, Art SG in Singapore, Can Art Fair in Ibiza, the Armory Show in New York, NADA New York, Expo Chicago, Untitled Houston and Miami. His artistic vision has also garnered attention from prominent media outlets such as the Financial Times (London), Vogue Italia, and La Presse.
His works are now held in distinguished private and institutional collections, including the Bunker Artspace Museum (West Palm Beach), the Holbar Collection (United Kingdom), the Vietnam Art Center (VAC), and Fidelity Investments (Boston).
A recipient of multiple grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, Vu is represented by leading galleries across several continents, in Montreal, Toronto, London, West Palm Beach, Berlin, New York, and Los Angeles.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AND EVENT
2026
Jan | ART SG – Harper’s Gallery, Singapore, Singapore
Feb | Solo – MakeRoom Gallery, LA, United States
May | Solo – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Oct | Residency – VAC, Hanoi, Vietnam
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
Private yacht commission – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK
Still Beauty – Harper’s Gallery, NYC, United States
2024
Elysium – Painting, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK
Imaginary Gardens – Duran Mashaal Gallery, Montreal, QC, Canada
2023
Solstice Haze - Paintings, Simard Bilodeau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, United States
2022
Songes Hédoniques - Paintings, Institut National Art Contemporain Gallery, Montreal, QC, Canada
2021
L'Été éternel/Endless Summer - Paintings and Photography, LivArt, Montreal, QC, Canada
2018
Brume - Photography, Galerie Luz (Belgo Building), Montreal, QC, Canada
2010
Encan Soutien à Haïti - Drawings and Paintings, Montreal, QC, Canada
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
DayDream – Curated by James Salomon, Berkshire Botanical Garden, United States
Into the Woods – Make Room, Los Angeles, United States
By the Lake – LBF Gallery, Muskoka, Canada
Summer – Duran Contemporain Gallery, Montreal, QC, Canada
Echo without Origin – Patel Brown Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Symbosium – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, West Palm Beach, United States
2024
Echoes of the Unseen – Gallery Revel, Bordeaux, France
Toi, moi, nous – Simard Bilodeau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Artist collaboration with Claudia Chan Tak – Painting on Dress, Montreal, QC, Canada
2023
Agrégat Université de Sherbrooke à Longueuil - V.I.D.E, Longueuil, QC, Canada
Cache Studio - Imagination, Montreal, QC, Canada
Wishbone Gallery - Sundaze, Montreal, QC, Canada
Duran Mashaal Gallery - Arrival, Montreal, QC, Canada
Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery - Where the Wild Roses Grow, Schloss Görne, Berlin, Germany
Simard Bilodeau Gallery - Wild Ones, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Maison de culture Monk - Les cahiers, Montreal, QC, Canada
2022
Institut National Art Contemporain Gallery - Paintings, Montreal, QC, Canada
2021
MTL en Arts - Paintings and Photography, Montreal, QC, Canada
2019
Beach Life - Photography, Galerie Luz (Belgo Building), Montreal, QC, Canada
2016
Pluriel au singulier - Photography, Galerie Got, Montreal, QC, Canada
ART FAIR
2025
ART SG – Solo booth – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Singapore, Singapore
Plural – Duran Contemporary Gallery, Montreal, QC, Canada
EXPO CHICAGO – Solo booth – Duran Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, United States
NADA New York – Harper’s Gallery, New York City, United States
Armory Show – Harper’s Gallery, NYC, United States
Untitled Houston – Patel Brown Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Art Toronto – Patel Brown Gallery, Toronto
Untitled Miami – Harper’s Gallery, New York City, United States
2024
ART SG – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Singapore, Singapore
Plural – Duran Mashaal Gallery, Montreal, QC, Canada
CAN Art Fair – Duran Mashaal Gallery, Ibiza, Spain
Armory Show – Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, NYC, United States
2023
ART TORONTO - Duran Mashaal - Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Canada
FOCUS NYC - Chelsea Industrial, New York, United States
2022
ART BOOM FOCUS PARIS - Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
PRESS, INTERVIEWS
2025
VOGUE ITALIA – Best booth in Art.SG, by Riccardo Freddo
LaPresse – Portrait complet de Tuan Vu, by Éric Clément
2024
Financial Times: How to Spend it December 2024
AWDB Spotlight: Interview with artist Tuan Vu, by Art World Database
Beach Life photography: Magazine LINDA meiden, Amsterdam, Netherlands
VOL VIP Printemps, Montreal, Canada
2022 - LaPresse: Les histoires tropicales de Tuan Vu
2021 - LeZarts: The Arts of Montreal on MAtv
CONFERENCE
2025 - President of the FIFA (Montreal Art Film Festival), Montreal, QC, Canada
2023 - Business Skills for Creative Souls Artists - YesMontréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
2022 - Guest Speaker - Painter and Photographer at Women's Art Society, Montréal, QC, Canada
2019 - Photographie et Intuition, Club de Photo ALPA, Longueuil, QC, Canada
RECOGNITIONS
2024
Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts (Solo exhibition in London, UK)
Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts (Armory show, NYC)
2023
Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts (Solo exhibition in Los Angeles)
Finalists for publication in the 17th Volume Friends of Artists (FOA)
2022 - Finalists for publication in the 30th anniversary ArtMaze Magazine (Double Edition 30-31)
2022 - Luxembourg merit participation
2021 - YES MONTREAL Client of the Month
https://yesmontreal.ca/december-january-client-of-the-month-tuan-vu/
2021- Luxembourg merit participation