In his colorful and overwhelming narrative paintings, Will Thurman (b.1989, New York City) portrays a confusing reality. Filled with hybrid characters, his canvases transport us into a parallel universe that closely resembles our own, where comedy interwines with dark and sadistic elements.
Displayed as a continuous mural or accumulated in a salon style, more than 100 medium to large-sized artworks form Life Paintings, Volume 1: 2015-2020 — the artist’s first major solo show, organised by Galerie Quynh. A full-color, dynamic exhibition catalogue documents this ensemble of paintings.
With contributions from Nguyễn-Hoàng Quyên, translator, writer and curator; Adam Gopnik, writer; Suzanne Brøgger, writer, novelist, playwright, poet and journalist; David Rieff, journalist, non-fiction writer, and policy analyst; and Phan Thị Vàng Anh, poet and writer.
This volume is published alongside the exhibition Life Paintings, Volume 1: 2015-2020: Will Thurman, presented from October 20 to December 12, 2020, at Galerie Quynh, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
