Kevin Nguyen, otherwise known as Yen, is a Brooklyn-based artist specializing in abstract, street, and graffiti artwork. Yen explores and expresses the world around him by incorporating different textures into his pieces and connecting with other people through the different art communities found in New York City and online. SHEESH! had the opportunity to sit down with Yen to discuss his journey as an artist and the inspirations behind his work.
Q: What prompted you to begin learning how to paint?
I’d have to say the older kids in the neighbourhood first inspired me to begin learning how to draw. Everyone used to get together at the L Park right across from my old high school and there were these older kids sitting on the bench creating art, creating graffiti. So I think for me, seeing these older kids doing that made me realize I could do it as well or try to emulate it.
Q: When did you know you wanted to create art again?
During the pandemic I became drawn to creating art again and reigniting my love for it this year. In high school I would go into the city with my friend Parker and attend all these art and graffiti events. We would practice our styles all day and try to improve our abilities, which looking back made me realize it was a forgotten love of mine.
Q: How do you feel after completing a painting?
It makes me feel amazing when I finish a painting. I think it’s so cool when something that didn’t exist before now does.
Q: What are themes you address in your art?
I like to talk about my Vietnamese American identity and the struggles I’ve gone through as a person. I like to address nostalgia and overcoming one’s self-consciousness and to stop thinking about what other people think of you or your art.
Q: Why these specific themes?
I want to be honest and true to myself. I never want to fake my own narrative and paint something up. I want to tell my story through my paintings and hopefully give a voice to other Vietnamese Americans and share my culture with other people.
Q: How has your creative process evolved?
When I was 15 it was more how I could make my name seen with my graffiti. How I could gain respect from my peers and to do it as fast possible without getting caught by the police. Now, I’m thinking about how I can create an atmosphere for the viewers of my art and how I can express my idea to them. It’s more about the story behind and how I can make it understood visually.
Q: What experiences influence your art making process?
My travels to Brazil and Vietnam influence me. I love Brazilian art because it has such a purity to it. You can see through their art that they absolutely need to make it because it’s something that they have to do. It’s a beauty that needs to be expressed and not necessarily be seen. Traveling to Vietnam, and to my parents hometown and the experiences I’ve had with my really close friends there really changed me.
Q: How would you define your art?
It’s contemporary. It’s street art and graffiti themed even though there isn’t any tagging.
Q: What emotions or experiences do you want people to feel when they look at your art?
I want people to look at my art and be inspired to do something. I want them to see that if I can do it, they can do it too. I am so against gatekeeping in art and against people saying you have to go to art school for x number of years and paint this or do this. I think you can make art as soon as you get home. I want people to be able to connect with themselves more, and I want my paintings to do that for them.
Q: What about for yourself?
For myself, I really want to tell my story and create and document as many experiences and memories as possible.
Q: What does your art mean to you?
My art is like an itch that is never fully scratched. It’s a weird process. I have to do it even if no one is telling me how or what to do. It’s a space where it’s a hundred percent a reflection of who I am.
Q: How would you describe your latest pieces?
My latest pieces are for my upcoming exhibition and are memories of my own experiences in Vietnam and telling my father’s journey of coming to America. I really want to create this exhibition for people who are missing Vietnam or want to connect or reconnect with Vietnam.
Q: What has it been like producing, releasing, and selling your artwork during a pandemic?
It really showed me the power of communication and social media and how people were able to resonate with my art and wanted to connect with it.
Q: Where do you see the future of your artwork going?
I definitely see me having this voice and creating a larger platform to give a voice to my past and my heritage in order to provide people with their own voice and ability to resonate with my art.
Q: Do any writers, musicians, or other creatives inspire you?
I am inspired by a lot of artists from the graffiti scene in the 70s and 80s, New York City graffiti artists, and Brazalian artists.
Q: If you could change anything about the art world, what would it be?
I just want everyone to be kinder, to be nice. If a little kid walks into your gallery, teach them about the artists, don’t just ignore them and only pay attention to a potential buyer.
To learn more about Yen and his artwork visit his website, Instagram, and Tiktok.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
