Born in Housten in 1979 and currently living and working in Da Nang, Phi Phi Oanh received her BFA at Parsons School of Design and a Master at Art and Investigation at the University of Madrid Complutense (2012). In 2014, she received a Fulbright Grant to study lacquer painting in Hanoi. Since then, Vietnamese lacquer has become central to her work, which focuses on its potential as a painting medium to convey memory or reflection, examine current theories of the image and expand into more experimental methods and scale.
"An ancient varnish, Vietnamese lacquer was re-invented as a painting medium during the 20th century. To me this also represents an entire of history of painting “becoming lacquer”. I am interested in further exploring this process of acculturation by combining sơn mài with new materials and formats to extend the scope of the medium as image, reflect on cross cultural histories and situate the medium in a broader art discourse. The material qualities of this medium, the deep colors and and ever-changing light on a lacquer image demands a different kind of attention and offers a heightened visual experience. "
Phi Phi Oanh
Oanh Phi Phi’s notable exhibitions include: SCRY – Manzi Art Space, Hanoi – 2017; `Pro Se´ - National Gallery Singapore – 2017; `Make Shift´ and `Palimpsest´ - FOST Gallery, Gillman Barracks, Singapore – 2007. In 2018, Oanh participated in the public art project `INTO THIN AIR 2´ (Manzi Art Space) with a virtual installation `From Below, Upward´.
