Tuan Andrew Nguyen A Mourning Sunset, 2026

This large-scale tondo is composed of a multitude of small brass discs crafted from rolled and hammered artillery shell casings, their surfaces manipulated through accelerated oxidation and patination to produce a rich palette of umber and turquoise — evoking the shimmering, scaled armor of a mythical being. In Vietnamese mythology, the dragon is a benevolent protector symbolizing life, growth and national sovereignty. The turquoise tones also reference the many rivers and bodies of water in Vietnam, and with them the country's history of emigration by water — evoked most powerfully by the Vietnamese boat people who fled across the sea. Bright orange lines tear through the surface like scars — the Day-Glo orange used in Vietnam to mark unexploded ordnance, a direct reference to the military debris still buried across the country.