Photographs of water are not too unusual, but local photographer Han Nguyen takes water photography to another level, as a quiet and humble beauty, reflected in the series “Flow.” There are 11 of these simply stunning, opalescent, transparent, glistening, luminous, color photographs on view at the Joseph Bellows Gallery.
A second part of this exhibition is “Model Home,” in which the artist has built small cubed clay houses and then photographed them against a black background.
Nguyen creates the water images with their slight ripples, small eddies and gentle flows by gently moving the dyed water just so, to produce the movement. The vessel is filled with water that has been dyed with a liquid watercolor concentrate that produces the stunning colors of rich gold, amethyst, turquoise, sea blue, bronze, violet, emerald green, midnight blue, lime and olive green, and topaz. The simplicity of the photograph piques the curiosity of the viewer by forcing his mind further into the depth, undulations and vibrations which again reminds us of the mysteries of water.
Water is an elusive force, rich with movement, flow and sound. As one views these marvels of color, there is also the unseen reminder churning around in the mind about the sea, lakes, ponds, creeks, rivers and back-yard swimming pools; all water elements previously encountered in our lives. By viewing these jewel-tone photos in their simple elegance, it encourages us to reminisce on a life’s experience of the past in which a body of water played an important part.
From jewel colors we are transported into the realm of purity, black and white, by Nguyen, who validates his artistic and photographic skills by channeling from smooth, calming waters into the limited hard-edges of small white clay buildings photographed against a pure black base and background.
The small marshmallow, humanoid-looking buildings are only two or three inches tall. Some have openings of an open door and two small squares cut out for windows, which indeed mock the viewer as he looks into the intimacy of the photographs.
Two of the tiny buildings have a flat roof, reminding us of an adobe building, which is of course pervasive in the area of San Diego. In other photos, two or three buildings are conjoined together to look like an urban space, with one building towering three stories above the other two.
Another building is a single tall, narrow one, yet with only the lower openings cut out. The artist professes to be an architect by creating these imaginative, primitive and simplistic forms defining domesticity and sense of place.
It is really because of the simplicity that further introspection defines an extremely sophisticated art form. It is also the measure of this talented and versatile artist/photographer with the spiritual self-assurance that begets an even higher plane of metaphysics.
Han Nguyen was born in Viet Nam, and attended Van Hanh University in Viet Nam, with a major in journalism. He completed his education at San Diego City College majoring in photography. Nguyen’s photographs have been shown in a dozen one-man shows since 1987 and in group exhibitions all over the United States since 1980. His photographs are in permanent collections at several galleries and museums, including the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego.
“Flow” and “Model Home” run through June 3. The Joseph Bellows Gallery, 7661 Girard Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For information call (858) 456-5620 or visit www.josephbellows.com.
