Nguyễn Thế Sơn

b. 1971, Bac Ninh, Vietnam
Lives and works in Hanoi, Vietnam

Nguyễn Thế Sơn is a visual artist, photographer, curator, and lecturer at the Vietnam Fine Arts University. Nguyễn graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from Hanoi University of Fine Arts, and a diploma from the University of Languages and International Studies, Hanoi. He then received his MA in Fine Arts Photography and Experimental Arts from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing (CAFA).

His works are often influenced by sociological research; he questions and reflects on collective memories as well as the fragmented and vanished values – the results of ideological conflicts during Vietnam’s dynamic change. In attempting to connect contemporary art with public spaces, he introduces projects such as ‘Public art on Phung Hung street’, ‘Art space in the basement of National Assembly Building of Vietnam’, and ‘Phuc Tan public art project’.

Nguyễn has participated in more than twenty solo shows and group exhibitions in Vietnam and across the world in countries such as the USA, England, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea. His notable exhibitions include; the Bandung Photography Triennale, Bandung (2022); Expo 2022 Dubai, Dubai (2022); ‘Saigon in a wink’, Wink Hotel, Ho Chi Minh (2021); ‘City and memory’, Seoul Biennale, Seoul (2019); and ‘Journey to the will mild land’, Academy Minerva, Groningen (2019). His artworks have been collected at several museums such as the Worcester Art Museum, RMIT University, and CAFA Art Museum. Nguyễn’s work was also nominated for the Sovereign Art Prize (2023).

Biography information from Mo Art Space and The Sovereign Art Foundation, May 2023