Trong Nguyen, A Supplementary Biography

POST BY PADDY JOHNSON

Trong Nguyen, Image via: Poptower.

ART WORLD CRED

Artslant editor by day, and artist and curator by the rest of his waking hours Trong Nguyen is hardly an unknown to the New York art world. His work has been reviewed in the New York Times, The Village Voice, Paper, and more. As a disclaimer I should probably note that not only have I participated as a commentator in his mystery science theatre screening of art videos at The Elizabeth Foundation last year, but that in 2004 we worked together at a private gallery.

Trong Nguyen, Library, 2007

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

He’s got a lot of them, but the mystery science theatre screening wasn’t one. I personally enjoy his 2007 piece, Library, in which he wrote the entire text, first, or last chapters of various books on grains of rice.

CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

About six months prior to the founding of this blog in September 2005, Nguyen and I worked together for an unnamed gallery dealer who was clearly crazy. Never swayed by the insanity pushed his way, Nguyen managed to work this job for a couple years before quitting, whereas I was fired before six months were up, convinced I was completely incompetent. While we worked together, I witnessed Trong pull together assignments exceptionally quickly and effectively, while remaining relatively unaffected by the insanity of our boss. This, in conjunction with the fact that he’s one of the stronger and versatile artists chosen, leads me to believe he will do very well in this competition.

TYPECAST
The Robot

BONUS SHOW PREDICTION: We’re betting he makes it to the final five.