Kenny Nguyen, a Vietnamese-born artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina, creates large-scale wall works using thousands of hand-cut strips of silk. Drawing on his background in fashion design, he employs techniques like pinning, weaving, sewing, and layering to produce what he calls “deconstructed paintings.” Each piece is built around an imaginary body, with creases and undulating forms that evoke movement. Though the works appear fixed, they are malleable—their shape changes depending on pin placement during installation. Nguyen’s work is currently on view in the group exhibition *Textile Art Redefined* at Saatchi Gallery in London.
This article matters because it highlights a contemporary artist who bridges traditional Vietnamese silk craftsmanship with modern, sculptural painting techniques. Nguyen’s practice challenges conventional boundaries between painting, sculpture, and textile art, while his use of silk as a “second skin” explores themes of identity, memory, and heritage. The exhibition at a major international venue like Saatchi Gallery signals growing institutional recognition for textile-based and fiber art within the contemporary art world.