BIOGRAPHY
Jerry Truong is a multidisciplinary artist working in drawing, photography, and installation. His work centers on the enduring effects of his family’s migration from Vietnam to the United States. Through his art, he explores the residuals of trauma and the intricate interplay between memory and the exercise of power.
Truong earned BAs in Studio Art and Psychology from the University of California, Irvine, in 2006. Later he pursued an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, graduating in 2011. During his time at UC San Diego, he received recognition for his artistic contributions, notably receiving the San Diego Fellowship and Russell Foundation Grant.
From 2012 to 2014, Truong was a fellow at Hamiltonian Artists, presenting his work in a two-person exhibition at Hamiltonian Gallery in 2013. Since then, he has had solo exhibitions at the Arlington Art Center (VA), Dittmar Memorial Gallery at Northwestern University (IL), Lycoming College Art Gallery (PA), and the Hodson Gallery at Hood College (MD).
Truong’s art has also been featured in group exhibitions at distinguished venues such as the Kreeger Museum (DC), CUE Art Foundation (NY), the Decker Gallery at MICA (MD), Flashpoint Gallery (DC), American University Museum (DC), BlackRock Center for the Arts (MD), and the VAALA Cultural Center (CA). In 2021, he was invited to participate in the Arts in Foggy Bottom Outdoor Sculpture Biennial in Washington, DC.
Apart from his artistic pursuits, Truong has been actively involved in his local arts community. He was previously a member of the Sparkplug Collective at the DC Arts Center from 2014 to 2016 and currently serves as the Program Manager there. Additionally, he shares his expertise by teaching photography and digital media/tools at various institutions in Maryland.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Raised in a small Northern Californian town, I was initially drawn to the allure of the suburban American dream, unaware of the complex social and political forces shaping our lives. As I matured, however, I came to fully grasp the tremendous sacrifices my parents endured to secure a life in this country - a harrowing escape from war-torn Vietnam on a perilous boat in 1979, marked by tales of pirates, starvation, and the tragic loss of loved ones.
As an artist and a thinker, I consider it my duty to bring attention to the inequalities and injustices woven into our society. To accomplish this, I operate covertly, ensuring that my critique remains impactful without being stifled by the very systems it addresses, systems we paradoxically rely upon. Through my artwork, I seek to startle viewers with unexpected scenarios: unassuming displays of striped paintings and mannequins concealing underlying violence, combining incense ash with charcoal as a tribute to those who have suffered as my parents did and who continue to face marginalization, or presenting an awe-inspiring sunset on a boat-like structure that ultimately reveals itself as a symbol of loss and mourning.
Using metamorphosis, deception, and multiplicity as my artistic tools, I aim to compel the viewer to peel back the formal facade and contemplate profound questions about identity, memory, and history. Through my work, I offer the potential for a deeper understanding of the self and our roles within civil society. I firmly believe that being a catalyst for change is the ultimate achievement, breaking people free from the monotony of passive acceptance and sparking a transformative journey.