Artist Interview with KV Duong

ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your artwork?‍

I am an ethnically Chinese artist with a transnational background—born in Vietnam, raised in Canada, and now living as a queer person in Britain. My work examines the complexities of Vietnamese queer identity, migration, and cultural assimilation through personal and familial history. During my MA studies at the Royal College this past year, I created works using latex, highlighting its historical connection to French colonial rubber plantations in Vietnam, while also embracing its sensuality and symbolic association with the queer experience. The recurring theme of a door or portal represents both opportunities and the constraints imposed by societal norms, particularly those linked to colonialism and LGBTQ+ history.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: How has your background shaped your artistic practice?‍

Many people are unaware of my background as a structural engineer. Structural engineers are trained to analyze the properties of materials and use them effectively in constructing a city’s infrastructure. In my artistic practice, a fascination with materials—especially the exploration of unconventional ones—is at the core of what I do. In the past, I have worked with carbon fiber, concrete, cardboard, and more. Experimentation and trial and error are essential to keeping my practice fresh and engaging. I am drawn to raw industrial aesthetics, both in my work and in the work of others. The methodical, process-driven approach of engineering significantly influences my art practice.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: How has your creative process changed over the years?‍

My approach to making has remained consistent: to continually challenge myself both technically and conceptually. As I gain more experience and exposure, the selection of materials and execution become increasingly intricate, necessitating more planning, research, and collaboration with my peers and technicians.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  How has your artwork evolved since you first started making art?‍

The core themes of my work have remained consistent, focusing on the exploration of Vietnamese queer identity. As I collaborate more with others, my work and voice have become more universal, moving beyond my individual experience. For instance, in 2023, I served as co-curator and lead artist for No Place Like Home at the Museum of the Home, an exhibition showcasing eight UK-based artists from the Vietnamese diaspora who created works centered around the concept of home. As new opportunities arise, my work increasingly becomes site-specific, allowing for greater experimentation with installations.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  What inspired you to become an artist?‍

It's the only profession where I can continually challenge myself while still enjoying the creative freedom and expression. I love making art; it brings me immense satisfaction and joy.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any particular artists or movements that have greatly influenced your work? In what way?

This list of influences is continually growing and varies depending on the specific body of work I’m focusing on at any given time. Currently, while working with latex, my primary influences are Eva Hesse and Heidi Bucher as they are the pioneers of this material. Anselm Kiefer has consistently been among my top three influences for his extraordinary scale, aesthetic sensibility, and the generosity and articulation with which he discusses his work. I find great inspiration in the Fluxus, Gutai, and Viennese Action artists for their use of the body as both a tool and a metaphor in their creative processes. Tibor Hajas, in particular, inspired my first live body painting performance. Abstract expressionist artists, especially Pollock and De Kooning, have always been vital sources for aesthetic and formal composition. I also view writers as artists. Postcolonial and poststructuralist writers have been instrumental in shaping my thinking. These include Homi Bhabha, Salman Rushdie, and Michel Foucault, as well as contemporary writers like Ocean Vuong.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: How did you arrive at your style? What can you tell us about your individual style and visual language?

‍Instinctive, not precious—learning to work with the material instead of against it, embracing the uncertainty of abstraction, and adapting to changes.


ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What has been the most rewarding part of your career as a studio artist?‍

My experience during the RCA degree show at the end of June was overwhelming. I entered the exhibition with low expectations to avoid disappointment, but if I had any hopes or expectations, I would say that week, and the subsequent weeks of discussions, exceeded anything I imagined could be possible in such a short time. The exhibition programming for the autumn and into spring 2025 is looking very promising.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Please tell us about your latest body of work

I’m carrying forward the momentum from the RCA and further exploring these latex doors by using the body to paint in more intentional ways, pushing the visual language of latex through fabric and drapery, and incorporating more live performances as part of the making process. I'm making each door as an individual piece or diptych, but increasingly, I'm envisioning them as a series of 3-5 panels displayed along the wall.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects that you are excited about?

I have six exhibitions coming up in September, including my debut solo exhibition with Harlesden High Street, a gallery I've supported for the past few years and whose team is fantastic to work with. They will also feature my work in Minor Attractions this October, coinciding with Frieze London week. I’m also contributing a pair of portraits to an exhibition at the Migration Museum In November, I will participate in the Cass Art Prize exhibition and award ceremony, and I’ll be showing work at ART021 in Shanghai with Ames Yavuz.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What do you think is the most important aspect of creating successful artwork?‍

Staying authentic to oneself and continuously pushing creative boundaries is how I keep my work and narrative fresh for both myself and the audience. Being in a supportive creative environment is essential; I share a studio with four close friends and fellow artists. We intentionally work in close proximity to offer each other constructive feedback.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Describe your process of creating a new artwork from concept to completion.‍

There isn't a defined 'starting point' now, as the workflow is continuous. One work feeds into the next, and I often work on multiple pieces and ideas simultaneously. When a new idea emerges—usually sparked by a visual stimulus or a text that triggers a thought—I first explore it digitally to visualize how it might be presented, and then I develop it in real life.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What is your favourite medium to work with? Please tell us a bit about how the medium influences or supports the ideas behind your work

Given my use of various mixed media and body painting, water solubility is important for combining materials like acrylic, ink, charcoal, paper, and fabric. Currently, latex is my material of choice. I use it to unify my work both aesthetically and conceptually.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  Are there any techniques you have developed that you use consistently in your artwork?
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Using my body as a tool for mark-making has become my signature approach. Combined with the luminosity of latex, this technique has defined my distinctive voice. Each body is unique, and our movements are too. In every body painting session, I experiment with different strokes and movements to explore new possibilities in mark-making.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What has been the most memorable artwork you have created? What makes this piece memorable?

Untitled (Prophecy) is a diptych performed on the final day of our RCA degree show in June. It marked my return to public performance after a year-long break and also signified the conclusion of an intense but rewarding year at the RCA.

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‍ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What was the most challenging piece you have ever created? How much do you think the effort you put into creating a work is important vs the idea behind it?

I believe many of the most challenging pieces artists create are never seen because they are the failed experiments that enable us to produce the body of work the public does see. What is presented is just the tip of the iceberg; beneath the surface lies extensive research and countless failed attempts witnessed only by the artist and their close peers. When I began working with latex at the start of my MA, there were 5-6 months of experimentation and minor breakthroughs that led to the body of work the audience sees today. With every attempt to push the boundaries, there is always a period of effort and reassessment before something presentable is achieved.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Can you tell us a bit about a few specific pieces you have created that you are particularly proud of?

Untitled (Nation – Gold) and Untitled (Nation – Green) are the first full-scale doors I created, marking a significant breakthrough in scale and presentation that aligns with the rest of the series. Seeing these works as doors or portals helped unify the conceptual framework of this body of work.

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Family Portrait was the first piece where I cast a large sheet of latex flat and fully stretched it over the edges of the frame, allowing me to use it as a painting surface. While this approach seems logical now, it took many months to arrive at this solution. This breakthrough opened up the possibilities of what a painting could become on this unique surface.

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Untitled (Skin) was the first piece in which I incorporated my body painting performance onto a latex surface. It felt like a full-circle moment in the studio, bringing together the breadth of my practice and life experiences with this new medium. I’ve body painted on canvas, paper, and glass before, but latex offers a unique quality: it’s soft enough to capture subtle body pressure, translucent to let light filter through, and elastic enough to be stretched flat.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any projects or themes you would like to explore in the future?

Beyond the wooden stretcher bar doors, I’d like to explore metal door frames, procure actual old doors or bed frames, or weld them myself. I’m grateful to have recently received the Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP) grant from the Arts Council of England. This aid will help fund some metal workshops, which I’ll be starting this autumn. I have the ambition to create more sculpture installation-type works in the next year. My instinct is that the contrast between the soft, organic latex membrane and the hard, cold manufactured steel will be striking and subversive.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What do you think is the most important skill a studio artist should have?‍

Professionalism and routine are essential. Treat every aspect of your studio practice like a small business, including planning, executing your work, and managing correspondence and interactions with others.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What do you think has been the biggest challenge in your creative career?‍

Finding a balance between creating work that is both challenging and museum-worthy and producing commercially accessible pieces is crucial. Ideally, there will come a time when this distinction is no longer necessary.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What advice would you give to aspiring studio artists?‍

Show up to your studio with intention and consistency, and take calculated risks. Forge genuine, proactive connections with your peers, gallery assistants, and emerging writers—these are the individuals whose careers will grow alongside yours

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