Tâm Văn Trần

Selected Works

Exhibitions

Biography

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Primordial Sounds of the Avatars." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 27" x 27" x 25" [HxWxD] (68.58 x 68.58 x 63.5 cm). Its medium is Glazed stoneware. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Primordial Sounds of the Avatars,” 2024
Glazed stoneware
27" x 27" x 25" [HxWxD] (68.58 x 68.58 x 63.5 cm)
Inventory #TRA370
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Brica Wilcox

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "The Betrayal." This artwork was created in 2022-2024 and measures 13" x 10" x 1 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (33.02 x 25.4 x 3.81 cm). Its medium is Glazed stoneware. — **Tam Van Tran**
“The Betrayal,” 2022-2024
Glazed stoneware
13" x 10" x 1 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (33.02 x 25.4 x 3.81 cm)
Inventory #TRA378
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Brica Wilcox

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Border Crossers, Enter the Mandala Here II." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 18" x 13" x 11" [HxWxD] (45.72 x 33.02 x 27.94 cm). Its medium is Ceramic sculpture. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Border Crossers, Enter the Mandala Here II,” 2024
Ceramic sculpture
18" x 13" x 11" [HxWxD] (45.72 x 33.02 x 27.94 cm)
Inventory #TRA400
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Songlines I." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 74" x 55 ³⁄₄" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (187.96 x 141.61 x 6.35 cm). Its medium is Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Songlines I,” 2024
Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel
74" x 55 ³⁄₄" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (187.96 x 141.61 x 6.35 cm)
Inventory #TRA395
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Songlines II." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 75" x 55 ³⁄₄" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (190.5 x 141.61 x 6.35 cm). Its medium is Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Songlines II,” 2024
Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel
75" x 55 ³⁄₄" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (190.5 x 141.61 x 6.35 cm)
Inventory #TRA394
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Songlines III." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 75" x 53 ¹⁄₂" x 2" [HxWxD] (190.5 x 135.89 x 5.08 cm); . Its medium is Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Songlines III,” 2024
Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel
75" x 53 ¹⁄₂" x 2" [HxWxD] (190.5 x 135.89 x 5.08 cm);
Inventory #TRA393
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Songlines IIII." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 74 ¹⁄₂" x 53 ¹⁄₂" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (189.23 x 135.89 x 6.35 cm); . Its medium is Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Songlines IIII,” 2024
Staples, clay, zipper, acrylic, pencil on paper and canvas on wood panel
74 ¹⁄₂" x 53 ¹⁄₂" x 2 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (189.23 x 135.89 x 6.35 cm);
Inventory #TRA392
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Transformer II." This artwork was created in 2023 and measures 18" x 5" x 3" [HxWxD] (45.72 x 12.7 x 7.62 cm). Its medium is Stoneware on glazed carved brick. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Transformer II,” 2023
Stoneware on glazed carved brick
18" x 5" x 3" [HxWxD] (45.72 x 12.7 x 7.62 cm)
Inventory #TRA368
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Mother Shadowing I." This artwork was created in 2022 and measures 27" x 26" x 1 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (68.58 x 66.04 x 3.81 cm). Its medium is Staples, unfired and fired terracotta, pencil on paper canvas and balsa. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Mother Shadowing I,” 2022
Staples, unfired and fired terracotta, pencil on paper canvas and balsa
27" x 26" x 1 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (68.58 x 66.04 x 3.81 cm)
Inventory #TRA360
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Wind Horse." This artwork was created in 2022 and measures 23" x 19" x 21" [HxWxD] (58.42 x 48.26 x 53.34 cm). Its medium is Glazed stoneware. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Wind Horse,” 2022
Glazed stoneware
23" x 19" x 21" [HxWxD] (58.42 x 48.26 x 53.34 cm)
Inventory #TRA359
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

Tam Van Tran “Melting,” 2019 — **Tam Van Tran**
“Melting,” 2019
Glazed ceramic
Inventory #TRA355
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Tam Van Tran titled "Divinations Jar ll." This artwork was created in 2019 and measures 23" x 19" x 20" [HxWxD] (58.42 x 48.26 x 50.8 cm). Its medium is High fire Ceramic. — **Tam Van Tran**
“Divinations Jar ll,” 2019
High fire Ceramic
23" x 19" x 20" [HxWxD] (58.42 x 48.26 x 50.8 cm)
Inventory #TRA356
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

Tam Van Tran "The Radiance of Awareness I," 2012 — **Tam Van Tran**
"The Radiance of Awareness I," 2012
Acrylic, Color Pencil, Spirulina and staples on paper and canvas.
86"x 104" X 23"

Tam Van Tran "Simple Folk Song," 2012 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Simple Folk Song," 2012
High fire glaze and glass on ceramic
48" x 36 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Tam Van Tran "Bodhisattva V," 2012 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Bodhisattva V," 2012
Low fire glazed ceramic
16" x 17 1/2" x 6"

Tam Van Tran "Slogan Vase III," 2012 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Slogan Vase III," 2012
Low fire glazed ceramic
21" x 15" x 14"

Tam Van Tran "Ghosts IV," 2012 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Ghosts IV," 2012
High fire glaze and glass on ceramic

Tam Van Tran "Refugees with Guiding Spirit," 2017 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Refugees with Guiding Spirit," 2017
Glazed ceramic
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

Tam Van Tran "Untitled," 2008 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Untitled," 2008
Staples, acrylic, spirulina on canvas on paper
53" x 45" x 22.5"

Tam Van Tran "Beetle Manifesto III (path of no more learning)," 2002 — **Tam Van Tran**
"Beetle Manifesto III (path of no more learning)," 2002
Chlorophyll, spirulina, silica, pigments, paper, strips, aluminum foil, staples on paper
47" x 50"

Tâm Văn Trần: Primordial Sounds of the Avatar

June 1 — July 6, 2024

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Gallery II

20 Years Anniversary Exhibition

July 18 — August 29, 2020

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Gallery I

Tam Van Tran: Exodus

April 11 — May 23, 2015

Vielmetter Los Angeles

Tam Van Tran: Pattern: Follow The Rules

March 22 — June 22, 2013

Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University

Tam Van Tran: Adornment of Basic Space

February 18 — March 30, 2012

Vielmetter Los Angeles

Summer Group Show

August 7 — 30, 2010

Vielmetter Los Angeles

Inaugural Group Exhibition

January 23 — March 6, 2010

Vielmetter Los Angeles

Tam Van Tran

December 20, 2008 — February 14, 2009

Vielmetter Los Angeles

Tam Van Tran: Beetle Manifesto

November 23 — December 28, 2002

Vielmetter Los Angeles

: Born in Kontum, Vietnam
: Lives and works in Los Angeles

1996: Graduate Film and Television Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
1990: BFA Painting, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Selected Solo and Two Person Exhibitions

2024: "Primordial Sounds of the Avatar," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2017: "Black Melong," Ameringer, McEnery, Yohe, New York, NY
2015: "EXODUS," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Culver City, CA
: "Aikido Dream," MCA Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
: "Breathing," Art Gallery, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA
2014: "Survival Skills," Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA
2013: "Leaves of Ore," Ameringer, McEnery, Yohe, New York, NY
2012: "Adornment of Basic Space," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Culver City, CA
2010: "Mind Is A Pure Expanse of Space," Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2008: "Tam van Tran," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Culver City, CA
: "Luminosity," Cohan and Leslie, New York, NY
2006: "Tam Van Tran: Psychonaut, Blaffer Gallery, The Art Museum of the University of Houston, Houston, TX
: "Purple System," Anthony Mier Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2005: "SubUrban: Tam Van Tran," Knoxville Museum, Knoxville, TN
2004: "Tam Van Tran: Lord of Hot Butter," Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2003: "Vegetarian Summer", Cohan, Leslie and Browne, New York, NY
2002: "Beetle Manifesto", Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles, CA
: "Lovers of Air," Leslie, Cohan and Browne, New York, NY
2001: "Lo-Tech Frequency," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2000: "Paintings," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles, CA
: "Cold Frost," Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022: "The Hand that Forms a Mirror," MORÁN MORÁN, Los Angeles, CA
: "Plants Now!," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2020: "20 Years," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2018: “Carbon,” FOCA, Los Angeles, CA (Link)
2017: “Drawing: The Beginning of Everything,” Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
: “Man Alive,” Maruani Mercier, Brussels, Belgium
2015: "Paperworks," Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2013: "New works of painting, photography, sculpture and video" The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, Miami, FL
: "High Low," Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA
: "Pattern: Follow the Rules," Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Lansing, MI; traveling to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Denver, CO
2012: "Tam Van Tran and DeWey Ambrosino," San Art, Vietnam
: "Facing West/Looking East," Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA
2011: "Paul Clay," Salon 94, New York, NY
: "east EX east," Brand New Gallery, Milan, Italy
2010: "Ascending Dragon: Contemporary Vietnamese Artists Exhibition," Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
: "Fresh from Chelsea," University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
: "Inaugural Group Exhibition," Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Culver City, CA
: "Keramik," Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles, CA
2009: "Topographies," Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
2008: "California Dreaming," Seiler + Mosseri-Marlio, Zurich, Switzerland
: "Fata Morgana," Galerie Schmidt Maczollek, Cologne, France
2007: "Large Scale Drawings," MFA Houston, Houston, TX
: "Nineteen Going on Twenty: Recent Acquisitions from the Collection of The Contemporary Museum," The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI
2006: "Supervision," Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Boston, MA
2005: "Around About Abstraction," Weatherspoon Art Museum, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC
2004: "The Whitney Biennial," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
: "Topographies," San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA; Traveling to: The Pasadena Museum of California Art, Pasadena, CA (2004)
: "Art on Paper," Weatherspoon Art Museum, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC
2003: "International Paper," UCLA Hammer Museum, Santa Monica, CA
2002: ArtForum Berlin, Project Space, with Susanne Vielmetter Berlin Projects, Berlin, Germany
: "Friends and Family," Lombard Freid, New York, NY
: "Heike Kati Barath, Jeff Elrod, Sarah Rapson, Tam Van Tran, Cornelius Voelker, Clare Woods," Cohan, Leslie, and Browne, New York, NY
2001: "Fractals," Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA
: "New Work: LA Painting," Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco, CA
: "Song Poems," Leslie, Cohan and Browne, New York, NY
2000: "Radar Love," Gallery Marabini, Bologna, Italy
: "Car Pooling from LA," Asian American Art Center, New York, NY
: "Luminous," Ikon Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA
: "Pierogi 2000: The Flatfiles," Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
: Block Art Space, Kansas City Post, Los Angeles, CA
1999: "Other Paintings," Huntington Beach Art Center, Huntington Beach, CA
1990: "Kassel Documenta Archiv," Ludwig Museum, Cologne, France
: "Stuttgart Staatsgalerie," Grafische Sammlung, Germany

Bibliography

2022: Van Tran, Tam. "Abstraction," The Brooklyn Rail, July (Link)
2020: Gillespie, Benjamin. "Oral history interview with Tam Van Tran," Archives of American Art, August 8
2017: Shang, Danielle, “Collectors of Color on the Importance of Supporting Under-Recognized Artists,” Hyperallergic (web), November 28 (Link)
2016: Brown, Betty Ann, “Paperworks,” ArtScene, January
: Donelan, Charles, “Tam Van Tran at MCASB: ‘Aikido Dream’ Emphasizes Intuition, Process,” Santa Barbara Independent (web), January 21
2015: Pereira, Lorenzo, "Tam Van Tran at Susanne Vielmetter Gallery," Widewalls, April 14 (Link)
: Wood, Eve, "Pick of the Week: Tam Van Tran," Artillery, April 16 (Link)
: Zellen, Jody, Tam Van Tran, ArtScene, May
: Osborne-Bartucca, Kristen, Tam Van Tran at Susanne Vielmetter Projects, ArteFuse Magazine, May 21
: McCabe Heibel, Amy, Artists Respond: Tam Van Tran on Ed Moses, UnFramed (web), July 27 (Link)
2014: Baker, Kenneth, Tam Van Tran at Anthony Meier, SF Gate, November 21 (Link)
2013: Gass, Alison, Pattern: Follow the Rules, Eli and Edythe Broad Museum at Michigan State University, March
: Kee, Joan, Abstraction: Here, Now, More, Harpers Bazaar, Hong Kong Edition, May, pp. 44-45
2012: Pagel, David, Tam Van Tran at Susan Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles Times, March 15
: Wood, Eve, Tam Van Tran at Susan Vielmetter, Whitehot Magazine, March
: Tuck, Geoff, Tam Van Tran at Susan Vielmetter, Notes On Looking, March 21
2009: Pagel, David, Glimpses of the future or past?, Los Angeles Times, January 16
: San Jose Museum of Art Unveils New Works by Tam Van Tran, Artdaily.org, October
2008: Haithman, Diane, CFF art foundation announced: Fifteen LA County artists receive grants to continue pursuits in various creative fields, Los Angeles Times, May 30
2007: Holographic Ensemble, Art On Paper, Vol. 11, No. 4, March/April
2006: Sultan, Terrie, Tam Van Tran: Psychonaut, exhibition catalogue, Blaffer Gallery, The Art Museum of the University of Houston, Houston, TX
: Hudson, Suzanne. Tam Van Tran. Artforum, January
: Cotter, Holland, Ambitious Theme in New Home for Modern Art, New York Times, December 8
: Ouroussoff, Nicolai, Expansive Vistas Both Inside And Out, New York Times, December 8
: Shanahan, Mark, New Institute of Contemporary Art makes a `very, very cool` impression, The Boston Globe, December 3
2005: Self, Dana, "SubUrban: Tam Van Tran, exhibition essay, Knoxville Museum of Art (catalog).
2004: Whitney Biennial Catalog Essay, Pg.248
: DeCarlo, Tessa, "It's a Jungle in There" - Working Habits, ARTnews, pg. 126,
: Martin, Philip, "Tam Van Tran - Beetle Manifesto - Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects," Ten By Ten Magazine, pg. 56, 57, Volume 2, Number 3, February issue
2003: Smith, Roberta, The New York Times, October 10
: Hiro, Rika, Bijutsu Techo Magazine, pg. 164, July
: Martin, Philip, "international paper", Tema Celeste 97, May issue
: Frank, Peter, "The Paper Chase", art on paper, April issue, pg 36-39
: Koppman, Debra, "International Paper", Artweek, February
: Helfand, Glen, "Cries and Whispers", Bay Area Reporter, February 20
: Laird, Tessa, "Tam Van Tran / Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects", ART ON PAPER, March issue
: Worman, Alex, "L.A. Confidential", artnet, February
: Knight, Christopher, "Drawing, not toeing, the line", LOS ANGELES TIMES, February 7
: "International Paper - Drawings by Emerging Artists", UCLA Hammer Museum, exhibition catalog, Los Angeles, CA, 2003
2002: Wood, Eve, Static Breathing, Artnet, December
: Knight, Christopher, "Piecing Together a Green Manifesto", LOS ANGELES TIMES, December 6
: Muchnic, Suzanne, "With all its hang-ups, the L.A. gallery scene thrives, LOS ANGELES TIMES, Sunday Calendar, November 24
: ArtScene, December Preview, November 25
: TRACE Magazine, issue #36, page 66
: Duncan, Michael, "Tam Van Tran at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects", ART IN AMERICA, January issue
2001: Williams, Alena, "Tam Van Tran - Susanne Vielmetter LA Projects", TEMA CELESTE, May-June issue, pg. 88
: Hackman, Kate, KANSAS CITY STAR, February
: Pagel, David, LOS ANGELES TIMES, February 16
2000: Pasquini, Stefano, NYARTS, December
: Schoenkopf, Rebecca, OC WEEKLY, November 3 - 9
: Pagel, David, LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 28, 2000
: Frank, Peter, LA WEEKLY Pick of the Week, July 21 - 27
: Harvey, Doug, "Tam Van Tran / Vielmetter LA Projects", ART ISSUES, summer 2000 issue
: Pagel, David, "Tam Van Tran / Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects", LOS ANGELES TIMES, Friday, March 10
: Duncan, Michael, ARTNET, April
: Rosenberg, Jeremy, LA TIMES CALENDAR LIVE ARTPICK, March ARTSCENE, Vol. 19 No.8, April

Awards, Grants and Fellowships

2008: California Community Foundation Fellowship
: Art Matters, Spring, Grantee
2001: Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant for Painting
: Pollock Krasner Fellowship
1993: Ucross Artists Residency, Ucross, WI
1991: Creative Fellowship in the Visual Arts, Colorado Council on the Arts and Humanities

Public Collections

: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
: The Broad, Los Angeles, CA
: California State University Art Gallery, Long Beach, CA
: Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
: The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI
: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC
: Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA
: Museum of Contempoary Art Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
: Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
: The Neuberger Museum, Purchase, NY
: New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM
: San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY