BIO & CV

Michael Nguyen “MWIN” (b. 1988) is an emerging contemporary pop artist from the Bay Area, San Francisco. As a self-taught Vietnamese American artist, MWIN has rooted his work in his cultural identity with layers of urban and artistic influences that incorporate the realities of his everyday life living with a rare congenital heart defect called ‘Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with Pulmonary Atresia’. Growing up in the multicultural suburbs of the Bay Area, MWIN’s view of the world has been guided by optimism in spite of him overcoming adversity, as he commonly expressed in his art as the person he is today to become the person he will be tomorrow.

In his paintings, MWIN explores themes of the Vietnamese diaspora, Asian American assimilation, and memories of cultural themes through Vietnamese food. He has extensively experimented with mediums such as acrylic paints, spray paints, pencils, and ink to express his creative vision for portraitures, pop art, and abstraction. Through the use of vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes, he conveys the complexities and nuances of the human condition that MWIN has personally experienced and is aware others share. Ultimately, MWIN’s goal as an artist is to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding cultural identity and hopes to create a space that represents Vietnamese Americans in the art world.

In addition to his artistic disciplines with the fine arts, MWIN is passionate about his art in streetwear fashion. With the support of his friends from Dandyland, a vintage clothing shop (y. 2018), MWIN learned he could transfer his skills onto clothes. It was on May 8, 2018, that MWIN began to make and sell his paintings on garments at Dandyland. Ever since then, streetwear has been a part of his journey in making art for the world to see.

As of 2024, MWIN had a successful year showcasing their work at exhibitions in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Seattle, and Seoul, Korea. Additionally, MWIN received the incredible opportunity to create two commissioned artworks for the Santa Clara Valley Hospital Public Art Collection and the Washington Health Fremont Hospital Public Art Collection.

Currently, MWIN is continuing the development of his work in more advanced themes for wearable art and will be continuing the sale of his MWIN streetwear, Paintings, and Prints for galleries, art collectors, and fans alike to have as their own. He believes the years to come are filled with new journeys that will connect him deeper into the fine arts. With this momentum, MWIN's goal is to keep growing his experiences and artistic relationships with both local and distant art networks for art lovers and businesses around the world.

 

Solo Exhibitions: TBA

Group Exhibitions:

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Group Exhibition

 

El Velorio 12th Anniversary Group Exhibition

  • Event coordinator/ Curator  Antonio Pelayo(Fine art/Walt Disney inker) https://www.instagram.com/antoniopelayo/
  • Art Exhibit Theme: Tribute to the Mexican Legend Vicente Fernandez
  • Exhibited at Plaza De la Raza on October 15, 2022.
  • 3540 N Mission Rd, Los Angeles, California

 

Hidden Heritages Group Exhibition

  • San José’s Vietnamese Legacy San José Museum of Art and Chopsticks Alley Gallery
  • https://sjmusart.org/exhibition/hidden-heritages
  • San Jose Museum of Art curator Robin Treen
  • (San José Museum of Art),110 S Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
  • Chopsticks Alley Gallery curator Trami Cron https://www.instagram.com/chopsticksalley/
  • (Chopsticks Alley Gallery)38 S Second St, San Jose, CA 95113
  • San Jose City Hall Opening Reception (200 East Santa Clara Street, San José, CA 95113)
  • May 16, 2023- Dec. 01, 2023

 

Laguna Art Gallery Group exhibition show ( AIR) Month of June 2023"

 

Abstract Only! 12th Annual National Juried Group Exhibition

  • Aug 5 Opening reception - Aug 25, 2023
  • www.wailoacenter.com
  • WAILOA CENTER 200 Piopio St.Hilo, Hawaii 96720 
  • Picked from the Hawaii Island Art Alliance Board of Directors 
  • Juror: Lonny Tomono
  • Donated and auctioned at the 17th annual recognition dinner at Ku’ikahi Mediation Center together with the Hawaii County Bar Association.
  • Ku’ikahi Mediation Center: 101, 2 Aupuni St Suite PH 1014 B, Hilo, HI 96720
  • The last to board was auctioned and is now in the collection of a private collector.

 

Ink and Canvas: Myths and Legends Group Exhibition

 

2024 Have You Eaten: An AAPI Group exhibition 

 

The Art of Hip-Hop

 

Enter The Dragon: 1st-anniversary gallery exhibition 

 

Asian-American and Pacific Islander Art Exhibition

 

Hungry, Thirsty 

 

Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Group Exhibition

 

Visionary Vortex Piuda Artspace Group Exhibition

 

What’s Cooking? Group Exhibition 

 

La Bulla 9th anniversary Lucha Libre Music & Art Festival 

  • Event coordinator/ Curator  Antonio Pelayo(Fine art/Walt Disney inker) https://www.instagram.com/antoniopelayo/
  • Art Exhibit Theme: Childhood wrestlers 
  • Exhibited at Plaza De la Raza on August 3rd, 2024.
  • 3540 N Mission Rd, Los Angeles, California

 

The Holy Art Exhibition ART ON LOOP - SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Digital Exhibition Show

 

Grants:

Artist COVID Safety Net Fund Grant

Intersection for the Arts Grant

  • Aug 13, 2020, Safety Net Fund 1160 Mission St Unit 1006 San Francisco, CA 94103-1577

East Bay Relief Fund 2022

  • https://www.instagram.com/cci_arts/Covid art grant East Bay Relief Fund for Individuals in the Arts 2022 grant program.
  • Center for Cultural Innovation
  • Address: 1448 Market St, San Francisco, CA 9410 Phone: (415) 288-0530

 

Professional Experience:

INSTORE ARTIST:

  • Dandyland Vintage Shop, Located at Niles Fremont, California - May 8, 2018 - Dec 24, 2019.
  • Tee Party LA is Located at 7607 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles - Feb 27, 2020 - Feb 1, 2021.

Union City Utility Box Mural Program

  • Union City Community & Recreation Services
  • Union City Utility Box Mural Located at ALVARADO-NILES ROAD & UNION LANDING BLVD

Santa Clara Valley Hospital Public Art Collection ( Artwork located at the nurse lobby)

  • Santa Clara Valley Health Center 751 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128

 

Washigton Health Fremont Hospital Public Art Collection (Artwork display at Board of Directors room)

  • Washington Health, 2000 Mowry Ave, Fremont, CA 94538

 

Education:

Self-taught artist

Influences

  • Ai Wei Wei, Damien Hirst, Kaws, Banksy, Style Wars (First Generation Graffiti artists), TDK, David Choe, Estevan Oriol, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Shepard Fairey, and Takashi Murakami.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art 

  • August 11, 2020- Certificate (Art as a Global Business: The Value of Art