Sarah Nguyen uses a balance of abstract and representational forms to sever the connection between shape and meaning, connecting the viewer instead to the cut of the knife, so that s/he becomes complicit in the art. Folklore, reverence, refinement of nature, and observance of daily life are the concepts behind her work.

Using folklore as the source of artistic inspiration, Nguyen attempts to temporarily return the viewer to a state of childhood: dwelling in the senses, immersed in the images of stories, experiencing the primacy of the physical. Whether the viewer seeks mental liberation or sensory indulgence is a matter of significance for them. She is less interested in directing their conclusions as she is in revealing them. The desired effect of this body of work upon the viewer is self-investigation.

Nguyen is a multimedia artist. Her work has appeared in solo and group exhibits and publications nationally and internationally. She received her BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA in painting from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She currently lives in Columbia, Missouri with her husband, the writer Phong Nguyen, and their three sons.