on getting gallery representation at seventy-seven, living a monastic life, and sleeping four hours a night
meet huong dodinh
meet huong dodinh
Huong Dodinh talks fast, a habit that seems surprising for an artist (she prefers “painter”) whose paintings are contemplative examinations of form and light. But once you get to know her, it makes sense — her mind is always working. She never rests, sleeping less than five hours a night, and lives a life completely dedicated to her art. You’re unlikely to spot her on the street, as she’s nearly always at her home studio, working on her next painting. We visited Huong there to chat about seeing snow for the first time, living a monastic life, and painting as meditation.
“When I was 14, I had meningitis and my lungs and kidneys were affected. And as a result, when I was 17, I went into a coma. I stayed at the university hospital for months. And I was very lucky because I had doctors who were humane and very competent. When I woke up, it was a second birth for me. I realized then that light was very precious and important for my art. I readjusted to life because I realized that each moment was fundamental.”
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