{"id":411193,"date":"2026-04-22T04:52:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/411193\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T04:52:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:52:20","slug":"nathalie-nguyen-on-her-debut-exhibition-at-whaam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/411193\/","title":{"rendered":"Nathalie Nguyen on Her Debut Exhibition at WHAAM!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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All photos courtesy of Nathalie Nguyen.<\/p>\n

Nathalie Nguyen<\/a> spent her teen years lurking on LiveJournal blogs and selling digital drawings of furries on the internet, and her debut solo exhibition doesn\u2019t stray far from her roots. Over at Whaam!<\/a>, a 7-piece oil painting series feels just like stepping into a moody child\u2019s fantasy from the 90s. Hyperrealist dolls, Polly Pocket shoes, and puppets are the stars of the show, complimented by the gallery\u2019s playful blue-and-red checkered floors. Nguyen\u2019s fascinations with toys, nostalgia and the internet have established her niche in the art world, where she\u2019s known for designing freaky sneakers and streetwear as the co-founder of Happy99<\/a>, and for landing collaborations with Marc Jacobs<\/a> and Reebok. Just before the show\u2019s opening last Friday, we sent Nguyen a questionnaire to ask her about hustling online, collecting, and the importance of being bored.<\/p>\n

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Where did your fascination with dolls come from?<\/p>\n

I think all people are secretly fascinated by dolls. There\u2019s something really special about looking at a physical form that mirrors the way we look and move but through a fantasy lens. I think I first got into dolls when I was a sophomore in high school. I found some blogs on LiveJournal and then forums like Den of Angels. I also attended anime conventions where doll hobbyists would show their work, but all of this was pretty unattainable to me as a young immigrant. My fascination with dolls is how they\u2019re like an aspiration, an almost impossibly perfect form to project into, but it\u2019s also like owning a kitten or a baby. There\u2019s something very universally motherly about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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How has digital culture shaped the way you make art?<\/p>\n

Digital culture has had a huge impact on my image making process from a young age. I begged for a Wacom tablet when I was only 12 years old because my cousin Diana had one and she was already making cool digital art on her DeviantArt. Photoshop back then (I think it was version 7.0 because this was 2004) was really rough to use but I loved using gradients to make really bad anime art. Nowadays I\u2019m known more for my 3D work, dioramas, and design work for Happy99 but I still incorporate everything I\u2019ve learned into my work flow. Oftentimes when I\u2019m painting, I\u2019ll create a 3D model of what I\u2019m painting and light it properly just to get it right.<\/p>\n

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What online communities were you part of growing up?<\/p>\n

I was most active on GaiaOnline and I lurked \/cgl\/ and LiveJournal blogs. GaiaOnline had an online artist marketplace where people could commission artwork from others using Paypal. This is where I learned my first hustle: selling personal commissioned digital paintings to the Furcadians [a digital community] on GaiaOnline. Imagine being in middle school in 2005 and making $45 off a digital drawing of a pregnant male fox furry. My mom was pissed but she did respect my hustle.<\/p>\n

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What sneakers are you wearing right now?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nike Shox NZ boots in beige\/sand! They\u2019re a model that I think released only for women, but they\u2019ve been my go-to sneakers for years.<\/p>\n

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Do you collect anything?<\/p>\n

I collect anime figures and garage kits but I\u2019ve recently taken a short break to organize and catch up on building them, Garage kits are resin casted pieces that are usually fan-made by super talented sculptors to be assembled and painted by the collector. These figures usually are the only way you can own a certain model\/pose\/sculpt of a character (existing or fan-made) and I love the DIY aspect of it. It\u2019s not enough to just buy it, you also need the resources and skills and dedication to build it!\u00a0I also collect the Junya Watanabe x Puma runway collection pieces from 2013. I have a personal soft spot for that collection.<\/p>\n

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\"Nathalie<\/p>\n

What was your favorite toy growing up?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh this is tough. I would say the 1995 Bandai Sailor Moon dolls, I completely destroyed those and it\u2019s funny now because they\u2019re worth so much money now. My mom and aunts bought me Barbies, but I also loved Polly Pocket. I had the Mickey & Minnie Mouse Playcase version.<\/p>\n

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Where do you go when you\u2019ve run out of inspiration?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a firm believer that inspiration only comes after you\u2019ve worn yourself down to the bone with boredom. I always say, get a part time job as a bartender\/barista. Perform a mundane task like cleaning your entire kitchen for 3 days without stopping until you are done. Turn off your phone and stare at your wall for a set amount of time. The obligation to perform a menial and tiring monotonous task will make your brain do backflips. You need to be bored.<\/p>\n

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\"Nathalie<\/p>\n

How do you know when a work is done?<\/p>\n

A work is never done, only abandoned\u2026 said someone far smarter than myself long ago and possibly in French.<\/p>\n

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\"Nathalie<\/p>\n

What was your last dream?<\/p>\n

I am fortunately and unfortunately one of those people who do not dream or do not remember their dreams. I\u2019m an elite sleeper in the sense that I can basically turn my brain off and go to sleep in almost any condition. I can\u2019t share my last dream with you because I don\u2019t remember but I will say if there was a sleeping challenge where they set up an obstacle course for sleeping, I would win.<\/p>\n

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