Truong Thanh

Drawing on his knowledge of structural engineering, Truong Thanh transforms invisible forces into a precise visual language. Through geometry, colour and constructed surfaces, his ongoing series INTERSECTION reveals the quiet systems that hold objects together and explores how similar principles of strength, endurance and stability shape human life.

When Truong Thanh looks at an object, he is less interested in its finished appearance than in the hidden system beneath its surface. He imagines how each part carries weight, responds to pressure and works with the others to keep the whole structure standing.

A building or object may appear still, but its structure is always active. It resists tension, compression, bending and movement while maintaining balance and stability. Most of this work remains invisible, concealed behind walls, surfaces and decorative finishes. For Truong Thanh, however, these unseen forces hold their own beauty.

This observation forms the foundation of INTERSECTION, his long-term artistic project combining structural engineering with contemporary painting. Rather than depicting buildings or turning engineering into a simple metaphor, the artist studies how structures behave under different conditions. He then transforms those behaviours into abstract visual compositions.

Geometry is central to this process. Lines, planes and shapes are used to record how a structural system changes when force is applied. Some forms appear balanced and controlled, while others stretch, tilt, compress or move towards collapse. Although the works are abstract, their arrangements are guided by the logic of engineering.

Each artwork begins with an approximate computer-assisted structural simulation. Truong Thanh creates a geometric system, defines its connections and applies different forces to it. He observes the structure in three stages: its original condition, its deformation under pressure and its final point of failure.

The simulation is only the beginning. Instead of copying the results, he studies and simplifies them, selecting the forms that carry both structural meaning and visual impact. These fragments are then reconstructed into new paintings that can exist independently from the technical information behind them.

Within many works, Truong Thanh introduces sectional cuts that he calls “technical windows”. These openings reveal parts of the structure that would normally remain hidden. They allow viewers to look beyond the outer surface and experience the internal relationships between different elements.

Colour is also used with purpose. It does not simply make the composition more decorative. Instead, it translates information about pressure, intensity, movement and structural conditions into visual form. Through colour, technical data becomes something immediate and emotional.

The INTERSECTION series combines acrylic paint on canvas with painted wooden components. The canvas provides the main visual field, while the wooden forms extend beyond the flat surface. This added depth creates a closer relationship between painting, object and architecture. Each work feels both carefully composed and physically constructed.

Truong Thanh’s interest in structure also extends beyond engineering. He sees stiffness as a form of resilience, durability as the ability to preserve memory and trust, and stability as a condition that supports families, communities and societies. These ideas are not illustrated directly, but they remain present within the balance, tension and connection of each composition.

Developed in contemporary Vietnam, INTERSECTION introduces a distinctive approach to geometric abstraction. It shows how engineering knowledge can become the foundation of artistic inquiry without losing its technical integrity.
Through his work, Truong Thanh asks viewers to look beyond appearances. His paintings reveal that every stable form depends on a complex network of forces, connections and relationships. By making these hidden systems visible, he finds beauty in the structures that quietly support existence.