At the opening of ‘Flat Lands,’ a solo show for Tomas Vu-Daniels at Galerie Quynh, attendees opened the door and were plunged straight into hell. The artworks lining the walls depicted satellite-like structures and machines floating on black backgrounds, evoking a bleak, technology-driven future. As you climbed the steps to the second level, the works lightened to grey and finally to a white-backgrounded “heaven.”

 

San Art’s Zoe Butt, who curated the show, said the allusion to the end of time seemed fitting for a body of work that delves into our notions of the future of the world. In ‘Flat Lands,’ which has been previously exhibited in Italy, China and at P.S.1 MOMA in New York, Vu-Daniels uses imagery that suggests epic struggles to come between man, machine and nature.

 

 

The title, ‘Flat Lands,’ is a cynical nod to our ideas of barren post-apocalyptic landscapes. The works, however, have an unexpected beauty and depth, generated by layers of wood, paper, paint and ink. Vu-Daniels is a master printmaker and works by layering crisply detailed images on top of one another. 

 

Because of this, the works reward close inspection. Leaning in to marvel at the intricacy of the images, you begin to notice traces of the organic: leaves and suggestions of vines, shots of a verdant light green. You start to wonder if strips of yellow tape (added while Vu-Daniels was hanging the show) are laser beams or beams of sunlight, whether the spheres linked by rods could be space stations or the biological building blocks of life. 

 

 

Vu-Daniels is comfortable with that ambiguity. “I do like the idea that I confuse the audience,” he said, with a smile, before answering a few more questions.

 

 

I was very inspired by one of my professors. He was very passionate, and I use that as a model. The amazing thing about Columbia students they have just a bunch of information. When I bring up an idea, they take it and run. They see it with a fresher vision. It’s inspiring.

 

 

I’m fascinated by anything with technology. I’m very interested in the idea of singularity, that by 2045, machines will take over and be smarter than humans. That is the nightmare vision of the future for lots of people. 

 

Also, graphic novels are a huge interest of mine. When I first moved to America [from Vietnam, where he was born], I didn’t speak much English, so I started reading comic books. 

 

 

Well, I do think that machines will take over in the future. But I do believe humanity will be found again. It sounds trite, but that’s all it takes: for us to find our humanity.