Winnie Truong’s drawing practice is centered around her interest in exploring the status of coloured pencil as a nostalgic and seemingly juvenile tool unbridled by the complications of art history and adult life. Her large-scale drawings are an equal balance of visual and visceral experience; a final product on paper and an immersive physical activity that takes place in the studio. As Truong’s work progresses within the framework of contemporary drawing, she is interested in exploring the inherent tension of monumental drawing on a surface that is otherwise lean, and fragile.
Born in 1988, Winnie Truong lives and works in Toronto, where she received a BFA from the Ontario College of Art and Design’s drawing and painting program. Truong is a recipient of the Toronto Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council visual arts grants and is the recipient of numerous awards, including W.O. Forsyth award, the 401 Richmond Career Launcher prize and the BMO 1st! Art Award for Ontario, through which she exhibited at the MOCCA. Winnie has exhibited internationally in galleries across Toronto, LA, and Copenhagen and in New York where she was featured at VOLTA, NY Art Fair. She has been published in numerous art publications, including the cover of Hi-Fructose, Juxtapoz, and Walk the Line: The Art of Drawing. Her work is in the collection of The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Overland Park, Kansas, Doris McCarthy Gallery at the University of Toronto, and Bank of Denmark.
“I have ever felt held back by being a female artist, if anything I think being a woman is part of my relationship with the subject matter and it better informs my work. There is probably more to be said about being a young artist, and the challenges that come with building a career in such a time where art is so accessible and many artists are doing the same all around the world. I think for me, working hard and continuing to make work that is authentic and enjoyable to myself has been very encouraging.” – Winnie Truong (Shedoesthecity)
