ABOUT ME

Originally from Vietnam, Mai Tran is a Minnesota-based printmaker specializing in woodcut printmaking. Through printmaking practices, Mai illustrates the connection between different cultures, mythology, history, as well as human and animal interactions. Mai holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking and Photography. She is graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Prints Media in May 2023. Besides her graduate study, teaching a foundation art class is a part of her program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

STATEMENT

In my woodcut prints, I build dream-like narratives connecting Vietnamese and American cultures by developing and telling these unique stories through imagery.

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As a proud Vietnamese living in Minnesota for the last 7 years, I desire to retell the history, customs, and traditions of Vietnamese culture and make these historic mythologies accessible to contemporary times. Applying Buddhist practices alongside the process, I share my past and present life experiences. Furthermore, within my works, by combining varied elements from the two cultures, I create my own parallel world where all living things can sustain and value each other’s differences. A place without barriers of geography, race, gender, class, or species. Space to allow us to define our own uniqueness and purpose in life. The image of the watermelon, lotus plant, Vietnamese café phin, traditional clothing, and Nom script speak to an almost forgotten culture, merging them with my American experiences in a light-hearted and peaceful way. 

My woodcut prints hold true to traditional printmaking practices but deliver new narratives, linking one culture to another.