Trong G. Nguyen | Signature

Signature Series
2001-ongoing, oil over extant paintings

The following paintings contend with issues of attribution, collaboration, authorship, and collection. They are all either bought or found paintings that importantly, contain a signature on the recto. Subsequently, they have all been altered in one of three ways:

1. Artists’ signatures are painted out to create a continuous image, unbroken by the inscription.

2. A second group of paintings has been ‘whited out’ except for the signature, which becomes the focal point.

3. Third, a new painting in the same genre covers the original, save for the original signature, which is carefully painted around and left untouched.

Each series focuses on the ‘potential for anonymity’ and how the artist’s signature acts as a validation mark, and hence deal more with the notion of collecting than iconoclasm. More precisely, these paintings examine the control structures behind ownership of works. The contention here is direct: collectors purchase works of art and establish proprietorship over these material goods. In turn, they "consume" as they wish, whether that be hanging a canvas on a lowlit wall space or painting over the works, as is the case here.