Tommy Truong, Artist – Toronto
Tommy Truong is a digital artist, technician, and filmmaker whose work explores the ideas of human behavior, screen-based media, and storytelling – specifically, how they coincide and complement one another. He was shortlisted for Equitable Bank’s Emerging Digital Artist Award and received support from the NFB’s Filmmakers Assistance Program. He has exhibited in venues across Toronto, including Xpace Cultural Centre, Artscape, The Royal Cinema, Daniel Spectrum, The Brandscape, Tranzac, Onsite Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Truong’s multimedia installation My Name is 張麟發 Tommy Lan Phat Truong 2.0 is featured in the exhibition From Here, There, Everywhere at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche this weekend from 7pm on Saturday to 7am Sunday.
- Family
Watching my kids grow into their own unique personalities is my greatest joy and obsession. My 5-year-old daughter is imaginative and expressive, while my 1.5-year-old son is curious and fearless. Their quirks, questions, and discoveries constantly inspire me (and test my patience) both as a parent and an artist. I’m truly fascinated by how they see the world and how that shapes who they’re becoming.
- Music
Lately, my life has had a surprising soundtrack – thanks to my daughter’s obsession with KPop Demon Hunters. She hasn’t even seen the movie, but the music has completely taken over our household. The catchy pop songs wormed their way up, up, up into my brain, and now I find myself voluntarily playing the soundtrack. If you can’t beat them, join them – and honestly, I’m not mad about it.
- Television
When the kids are finally asleep and my partner has retreated for some well-earned rest, I dive into my visual obsession: Arcane. One episode per sitting. I immerse in its stunning animation and captivating storytelling undisturbed. As an animator and filmmaker, I’m in awe of the craftsmanship behind every scene.
- Doodles
I believe it’s essential to have a creative outlet free from the pressure of creative concepts, deadlines, and expectations. For me, that’s drawing circular symmetrical designs or mandalas. They don’t need conceptual meaning or even to be finished. I sketch them on my iPad, on paper, and recently I’ve started stick-and-poking them onto my skin. It’s meditative, intuitive, and deeply personal – my fourth-and-a-half obsession, somewhere between art and ritual.
- Material
My latest obsession is clear acrylic thanks to a recent project involving etched plexiglass and programmable LED light. The material is incredibly versatile: it’s fine, durable, and can be precisely cut into any shape or size. I’ve even started making my own ¼-inch washers for an artwork. There’s something deeply satisfying about working with it.