"Garrison Street"

8 x 11" print on canvas

by Duong Phuoc Tan

Tan was born in 1939 in Hue City, Thua Thien Province South Vietnam. He panned on being an artist and attended the Advanced University of Arts in Hue. It was the circumstance of his nation at war that forced him to abandon his dream and join the Free World Forces in combatting communism in Vietnam.

During the war, Mr. Tan witnessed a great deal of death and destruction. He saw his beautiful country engulfed in different periods of fighting, which combined to last for over 30 years. After the war, he saw the people continue to suffer under brutal communist rule. Mr. Tan himself was subjected to 12 years confinement as a political prisoner in a communist “re-education camp.”

Mr. Tan and his family were finally allowed to resettle in the United States in June 1990. After his arrive in the US his love for art slowly reawakened. Unfortunately, due to the years of fighting and subsequent years of imprisonment, only faded memories of his childhood remained. Tan began to contemplate the various events, places, and things which left lasting impressions on his mind. As a result he has developed a somewhat semi-abstract style which he calls “faded memories.” The longer he remains far away from his homeland, the more abstract his paintings become. He has now decided to share his “faded memories” with the people of the Fort Smith area. He is hopeful that through his work, the people of Fort Smith, especially veterans and their families, will be able to enjoy the culture of Vietnam.

Tan is a member of the Vietnamese-American Arts and Letters Association and currently resides in Sugar Land, TX.