Welcome to the opening of Maps of the Interior. This is the first time that I am exhibiting work here in Ho Chi Minh City and am very grateful to Soma Saigon for the opportunity. It is also the first time that I am exhibiting my illustrations alongside my paintings. There is a strange division in the art world between illustration and the finer arts. Im not sure what the reasons are for this. At university, illustration falls squarely under visual communication design and graphic design, and so I, as a fine art student didn’t really get into illustration until after I graduated. I carried this separation of disciplines within me for a long time, until I realised, not too long ago, that it was no longer helpful to my creative practice to separate my various disciplines into neat categories. I am first and foremost a creator, in service to my internal world and the flow of inspiration, and these neatly divided boundaries between disciplines were getting in the way of that. Allowing my work to exist and be exhibited alongside one another, creates conversations amongst the various pieces which, I think, offers a deeper understanding of my work as whole. The greatest difficulty with exhibiting abstract paintings and drawings, is that there is always the risk that the deeper narratives within the work may stay hidden. Unless you are someone who already has an understanding of abstract art and is familiar with the language of colour and mark-making, the work may remain largely opaque. The onus thus lies on the artist to guide you into their universe in a way that illuminates what they do, which is no easy task. My hope, with this exhibition, is that my illustrations are able to serve as much better guides than my words, to help you gain a deeper insight and understanding of my artistic practice. I am an explorer, a map-maker of sorts. My work has, and perhaps always will be, a journey and an exploration into my own internal realm. I am fascinated by the complex universes that we each carry within, and I situate my creative practice as a means to explore my own. My art practice is both a place of creative experimentation and a refuge during difficult times. It serves as an anchor, aiding my desire to stay curious even when my internal world is stormy and tumultuous. The works that you see here are explorations into, as well as articulations of these interior and other-wise hidden worlds. I don’t believe that we consciously choose the nature of the artworks or themes that we work with. They choose us. And so one of our duties, as an artist and a creative being is to be open to the mysterious nature of inspiration and creativity. It’s an allowing in of what Elizabeth Gilbert calls “Big Magic”. What a wonderful journey; and what a joy it is to be able to share it with you all. Thank you for coming.