How Nathalie Nguyen Went From Drawing Furries to a Debut Show at Whaam!

Nathalie Nguyen spent her teen years lurking on LiveJournal blogs and selling digital drawings of furries on the internet, and her debut solo exhibition doesn’t stray far from her roots. Over at Whaam!, a 7-piece oil painting series feels just like stepping into a moody child’s fantasy from the 90s. Hyperrealist dolls, Polly Pocket shoes, and puppets are the stars of the show, complimented by the gallery’s playful blue-and-red checkered floors. Nguyen’s fascinations with toys, nostalgia and the internet have established her niche in the art world, where she’s known for designing freaky sneakers and streetwear as the co-founder of Happy99, and for landing collaborations with Marc Jacobs and Reebok. Just before the show’s opening last Friday, we sent Nguyen a questionnaire to ask her about hustling online, collecting, and the importance of being bored.

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Where did your fascination with dolls come from?

I think all people are secretly fascinated by dolls. There’s something really special about looking at a physical form that mirrors the way we look and move but through a fantasy lens. I think I first got into dolls when I was a sophomore in high school. I found some blogs on LiveJournal and then forums like Den of Angels. I also attended anime conventions where doll hobbyists would show their work, but all of this was pretty unattainable to me as a young immigrant. My fascination with dolls is how they’re like an aspiration, an almost impossibly perfect form to project into, but it’s also like owning a kitten or a baby. There’s something very universally motherly about it. 

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How has digital culture shaped the way you make art?

Digital culture has had a huge impact on my image making process from a young age. I begged for a Wacom tablet when I was only 12 years old because my cousin Diana had one and she was already making cool digital art on her DeviantArt. Photoshop back then (I think it was version 7.0 because this was 2004) was really rough to use but I loved using gradients to make really bad anime art. Nowadays I’m known more for my 3D work, dioramas, and design work for Happy99 but I still incorporate everything I’ve learned into my work flow. Oftentimes when I’m painting, I’ll create a 3D model of what I’m painting and light it properly just to get it right.

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What online communities were you part of growing up?

I was most active on GaiaOnline and I lurked /cgl/ and LiveJournal blogs. GaiaOnline had an online artist marketplace where people could commission artwork from others using Paypal. This is where I learned my first hustle: selling personal commissioned digital paintings to the Furcadians [a digital community] on GaiaOnline. Imagine being in middle school in 2005 and making $45 off a digital drawing of a pregnant male fox furry. My mom was pissed but she did respect my hustle.

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What sneakers are you wearing right now? 

Nike Shox NZ boots in beige/sand! They’re a model that I think released only for women, but they’ve been my go-to sneakers for years.

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Do you collect anything?

I collect anime figures and garage kits but I’ve recently taken a short break to organize and catch up on building them, Garage kits are resin casted pieces that are usually fan-made by super talented sculptors to be assembled and painted by the collector. These figures usually are the only way you can own a certain model/pose/sculpt of a character (existing or fan-made) and I love the DIY aspect of it. It’s not enough to just buy it, you also need the resources and skills and dedication to build it! I also collect the Junya Watanabe x Puma runway collection pieces from 2013. I have a personal soft spot for that collection.

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What was your favorite toy growing up? 

Oh this is tough. I would say the 1995 Bandai Sailor Moon dolls, I completely destroyed those and it’s funny now because they’re worth so much money now. My mom and aunts bought me Barbies, but I also loved Polly Pocket. I had the Mickey & Minnie Mouse Playcase version.

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Where do you go when you’ve run out of inspiration?

I’m a firm believer that inspiration only comes after you’ve worn yourself down to the bone with boredom. I always say, get a part time job as a bartender/barista. Perform a mundane task like cleaning your entire kitchen for 3 days without stopping until you are done. Turn off your phone and stare at your wall for a set amount of time. The obligation to perform a menial and tiring monotonous task will make your brain do backflips. You need to be bored.

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How do you know when a work is done?

A work is never done, only abandoned… said someone far smarter than myself long ago and possibly in French.

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What was your last dream?

I am fortunately and unfortunately one of those people who do not dream or do not remember their dreams. I’m an elite sleeper in the sense that I can basically turn my brain off and go to sleep in almost any condition. I can’t share my last dream with you because I don’t remember but I will say if there was a sleeping challenge where they set up an obstacle course for sleeping, I would win.

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