From algorithms to clay… the story of Vu Nguyen and his life in Bulgaria

Vu Nguyen is a man whose life path crosses three continents and different cultures, but leads him to an unexpected discovery – the love of sculpture.

He was born in Vietnam, but arrived in Bulgaria with his family when he was 11 years old. First he studied in Burgas and then in Sofia. Later he went to the United States, where he studied business, computer science, journalism and… painting. It is this diversity of knowledge and interests that gradually shaped the way he looks at the world – both analytically and creatively.
Today, Vu Nguyen works in the IT sphere, but a year and a half ago, his life took a new direction. He decided to take his children to clay modelling classes, not suspecting that he himself would become passionate about this art. In the studio, he met sculptor Boris Kalaidzhiev, who became his mentor and inspirer. Nguyen defines their work as a true creative dialogue – an exchange of ideas, in which each new work is born in a process of mutual inspiration.

Although at first glance, information technology and sculpture seem like two completely different worlds, for Vu Nguyen they have much more in common than we might think.

"When you paint, you think on the flat surface of the sheet. But when you sculpt, you have to think in space. The shape has to support its own weight, to resist gravity, the individual elements have to be constructed in such a way that they become a whole. There is architecture in this process, there is mathematics and engineering thinking. That is why my experience in IT helps me in some way. The best thing is that clay allows you to constantly change the work. With a few small movements, you can completely transform the composition. This is the freedom that attracts me a lot."

For him clay modelling is a state of complete immersion in the present moment. "What I love most is the process itself. First I imagine the shape in my mind, then I start gradually creating it. Each step follows the previous one. I like the silence in the studio, the tranquillity, the sound of the tools as they shape the clay. The whole process is extremely meditative. That's what keeps me coming back again and again."

The love for creativity goes hand in hand with childhood memories. The strongest mark in his life was left by his grandfather - the man who not only raised him, but also helped him find his place in Bulgaria.

When the family moved to the country, Vu started fifth grade without knowing Bulgarian. While teachers helped him master the language, his grandfather, who also didn't speak Bulgarian, used a dictionary to translate math, physics, and chemistry textbooks so he could study with him.

"My grandfather was the person who most shaped me as a person. He taught me how to be a good person, how to accept successes and failures, how to be persistent."

After completing his education in the United States, Vu Nguyen decided to return to Bulgaria. He has been living here with his family for over a decade and does not hide that it is the peace and closeness between people that is the reason he stayed. Despite his Vietnamese roots, his Bulgarian childhood and the years spent here make him feel a part of Bulgaria. Today, he values ​​the feeling of family and home above all.

A few months ago, Vu Nguyen participated in his first joint exhibition "Dialogue in Clay" - a natural continuation of a passion that began quite by chance. For him, however, this is just the beginning. Each of his sculptures carries a message and his dream is to one day have more time to devote to creativity and implement larger-scale projects.

His wish for people is simple - to live life to the fullest and not put off important things, because no one knows what tomorrow brings.

Vu Nguyen's story shows that sometimes it is the most unexpected encounters that change our direction. From the world of information technology to the plasticity of clay, he continues to tell stories - not with words, but with forms, proving that creativity always finds its way. And Bulgaria has become the place where all these different paths in his life naturally meet.