JustArts Gallery
Tulsa, OK
Elevating the creative voices of people confined to carceral institutions across the US.
MessageCollection: Cuong "Mike" Tran
“Emotions are the universal language.
My art reaches into the human soul, where the deepest emotions reside. I aim to evoke strong responses in my viewers and provide them with a vessel in which they can sit with their feelings.
To achieve this, I first search my own bank of traumas and experiences. Each piece I create is an extension of my soul. I pour my life, mind, heart, and emotions onto the canvas, allowing the composition, color choice, and subject matter to reveal my worldview and tell my story.
I gravitate toward a hyper realistic style to bring a sense of relatability and understanding to my work. This style also aligns with my detailed nature and personality. What first captures the eye is the realization that my work closely resembles photographs. I hope that this initial emotional experience opens the door to further exploration of wonder and curiosity.
In a world of indifference and a constant striving for individuality, people can forget that we are all bound together. Although some may be forgotten, everyone still has the same inherent worth. I invite viewers to engage with my work, seeking similarities between us. I offer an opportunity to connect with all others through our shared experience of human emotions.”
Cuong (Mike) Tran (b. 1980) is a first-generation Vietnamese-American. His parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1975 after their homeland was devastated by war. At age five, unable to afford store-bought toys, Mike began crafting his own action figures from paper and cardboard. Mike found that entering into an imaginary world was a way to escape his abusive environment. It was not until Covid that he began a serious self study in painting. Mike’s art has been instrumental in his healing process. It has allowed him to open to extraordinary levels of self-honesty, transcend dystopia and make reparations.
Mike currently resides in a “gated community” called “California Men’s Colony State Prison.” Despite severe restrictions, Mike’s artistry demonstrates proficiency as well as the resilience of the human spirit. Working in a 3’ x 11’ cell, he often transforms discarded, overlooked and inexpensive art materials into expressions (both paintings and 3 dimensional forms) with great proficiency. “By using materials often seen as ‘inferior,’ I am reclaiming my dignity,”
In addition to being an artist, Mike is a nationally certified Substance Abuse Counselor.
Mike’s work is featured in an online exhibition at Bader + Simon, and he was interviewed for their podcast, B+S With Friends.
IG @crucible118
Mike welcomes letters and is eager to connect with other artists! He can be reached via the GTL GettingOut app or by snail mail:
Cuong (Mike) Tran A-L3711
CMC East Facility, Cell 3307
PO Box 8103
San Luis Obispo, CA, 93409-8101
Mike welcomes letters and is eager to connect with other artists! He can be reached via the GTL GettingOut app or by snail mail:
Cuong (Mike) Tran A-L3711
CMC East Facility, Cell 3307
PO Box 8103
San Luis Obispo, CA, 93409-8101
