Le’s 2014 steel sculpture entitled “Means to an End”.

By Chris Nafekh, Staff Writer

Published in print Jan 21, 2015.

In the bottom floor of the Gatewood Art Building, the foundry sits as an immense concrete room with lines of welding masks and rubber aprons at the entry. Walking further in, one can see several sets of heavy machinery used to cut, melt and shape metal scrap for sculpture. It was in this room that I met Nam Le, and where he had spent most of his time as a graduate sculpting student.

“It really is one of the nicer studios they have here,” says Le, as he described to me the mechanics of the art equipment.“ For 99 percent of the things you’d want to do, you would probably be able to do it here.”

Nam Le completed his graduate program last May. His thesis piece, titled “Means to an End” is a large, snake-like construct made of ridged steel that scales itself to shape. His work has displayed in both the Weatherspoon Art Museum and the Center for Visual Art, and he’s is currently seeking artist’s commission. But Le was not always a student of the arts. When he was four, his parents migrated to Washington D.C. from Vietnam, avoiding wartime turmoil in his home country.  Growing up in D.C., Nam pursued an education and career in finance.

“Art hasn’t been a part of my life until recently,” he says with a grin. “I was working in finance, for more years than I’d like.” Early in his finance career, Le was struck with tragedy and a life-changing decision. “It was the only time I’ve been close to dying, right before the impact… it was a head-on collision.”

After the accident, Le was bed ridden for more than a year. Unable to work, he spent a lot of time reflecting on his life thus far, and his work in finance.

“I had a lot of time to think,” he explains. “It was a very dark time in my life, definitely the most depressing. I don’t want to say there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but I realized I didn’t want to go back to what I was doing. I don’t know if I would’ve come to the same realization had it not been for the accident.”

When he was able, Le began to study at University of Maryland College Park, with a focus in industrial design and architecture. “I wanted to work with my hands again.” Holding his hands out front, he looked at them with profound affection. “I wanted to create things, tangible things. I was interested in furniture too.

“The first semester I returned to school, I took a sculpting class. It was that particular class with that particular professor that really opened my eyes to sculpture in way’s I’d never considered.”

After that, Le began to focus on his art. Soon afterwards, he came to UNCG to complete his graduate degree. “UNCG is great,” he said. “The art department really fosters independent thinking and experimentation. You know, after the accident, I realized how fragile life. I didn’t want to take it for granted anymore. It was sort of a blessing in disguise, if you will.”