Nguyen Tuan Dai, also known as bu (b. 1997, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) is a self-taught artist based in Hoi An.

 

bu explores the relationship between the individual and the larger whole through his practice, investigating the visible and invisible connections between people, nature, things, situations, and everyday life. His works often reflect on how seemingly separate beings and experiences may be interconnected, influencing and leaving traces upon one another.

 

Growing up in a working-class community shaped by generations of migrant families from northern Vietnam in District 9, bu began working from early age alongside his mother, grandmother, and aunts. These experiences shaped his sensitivity toward people, care, labour, and everyday life. Working across different environments also allowed him to encounter, observe, and learn from people from diverse backgrounds. Creating primarily with painting, writing, and installation, bu approaches art as a way of observing, learning, and questioning the connections that surround him.

 

In 2023, bu participated in EAW – Experimental Art Week by Chinbo Collective in Da Lat, presenting his installation 'Vauge / Mơ màn g', followed by the ÊA #1 Showcase group exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2025, he participated in Lèm dì dị in Nha Trang, Da Nang Art Fair by A Sông at Da Nang Museum, presented his first solo showcase and participated in Renaissance Day of Discovery in Hoi An, and joined BÊN XÂM Residency, where he developed the installation and performance 'Eeeeeee, Subin ơi Subin, vào đây khiêng giúp đồ với'. In 2026, bu participated in the MFAFP 2026 programme in Malaysia.