Nam Le's Poem 'Cronos' Responds to Jason Phu's Absurdist Painting
ArtReview has unveiled a new poem titled 'Cronos' by Nam Le, inspired by a 2025 artwork created by Sydney-based artist Jason Phu. The painting, known for its whimsical and humorous style, features a sequence of imaginative phrases that reflect a blend of cartoon aesthetics and Chan Buddhist themes. Phu’s art frequently incorporates uplifting imagery and a hint of melancholy, influenced by elements of Chinese minimalism. Nam Le, whose recent publication '36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem' is set to be released by Canongate in 2024, continues to explore innovative literary expressions through his work.
Key facts
- Nam Le wrote a poem titled 'Cronos' for ArtReview's monthly poetry feature.
- The poem responds to Jason Phu's painting 'collossus / eating a mountain / and then the oceans / and then the earth / and then the stars / and then the universe / and then time / and then its legs / and then its body / and then its soul / and then its butt / and then its peepee / heehee' (2025).
- Jason Phu is a Sydney-based artist influenced by cartoons, comics, and Chan Buddhist imagery.
- Phu's works include 'a chorus of fish / sing our downfall / or do they sing / of history? / or is the downfall / of civilisation / a metaphor / for my unzipped pants?' (2025).
- Another Phu work is 'im multiplying at a rate i cant sustain, soon the whole planet and then the universe will become a version of me, cute, bubbly and full of regret' (2024).
- Phu also created 'my head is a giant turd' (2019).
- The painting's title misspells 'colossus' and references Herodotus.
- Nam Le's latest book is '36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem' (Canongate, 2024).
Entities
Artists
- Nam Le
- Jason Phu
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Canongate
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia