San Francisco Artist Finds Light During Lockdown, Shares Glow

Truong Tran's pandemic-era light sculptures are on display at Kearny Street Workshop in his solo exhibition '100 Nights of Pandemic/100 Days of Yearning'.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Truong Tran, a poet and professor, created 95 light sculptures over 100 days during the COVID-19 quarantine. After initially refusing to show them, Tran is now displaying dozens of the sculptures at Kearny Street Workshop in San Francisco. The exhibition also includes a series of wooden landscapes inspired by the fictional Neverland from Peter Pan. Tran sees the works as allegories for a more hopeful future beyond the present political reality.

Why it matters

Tran's light sculptures and other pandemic-era artworks provide a creative outlet and source of hope during a challenging time. His work also reflects on broader themes of immigration, childhood, and the human experience.

The details

Tran assembled the light fixtures from found objects he collected, with each creation beginning in the dark and ending when he illuminated his isolation. The exhibition features a lattice cubby displaying 25 of the light sculptures, as well as other unique pieces like a glass box with marbles and a real honeycrisp apple. Tran's teaching work has also been transformative for his students, who he encourages to let their intuition prevail in the creative process.

  • Tran created the 95 light sculptures over 100 days during the COVID-19 quarantine.
  • The '100 Nights of Pandemic/100 Days of Yearning' exhibition is on view at Kearny Street Workshop through Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Truong Tran

A poet, visual artist, and professor who immigrated to the Bay Area from Vietnam as a child. He created the light sculptures and other works featured in the exhibition.

Kearny Street Workshop

A San Francisco arts organization hosting Tran's solo exhibition of pandemic-era artworks.

Mimi Tempestt

A former student of Tran's who is now an artist and friend, and has fond memories of watching Tran create his light sculptures.

Carolyn Ho

A former student of Tran's who has been sending him paper cranes for years, which he safeguards and counts for her.

Loc Dao

Tran's mother, a seamstress who contributed crocheted elements to one of his light sculptures.

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What they’re saying

“I always said, 'No,' because it didn't feel right to look at this work without distance. I felt like we needed to look back.”

— Truong Tran, Artist (San Francisco Chronicle)

“It became a meditation of sorts.”

— Truong Tran, Artist (San Francisco Chronicle)

“These students, and all that they're grappling with and all that they're trying to move through the world with, is remarkable. I think we're going to be OK.”

— Truong Tran, Professor (San Francisco Chronicle)

“He's like a monk. He doesn't flaunt his knowledge and his wisdom, but it's so there.”

— Mimi Tempestt, Artist and former student (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The exhibition at Kearny Street Workshop will be on view through Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The takeaway

Tran's pandemic-era artworks, including his meditative light sculptures, provide a creative outlet and source of hope during challenging times. His work reflects on themes of immigration, childhood, and the human experience, while also inspiring his students to let their intuition guide their own creative process.