The "Dreaming" exhibition by artist To Ngoc Trang showcases 26 portraits of renowned figures, created using broken ceramic pieces on lacquer backgrounds.

Art from shards of life

Artist To Ngoc Trang recently held his first solo exhibition, Dreaming, at Area 75 - Art & Auction.

The exhibition features 26 mosaic portraits crafted from ceramic fragments on lacquer. These portraits depict influential figures from various fields, including Buddha, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, physicist Albert Einstein, Russian author Lev Tolstoy, Vietnamese painter Bui Xuan Phai, and even characters like Chi Pheo and Thi No from Vietnamese literature.

Trang also created a self-portrait using shards from a broken bowl, offering a deeply personal touch to the collection.

“In late 2021, my wife accidentally broke a beautiful bowl and asked me to fix it,” Trang shared. “Looking at the fragments, I felt a strange connection to them. I began arranging the pieces to resemble my own face, and when others saw it, they immediately recognized me. It was a fun experiment that eventually inspired me to collect broken ceramics and turn them into art.”

Trang’s work celebrates the durability and versatility of ceramic fragments. He believes these pieces, with their natural randomness, hold expressive potential equal to traditional mediums like watercolor, oil paint, or lacquer. Importantly, his process avoids mechanical alteration, relying instead on the organic shapes of the fragments to shape his visions.

A novel artistic approach

The exhibition has received praise from art enthusiasts for Trang’s ingenuity.

Artist Phan Cam Thuong remarked, “To Ngoc Trang’s mosaic art defies traditional techniques. He delves into the human experience - its trials, fragments, and eventual reconstruction. Much like broken ceramics, people reshape their lives, creating unique beauty through resilience.”

Among the highlights are portraits of:

Buddha
Margaret Thatcher
Michael Jackson
Albert Einstein
Stephen Hawking
Vietnamese historical figure Tran Quoc Tuan (Hung Dao Dai Vuong)
Vietnamese literary characters Chi Pheo, Thi No, and Lao Hac
John Lennon
Steve Jobs
Vincent Van Gogh

The exhibition runs until January 19.