Concurrent Exhibitions: “White Noise” & “Rhyming Gestures”

07 Aug 2023 – Jan 2024
10 am – 04 pm, Wed & Fri
EMASI Nam Long
147 No 8, Khu dân Cư Nam Long, D.7, HCMC
10 am – 04 pm, Tues & Thurs
EMASI Vạn Phúc
2 Street 5, Khu Dân cư Vạn Phúc, Thủ Đức, HCMC

Nguyen Art Foundation (NAF) proudly presents ‘White Noise’ (curated by Van Do) and ‘Rhyming Gestures’ (curated by Thái Hà and Nhat Q. Vo) – two concurrent exhibitions with the participation of 19 artists from within and outside of our Collection. The exhibitions will take place simultaneously across the campuses of EMASI Nam Long (District 7) and EMASI Van Phuc (Thu Duc City) from August 2023 to January 2024.

As a series of re-configurations of existing artworks from within and outside of NAF’s Collection, ‘White Noise’ proposes an interpretation of the Foundation’s 2023 theme Community and Compassion through a post-pandemic and post-human lens with participating artists Dao Tung, Tran Tuan, Nguyen Phuong Linh, Lai Dieu Ha, Nguyen Huy An, Dinh Q. Le, Nguyen Tran Nam, Jeamin Cha, Cam Xanh and Nguyen Trung.

In ‘Rhyming Gestures’, the works of Phan Thao Nguyen, Truong Cong Tung, Tran Luong, Le Hoang Bich Phuong, Nguyen Minh Thanh, Ngo Dinh Bao Chau, Nguyen Quang Huy, Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Nguyen Duc Phuong dance out myths, magic, and dreams. The exhibition invites viewers to inhabit the danceness of making, to see the rhythms of flesh the body has always carried.

Exhibition “In the Forest”

09 am – 08 pm, Tues – Sun, 27 Aug – 29 Oct 2023
Mơ Art Space
Floor B3, 136 Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội

This August, Mo Art Space cordially present to art lovers “In the FOREST” – an exhibition by the twin artists Le Brothers.

“Looking back at Le Brothers’ body of works, it can be seen that they are simply endless conversations between the internal world and external objects and phenomena, which are engaged in by two people who are individual characters sharing one artistic identity. These conversations are a continuous attempt at answering age-old yet evergreen questions: Who am I? Each of these questions put forward a statement on circumstance and identity, to which art was used as a vehicle for the artists’ answers. A new question would then appear and resume this endless cycle.

In the FOREST, their most recent project, is an exception to their previous practices. While it is a conversation between the duo and the external world, unlike their previous works, it looks at the entities existing in the external world as subjects existing alongside the artists, not just a pretext to reflect a mind-body-spirit’s narrative.

Started in 2021, In the FOREST first materialized as a series of large oil-on-canvas paintings, which then turned into painted antique door and chest frames, which were treated like painting surfaces with their corresponding three-dimensional textures and heavy materials, following by moving-image videos filmed during their Forest Trips. The large-size horizontal oil paintings have no beginning nor ending. Their surfaces are composed of crisscrossing strips of colors of different shades, from warm and brilliant to cold and dark. The paintings were created in the signature creative style of Lê Brothers: the duo took turn working on the expanses of colors to alternatively recited their emotions and awareness of the FOREST, of being in the FOREST. This recitation was presented in a continuous dialogue, a constant narration.”

About Lê Brothers

Thanh Le Ngoc and Hai Le Duc (Le Brothers), born in 1975 in the Quang Binh Province, were first noticed as the artists of Vietnamese lacquer painting of war topics. In 2000 both graduated from the Hue College of Arts.

After painting, the artists started creating performances and video works highlighting the metaphor of similarity. Many of their works are known for their unique approach to history, identity and the interpretation of the past in the present.

Le Brothers have exhibited and performed nationally and internationally, including, The Nord gallerie in Berlin (2018), Vietnam Eye in START at Saatchi Gallery in London (2017) The Jim Thompson Art Center in Bangkok (2016), Gwangju Museum of Art (2016), Kumamoto Contemporary Art Museum in Japan (2015),The Live Performance Biennale 2015 in Canada, Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2015), Queens Museum (2015), the Croatian Association of Visual Artists in Zagreb (2015), Iran CP Biennale (2014), FreeS Art Space in Taipei, Taiwan (2014), Singapore Biennale (2013), Selected projects include ‘The Bridge II’, performance at DMZ Gang Hwa,Korea (2012),‘Before ‘86’, Cheongju Complex Cultural Center, Korea (2012), ‘Communicate with the times’, Saigon Open City, Vietnam (2006), ‘Window to Asian”Vietnam (2001)….

Their works are in numerous national and international private and museums collections, including the Singapore Contemporary Art, Museum Gwangju Museum of Art and The Jim Thompson Art Center.

The Le Brothers also have been connecting artists across the world through Vietnam’s first artists-in-residence program, the New Space Arts Foundation, which they launched in April 2008, from a gallery they founded in 2000. The Le Brothers live with their families in Hue, Vietnam.

Coalesce: Fragments in the Spotlight

Exhibition: 26 Aug – 09 Sep 2023
Turtle Lake Brewing Company
105 Quảng Khánh ward, Quảng An, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội

Echoed Mirrors is bringing to you Coalesce, our second art exhibition in Hanoi showing in one of the top breweries in all of Asia!

We are bringing to you original artwork by more than 15 Vietnamese and international artists who are coming together for the show with their sculptures, original artwork, and artwork merchandise in the exhibition shop!

Coalesce: Fragments in the Spotlight will be showcasing artwork that emphasizes the element of discrete fragments in the process of creation, whether it’s the creation of all that we are and have been and will be, the creation of time, the creation of complex emotional experiences expressed by sentient beings, the creation of love, and of life and the ultimate creation of destruction: all through pieces coalescing together.

Art, just as anything else that comes to exist in its finality, is so much more about what goes into the beautiful, ecstatic process: the curious roots of inspiration, the essential tools, the creative mindset and most importantly, the interactions and the contradictions within those interactions that produce the celebrated product.

Be a part of the process with us, paint with us, mess around with colors and with your conscious expression on the canvas as you experience the vibrations of the very breaths of this reality.

Á x 3Năm: The Unknown, Choreographed

10 am – 06 pm, 27 – 29 Aug 2023
3năm studio
District 2, HCMC

Á is very delighted to introduce our first venture to Saigon realized with our long-time collaborator Linh Lê and a newly-found friend 3Năm Studio, titled ‘The Unknown, Choreographed’, featuring Đỗ Hà Hoài, Rab, Ngô Đình Bảo Châu, Kai Nguyễn and Cù Rú Bar.

‘The Unknown, Choreographed’ assembles an odd mix of new artistic experiments and playful experiences made possible mainly thanks to randomness. Though the entire event hinges on the premise of chance encounters, each of its elements demonstrates an intentional and laborious thought process.

Since 2018, the young, prolific sculptor Đỗ Hà Hoài has been tirelessly experimenting with the theme ‘allergy’ in different materials, scales, and forms as a way to capture the visceral and raw reactions to overwhelming changes in life. A continuation of his ‘Allergy’ series, Hoài attempts to draft the map for the future of 3năm studio — or of what would become of it when the tenants move out, soon. His prophecy comes in the shape of human body parts that turn, breathe, twist, scream, and idle, wrapping the lush garden in their last embrace.

Rab tells a story about the mythical origin of the human species, which is grounded on the trope of God being a craftsman and us their creations. In the open-endedness of her fictional museum, Rab walks us through the process of human-making, which like any other type of production requires countless trials and errors.

Despite not fitting into the category of emerging artists (for she has exhibited widely, both locally and internationally), a revisit of Ngô Đình Bảo Châu’s 2015 video work entitled ‘An example of a battle’ is necessary. A chess game where its pieces are replaced by unpainted plaster statuettes of cute, cartoonish animals. Winning or losing is meaningless and impossible, but the startling pangs in the heart are what prevail.

As an event to celebrate new faces in the Saigon art scene, ‘The Unknown, Choreographed’ is also the last event that 3năm studio hosts in this location. To remember this milestone, Kai Nguyễn — a photographer, a member of the collective, as well as a plant enthusiast — seeks to start a conversation on cogon grass and its relation to the changing landscape of urbanised Saigon through traditional cooling herbal drink. From Dalat to Saigon, Cù Rú bar will surely help make our last memories in this place happy ones with cocktails inspired by this occasion.

“All men by nature want to know” was how Aristotle began the first chapter of ‘Metaphysics’. That sentence, while leading readers to a maze of philosophical ideas that they might never understand in their lifetime (the author of this text is one of them), adeptly conveys human nature: to know and therefore to control. What does letting go of control mean? Despite our constant effort to keep things in order, slippages still happen or in Vietnam, we say “God calculates better than humans do”. ‘The Unknown, Choreographed’ attempts to see what will entail if God and humans join forces in the calculation.”

— Linh Lê, curator.

Programme

10 am – 06 pm, 27 – 29 Aug 2023
Opening hours
04 pm – 06 pm, 27 — 29 Aug 2023
Happy hours with Cù Rú
03 pm – 06 pm, 27 Aug 2023
Cooling water with Kai Nguyễn

Linh Lê would like to thank 3năm studio, Cù Rú, Ngô Đình Bảo Châu, Hoài and Rab for being a part of this event with no hesitation, and Vân Đơ for her support and encouragement. She is also tremendously thankful for the drunken and heated (but civil) debate with Bill Nguyễn and Vân Đơ on the topic of the next generation of artists in Saigon back in July, which prompted her to organise this event.

Á would like to thank Linh Lê for her rare determination and excellent situation handling, 3năm studio for welcoming us into their home with much enthusiasm (especially Liên, Đạt and Kai) despite their moving house, Đỗ Hà Hoài and Rab for bravely accepting this invitation and Ngo Đình Bảo Châu and Cù Rú for the immortal spirit of the Saigonese.

Exhibition “Our Country”

Opening: 09:30 am, Thurs 24 Aug 2023
Exhibition: 24 Aug – 10 Sep 2023
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
66 Nguyễn Thái Học, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

The exhibition features over 80 remarkable landscape paintings selected from the Collection of Modern Art of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, which were created during the period of 1945 – 2007 and by well-known artists of different generations. These include painters who graduated from the Indochina Art School such as Luong Xuan Nhi, Nguyen Van Ty, Tran Dinh Tho, Huynh Van Thuan, Phan Ke An, and those who were trained in the Resistance Art courses like Luu Cong Nhan and Dao Duc, as well as the following generations of artists such as Duong Ngoc Canh, Tran Thanh Ngoc, Nguyen Thanh Chau, Le Van Hai and Do Thi Ninh.

Through the artists’ perspectives and their diverse art styles, the outstanding beauty of different regions in our country is vividly depicted. We can easily notice popular destinations like Ha Long Bay, Da Lat, Dong Van, Huong River, or familiar sceneries such as an old street, a duckweed pond, a coconut grove, and a village road. From the mountainous areas with famous historical sites including Karl Marx Peak, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Pac Bo, Con Son, to the midlands with the gate of Hung Kings Temple, the sunrise scenery in the Central Highlands, and coastal areas like Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, all are poetically portrayed in these works, showing the love for the homeland of the artists. Furthermore, images of our kind people immensely enhance the natural beauty of our country in these landscape paintings.

Notably, this is the first time we combine a conventional method of exhibiting the artworks with digital technology – cinemagraph. With this new experience, the exhibition is expected to nourish the love for art and country, thus contributing to the national development.

Exhibition “Encounter”

09 am – 08 pm, 20 Aug – 30 Sep 2023
Gate Gate Gallery
55 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Hanoi

From August 20, 2023, the contemporary art gallery Gate Gate Gallery will officially open the exhibition “Gặp Gỡ| Encounter”, introduces more than 20 unique and outstanding works throughout the research process of artist Bui Thanh Tam from sketches of original ideas to the latest creations and experiments.

“Encounter” is a solo exhibition looking back at Bui Thanh Tam’s artistic journey from 2009 to 2023. In addition to the works that review each stage of art, Tam also released a new series “Adam Eva”, and “Children of the Dragon, Grandchildren of Immortal Sages” follows the practice and artistic thought from the exhibition “There is nothing behind” (2020). In the series “Adam Eva” and “Children of the Dragon, Grandchildren of Immortal Sages”, Tam found the tradition of Sinh village folk painting while continuing to use Dong Ho, Kim Hoang and Hang Trong paintings from the previous series of compositions. “More than 10 years from when the work was still innocent to the creations of the current period, I believe that as an artist I have a responsibility to be a pioneer, sharing the interesting inspirations of the artist. By spreading the meaning of love, which in my opinion has always helped us overcome all pain, heal the wounds of wars, natural disasters and epidemics, help us survive to this day and in the future”, Bui Thanh Tam shared.

The Circle: The Confluence of Tradition and Creativity

18 Aug – 18 Oct 2023
New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Lê Lai, Bến Thành Ward, District 1, HCMC

On August 18 2023, the artistic space ‘The Circle’ will officially launch with the first exhibition of photographer Thien Minh – ‘Hoa Mắt’ at New World Saigon Hotel, marking the initial collaboration between the prestigious 5-star hotel and the versatile contemporary art gallery, Gallery Medium.

New World Saigon Hotel, with its rich history and reputation as a preferred choice of presidents, excellent leader and renowned artists, stands as an emblem of tradition and elegance in the heart of Saigon. Gallery Medium, an art gallery with a fresh and open-minded style, aims to blur the lines between art, interior design and decoration – representing youthfulness and creativity. Through the synergy of these two icons, ‘The Circle’ is created, bringing a refreshing breeze to the art exhibition space with a youthful yet equally sophisticated style. ‘The Circle’ contributes to bringing art closer to people of all ages who lead enriched lives.

The exhibition area of ‘The Circle’ is created by the creative team from Gallery Medium, drawing inspiration from the dome in the lobby of New World Saigon Hotel. Despite being contained within a 7-meter diameter, ‘The Circle’ fully meets the requirements for a professional art exhibition. ‘The Circle’ is also likened to the ‘brain’ of the artist. Upon entering this space, viewers will feel connected and discover the creations within the minds of each artist.

In this collaboration, both New World Saigon Hotel and Gallery Medium aspire to build and encourage the development of Vietnamese art. The project is conceived as a playground and an opportunity for young artists to contribute their passion and spread spiritual value through each artwork.

The initiation of the art space ‘The Circle’ will take place at the New World Saigon Hotel on August 18 2023, featuring the opening exhibition ‘Hoa Mắt Sequel’ by renowned photographer Thien Minh.

Thien Minh shares that he wants to continue spreading his inspiration from the diversity of art in general and photography in particular, focusing on how to perceive beauty and capture it through his eyes.

Exhibition “Plastics: Pollution and Solutions”

Until Sep 17, 9 am – 6 pm, 
Floor 3, Lam Dong Provincial Children’s Activity Centre, 10 Ly Tu Trong Street, HCM City

Institut Francais in Vietnam and the Phố Bên Đồi Creative Studio in collaboration with the French Development Research Institute, are pleased to present the exhibition “Plastics: Pollution and Solutions”, scheduled to take place in July – September 2023.

The exhibition includes 21 panels of bilingual French – Vietnamese documents, making the journey from Hanoi to Hue and then Da Lat, to interpret the life of plastic from production to consumption in daily life until it is released into the soil and water environment.

The documentary exhibition “Plastics: pollution and solutions” will tell us about the life of plastic from the place of production to the place of consumption in daily life, until it is dispersed in soil and water environments. Although addressing the situation in Vietnam but not limited to a certain country or territory, the exhibition will help viewers understand and feel the local and global challenges related to plastics, a popular material, but its environmental consequences are becoming increasingly worrisome.

To face the plastic waste crisis, Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has developed an expanded producer responsibility (EPR) regulation to regulate the “wildlife of plastic”, minimize waste and optimize the garbage collection and disposal chain. Through photo materials and charts with commentary produced by the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the exhibition is a true wake-up call that reminds us that we all have a share of responsibility and the ability to make out solutions.

Hidden Moment from the East – An Internet Troll

July 7– Oct 7
CUC Gallery, A4703 (Floor 47), Keangnam Hanoi Tower A, Duong Dinh Nghe Street, Hanoi

Cuc Gallery is pleased to announce Hidden Moment From The East: An Internet Troll — a solo exhibition by the emerging painter Nguyen Ngoc Vu.

Based in Saigon, this is Vu’s first ever show at Cuc Gallery in Hanoi, and it constitutes the second installment in his ongoing Hidden Moment series. The first installment was presented by Cuc Gallery at SEA Focus art fair in Singapore, with the title Hidden Moment From The East: The Internet Has No Filter. In this new chapter, the artist dives once more into the morass of internet culture, combining both Eastern and Western art historical idioms with the cutting-edge cringe of the day.

Exhibition “Praising impermanence”

09 am – 08 pm, 07 Aug – 03 Sep 2023
Annam Gallery, 371/4 Hai Bà Trưng, Võ Thị Sáu Ward, District 3, HCM City

Annam Gallery and Lan Tinh Foundation are pleased to present “Praising impermanence”, an inaugural solo exhibition of Hoài-Phương. This curated collection, overseen by Ace Le – founder of Lan Tinh Foundation, comprises over 30 paintings, each accompanied by a Haiku poem composed by the monk poet Pháp Hoan.

Out of a pool of over 600 poems, Hoai Phuong personally selected each poem based on her profound connection and sympathy. The painting titled “Eighty four thousand trees” embodied the vast forest of Buddhist preaching while reflecting her own feeling as she embarked on her artistic journey. The painting “Great Snow” is based on a koan of a Zen master who chopped down a Buddha statue to make a bonfire, making her question about the true nature of belief. The painting “Arid field” made her sympathize with the farmers from Mekong delta whose livelihood are endangered with water salinization and prolonged drought.

As a self-taught artist hailing from Saigon, Vietnam and now based in Bologna, Italy, Hoài-Phương has always been driven by a passion for drawing. She transformed this hobby into a lifelong career while pursuing her B.F.A in the United States, and now as a mother of two, she continues to nurture her art practice alongside her family.

Utilizing traditional Asian techniques such as painting with natural pigments and ink, Phương hopes to understand the essence of the past while also bringing a fresh perspective to her work. Her art is a fusion of Asian techniques and Western realism, reflecting her position as a diasporic Vietnamese constantly questioning her place and connection to her surroundings. Like a plant seeking to root itself in foreign soil, Phuong is always contemplating the East and the West within her heart.

Her work is a meditation on the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world, a contemplation of the mysteries of the universe, and a search for hidden truths. Through her pieces, Phương weaves a poignant narrative of the human experience and the beauty of natural phenomena, showcasing her deep appreciation for the complexities and wonders of the world around us.

Dissonance III: Deep Forest Prologue

 22 July – 31 Aug 2023
Vin Gallery, 35/8 Nguyen Van Dau, Ward 6, Binh Thanh District, HCM City

Dissonance III: Deep Forest Prologue by artist, Harumi Yonekawa. Living and working in Tokyo, Harumi Yonekawa has explored various lens-based media such as photography and sculpture for her installations since the early 90’s, and has developed an in-depth understanding and pursuing relationships between the existence of the body and the possibilities of reality.

The UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 
June – Dec 2023

 The UK/Viet Nam Season will take place across Viet Nam, between June and December 2023 in order to celebrating the best of UK-Vietnamese partnerships across the arts, creative industries, higher education, and in English language. Its programme of events includes exciting workshops, performances, exhibitions, hackathons and more.

The UK and Viet Nam first forged a diplomatic relationship 50 years ago – this Season commemorates the 30th anniversary of British Council’s presence in Viet Nam. UK/Viet Nam Season is an opportunity to strengthen existing bonds and forge new creative partnerships between the people of both countries.

The UK/Viet Nam Season kicks off in June and will showcase the richness of the relationship between the UK and Viet Nam – from one-of-a-kind major festival performances, to interactive large-scale exhibitions that tackle global challenges, to works delving into the rich history of Vietnamese–British communities, or sonic journeys exploring the voices who have made a home in Hue City and Manchester. The Season is focused on building on the rich historic ties between the UK and Viet Nam, and how we create our future together.

Throughout UK/Viet Nam Season, British Council will actively support new educational resources that focus on how we can create a more sustainable world. These resources are designed for classrooms at all levels, so students and teachers can learn about the important challenges facing our planet and how they can make a difference.

British Council’ll bring together experts from both the education and language sectors, to help us address this global challenge and engage our communities in the conversation.

SICILY – Leica Photo Exhibition by Fulvio Bugani
 

 A photograph taken by Fulvio Bugani will be displayed at an exhibition titled "Sicily" at Casa Italia Hanoi from August 18 to August 31.

Until Aug 31, 

Casa Italia Hanoi, No. 18 Le Phung Hieu street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

Leica Vietnam proudly presents in cooperation with the Casa Italia the photo exhibition ‘SICILY’ from Leica International Ambassador – Fulvio Bugani on the occasion of 50th an-niversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Vietnam (1973-2023).

With his well-known “narrative instinct”, Fulvio Bugani brings 20 selected photographs that encapsulate the essence of Sicily. A world apart from the bustling city, Sicily embod-ies a rhythm of life that is slow and serene, like the gentle lapping of the Mediterranean Sea. This pace is dictated by the heat of the sun that rises high in the sky and sets when day is done.

Isolation in Sicily can be both a blessing and a curse, as it has the power to make or break a person’s emotions. As the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily stands as an autonomous region of Italy with a rich and complex history spanning thousands of years. It has been ruled by numerous civilizations including the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Nor-mans, and Spanish, each leaving their indelible mark on the island’s culture, architecture, and cuisine.

Today, Sicily remains a captivating tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. Through his lens, Fulvio Bugani captures the essence of this remarkable island, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the unique stories and emotions that Sicily evokes.