When thinking of going to a gallery, visitors often rightly think about colorful paintings made in oil on canvas or lacquer. They can be large or small; can be made in realism, impression or abstract.


Artist La Huy poses for a photo with his work made of wax
which is on display  at the exhibition ‘Sensation Zone’ at
Cactus Contemporary Art Gallery in HCMC’s District 2.

However, coming to the solo exhibition named ‘Sensation Zone’ by artist La Huy, those thoughts will disappear as the gallery is blanked in shimmering lights from painted candles and human costumes. The exhibition will open this weekend at the Cactus Contemporary Art Gallery.

Twenty installation and sculptural works are made of wax, a familiar material seeing people think about coziness, human love as well as the truth.

The zone is home to memories, meditation and creativeness of the artist. The show is also the zone for wax to raise its voice about the hopes of love and desires of youth.

Each work is a story that is worth to be discovered as somewhere visitors will meet themselves in that story or just to read their own feelings with sculptured-works of wax.

Entering the gallery, visitors will be firstly amazed by a sculptured-wax dress of a pregnant woman which can make viewers think about the fate of women or imagine a live fetus waiting for a new life.

Visitors will imagine kids becoming angels via the child’s clothing sculptures which come alive after being covered by wax. Inside the garments, hope comes via the candle light flickering, expressing the nobility of angels as well as desire of life of children.

Some large candles are painted meticulously to express the creativeness of the artist lighting always for his life, his career, his love and his passion.

Also, there are old Bibles or Buddhist teaching-books and some old books covered by his wax as if they are pondered and preserved carefully and respectfully. Lines of words appear illusionary in viewers’ eye as if they call them try to read, try to remember and try to keep traditional values or moral advice of Gods.

Meanwhile, scrolled newspapers covered by wax present some daily life issues.

“The Sensation Zone is a part of sensations that I feel everyday in the 20-kilometer journey from my home in District 6 to my painting workshop in Thu Duc District. On that way, I feel many aspects of life, meet many living circumstances and understand many human fates,” said La Huy, adding that he wraps those thoughts in wax and paintings.

The exhibition runs until October 22 at the gallery, 3/13 Quoc Huong Street, Thao Dien Ward, HCMC’s District 2, website: www.Cactusartgallery.com, tel: (08) 3519 3143.

SGT