Nguyen Huy An, one of the six artists that will participate in the “In Situ” exhibition - Photo: courtesy of the organizer

The exhibition, titled “In Situ”, a Latin phrase meaning “in the original place” or “natural arrangement”, showcases the latest artworks by the six artists.

Presenting a thorough experiment on lacquer and silk through more than 20 works, the exhibition takes the viewers to a diverse reality of life, from the nostalgic and carefree spirit in Nguyen Duc Phuong’s artworks, the delicate and richly meaningful silk paintings of Huy An, and the dark obsessions of Nguyen Tran Nam’s black and white lacquer series, to the melancholy portraits on silk of Nguyen Minh Thanh.

Viewers will also be attracted by the obscure relations between time and space in Le Hoang Bich Phuong’s fragile silk works, and reflection of the immaterial, virtual and digital reproduction in Phi Phi Oanh’s lacquer on steel series.

Painting has always been an important part of the artistic practice of the six, particularly in this exhibition where silk and lacquer are the main mediums. “In Situ” therefore questions “what is it that defines a painting?” and “where do the boundaries and rules for the medium lie?”

The exhibition will open on August 31 and run until October 15, offering free entrance. A talk by the six artists will be held in early October.

“In Situ” is part of the Manzi Art Program supported by the Goethe Institut.

The new space is just a one-minute walk from the current Manzi Art Space at 14 Phan Huy Ich Street. It will be a space for exhibitions, art events, workshops, and a residency studio with the aim of supporting and promoting young Vietnamese artists and international collaborations.