Exhibition Showcase ‘New Form II: Sculpture – Architecture – Space’ at Module 7
Opening: Fri 14 Nov 2014, 5.30 pm
Exhibition: 14 Nov – 04 Dec 2014
Art Talk: Sun 16 Nov 2014, 3 pm
Module 7
See photos of the artworks at the exhibition.
From Module 7 and New Form:
Exhibition Showcase ‘New Form II: Sculpture – Architecture – Space’
Artists: Nguyen Ngoc Lam, Le Lang Luong, Pham Bao Son, Tran Trong Tri, Pham Dam Ca
Curator: Nguyen Anh Tuan
Module 7 and New Form sculpture group cordially invite you to the showcase of the experimental sculpture works called ‘New Form II: Sculpture – Architecture – Space’. The exhibition is an activity in the project New Form phase II, 2014 – 2015.
NEW FORM, a contemporary sculpture project, aims to study and experiment new creative possibilities in sculpture as well as bring sculpture closer to the modern living space. The group was founded by sculptors living and working in Hanoi. New Form project was developed and operated in the time frame of three years in three phases. Each phase has its own strategy and orientation.
In the phase I of the project in 2013, the members conducted research and experiments for new innovative ways to create works, such as: the study of the language of the shapes, changing the forms of the sculptures, leading sculpture to organize and control the exhibition space, combining lights into the artwork structure as well as the experimentation of materials. The members of the project can pursue in one and more than these directions mentioned above. This direction combined with the own distinctive art style or transformed into a totally new way of expression. These experimental strategies were introduced in New Form 1 at Vietnam Sculpture Gallery, 12 Quan Su, Hanoi early November 2013.
The second phase in 2014, New Form aims to connect the sculpture works into the everyday life architectural space. In Manzi during October 2014, we displayed the works of artists Pham Thai Binh, Thai Nhat Minh, Khong Do Tuyen and Hoang Mai Thiep. This show tries to implement the experimental ideas in the art space in combination with the bar, café as well as other performance events. The second exhibition in Module 7 – in an interior design and fashion space – contains the works of artists Nguyen Ngoc Lam, Le Lang Luong, Pham Bao Son va Tran Trong Tri. With the criteria of the second phase on the space element of the works and creates an dialog with the actual space, the experimental sculpture works of New Form don’t just meet challenges from the internal change inside the nature of sculpture but also seek to get connected with the space. The space has the determined shades, functions and life, which lies in different contexts and quite distinctive from a pure art space.
One of the earliest members of New Form, this is the first time Nguyen Ngoc Lam showcases his works in the project exhibition. From the idea expressing the relations between nature and man-made objects, which the artist has been pursued for recent years, Lam seems to be not trying to refresh this time but more focus on the reality of sculpture with its surrounding context. A natural tree with a sexy shape for decorative display, Nguyen Ngoc Lam put into it stainless cubes. This was then put inside the space of Module 7, the artist wants to find the connection between sculpture and modern furniture: this lies in the contrast between the natural and artificial form of the artwork, as well as the exoticism of the artwork within this unique aesthetic space.
Continue to work on the idea “Landscape sculpture”, Le Lang Luong has significant changes in the structure and display plan of the work. In New Form 1, Luong showed the works as combination of the solid and the hollow pieces. There’s the softness of the paper and the flatness, coldness but sexiness of the metal cast. The displaying of the works both in the wall and in the ground seems to find the reflection or connection between two contrast pieces in the same work. In New Form II, the artist wants to strengthen the “conceptualization” of the sculpture by combining the real shapes and its shadow on the wall. The appearance of two types of entities and the silhouettes of the sculpture in the structure of an artwork in conjunction with the installation, the natural space and the surrounding space, this shows that the artist has gone further in the study of experimental research that requires more multi-dimensional awareness. This also gives the viewers more options to enjoy the artwork: from the outside, go inside, among the real work and its shadow on the wall, the borderlines between reality and concepts in life.
One of the artists pursuing experimental expression in the project, Pham Bao Son has presented works with the high changes in shapes, materials as well as the displaying. In New Form 1, Son expressed the idea of wind-rain-water, unshaped things by sculpture in combination with glass, wood, iron and LED lights. The artwork certainly has the inspiration from architecture and design as well as the boldness in implementing a new sculpture language. In this exhibition, the artist uses the old material and language to experiment a sculpture developed in the vertical axis with strong interaction with the architecture. The piece is a cylindrical square from the floor to the ceiling, which is made of glass, stainless steel and lights. The idea of the dialog with the architecture isn’t just in the sculpture language but there’s connection between the interior columns as well as the communication between the objects and the design spirit of this space.
Before taking part in New Form, Tran Trong Tri has always followed the new ways of expression both in forms and installation of experimental sculptures. This shows that the artist’s creative thinking as well as his flexibility in creating new works. Participating in New Form 1, the artist implemented a site specific piece, which was a 12 meter-high steel cylinder under the narrow space of tube house stairs – a pretty typical architectural style of urban Hanoi, with egg-shapes glowing sticking around. In New Form 2, there’s a total new experimental direction between sculpture and architecture. A boat-shaped object was placed in the exhibition space as a work of art. From here, the artist wants to pose questions on the meaning of an art work: does it lie in the conscious mind of an artist, during the art making process, in the location and display, or inside the mind of the audience that stands in front of the work and interacts with it. (Where they can lie or sit on the work)
The presence of designer Pham Dam Ca brings new graphical solution for the show. Besides the objective of identifying the exhibition, the artworks, guideline and sending the message, the design implement a new creative way visually with the major theme of using the lines and combining the solid and empty blocks. From the shapes identified in phase 1, this graphic compilation continuously changes in towards many variations (the combination of the solid and empty arrays as well as lines) and recombinant (distributed and arranged in different order). The parallel of the graphic language and sculpture combining the auxiliary functions of the work and its distinctive expressive possibility makes the graphic works become an independent creative idea as a work of art.
The showcase of sculpture in real life space is a changing step in New Form 2 project. If in phase 1, the artists can only experiment in certain ways and there are still limitations in the gallery space, which is considered to be more or less favourable. In phase 2, putting the sculpture in an actual space creates more challenges for the artists in handling and controlling the works with the complexity of the exhibition space and its everyday function, which includes the environment, lighting and audience engagement. Therefore the experimental elements requires more complex observation, the advantages and limitations appeared is needed for such a project. But the effort towards linking the arts with the living space is something valuable.
New Form group
Formed by a group of sculptors living and working in Hanoi, New Form project was established with the desire to seek, research and experiment new creative possibilities of sculpture and connecting arts with the current living conditions and contexts.
Started in 2013, New Form project first aimed towards the experiments in sculpture in the changing of forms and artwork content. In the next phases, New Form aims towards bringing these sculpture experiments connecting to living spaces and its everyday life so that it can find the possibilities to bring arts closer to human beings. New Form also tries to generate an experimental space for new creative faces of sculpture and visual arts in Vietnam.
Module 7
Founded in 2002, Module 7 is a leading company in interior design consultancy in Hanoi with many innovative products pursuing their own style of simplicity, sophistication, elegance inspired by Asian cultural essence.
The design of Module 7 is the seamless combination of contemporary design and Vietnamese cultural essence. Products are designed and made in traditional craft villages across the country. Each item holds long-standing cultural values of traditional artisanal know-how with a resonance of modernity.
Module 7 located at 83 Xuan Dieu str., in Hanoi, is also a premium for Hanoi Art work showing and Design scene.
Communications partners: Hanoi Grapevine and &OfOtherThings
| MODULE 7 83 Xuan Dieu Str, Tay Ho, Hanoi Tel. +84-4-3719 7247 [email protected] www.module7design.com |
