KVT with his head in the (red) clouds

KVT drops in to Gallery 39, and later stumbles across some unexpected treats.

Looming clouds at 39

If, like me, you’ve been mesmerized by the image on the PR releases from Gallery 39 of Dam Dang Lai‘s seed sculpture and rush along to see more of the same you’ll be disappointed. Lai has one seed on display and very beautiful it is too as it reflects on a mirror, the reflection as stunning as the object. It’s worth a visit.

The exhibition is really about Lai’s red clouds. These are long stretches of steel that have been roughly cut from steel sheets. Some are folded and shaped almost geometrically. Most are embossed and some have figurative addends. They are painted in red enamel but retain an industrial look.

As you enter the small gallery there are images of some of Lai’s previous sculptural installations which also look really exciting. I kept wondering what these clouds might have looked like as they floated in line along a long white wall.

Steel clouds? Once they exclaimed the same about ships. These metaphoric shapes are interesting to read and are very tactile. Are these clouds for the blind to decipher?

Lai has been living in Japan so the influences are pronounced. And even if I only came across one  fabulous, floating seed these menacing cloud objects were a rewarding visual experience.

Stumbled across these

Two of the most exciting things around town last week and that finish next weekend are at the Fine Arts Exhibition House on the corner of Ngo Quyen Street and Trang Tien.

On level 2 is a very fine group of installations by six Japanese artists from Northern Japan. The exhibition is called North to North and if you are into installations it’s an exhibition not to be missed. I presume that this exhibition is in conjunction with the Sculptures of Vietnamese artist Dam Dang Lai at Gallery 39. Lai’s wife is Japanese and several of his excellent steel clouds are included here. Everything is tight in the gallery space but breathes enough for the viewer to be able to gasp in admiration and in anticipation of what each artist’s full blown installation would be like. To have favorites here is futile for all are so good to look at. I know that I won’t be limiting myself to just one visit.

And thank goodness I did otherwise I’d have missed the Nguoi Nhat Bans on level 2.  

Not a reviewer, not a critic, “Kiếm Văn Tìm” is an interested, impartial and informed observer and connoisseur of the Hanoi art scene who offers highly opinionated remarks and is part of the long and venerable tradition of anonymous correspondents. Please add your thoughts in the comment field below.