HCMC – Syntax and Diction

Opening: Thu 04 Mar, 6 pm
Exhibition: 04 Mar – 01 Apr
Sàn Art, HCMC

Group exhibition by Arlette Quynh-Anh Tran, Dinh Q. Le, Ha Do, Tran Minh Duc, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Nguyen Duc Thinh, and Tammy Nguyen. Curated by Zoe Butt and Christopher Myers.

There are Vietnamese words that cannot be translated into English.
Dã chiến is a phrase like that. One dictionary tells me it means a battle in an open field.
But I know it means something more. English doesn’t have words for things like this.
I know one phrase in Swahili that comes close, “jua kali.”
In Nairobi, Kenya it means “in the hot sun” literally.
But means something close to ” dã chiến” when people say it.

It’s a certain way of making things, that includes recycling, refining, and repurposing.
Innovation and invention, are at the center of “jua kali” and ” dã chiến.” Which circumscribe the wide set of practices, that include making do when one doesn’t have the traditional materials or resources, or purpose built inventions for which resources and language haven’t been developed yet…

Christopher Myers

Please visit San Art’s website to read the rest of the exhibition statement.