Exhibition “Above Under Sky”
Opening: Sun 02 Mar, 6.30 pm
Exhibition: 02 – 15 Mar 2014
Manzi Art Space
From Manzi:
Manzi art space and Hanoi Grapevine are proud to present a special duo show entitled ‘Above Under Sky’ by visual artists Lê Giang and Lê Hoàng Bích Phượng.
Including a series of simple but intriguing installations and drawings, ‘Above Under Sky’ will transform the space of manzi, urging the audience to find out the real layers hidden behind every single artworks.
Slightly different from her previous artworks which were deftly painted in subtle watercolours tones, this time, Lê Hoàng Bích Phượng brings us her latest creations in human shapes – all are vague, colourless but reflecting the insentience of mankind.
“People are born with different characteristics, appearances and different thinkings. That makes a diverse world with different social classes and distinctive individuals. Everybody has the right to equality and freedom. We have the right to voice our opinions, thoughts that (we think) are appropriate and have positive effects on the community. Some people are afraid to speak their minds, to keep their originality as they don’t want to be different and be isolated. Because of that, they start to lose their own voices, figures, characteristics and become invisible.
Is there any difference at all when everything turns vague, transparent, colourless?”
In connection to Phuong’s, Lê Giang’s artwork is also an exploration into the multi-layers of personal conflicts, to find out the answer for her question “What is a perfect world?”
“Unreasonable holes on the ground, holes in rooms or in unfamiliar spaces; and seals these holes with Perspex. Perspex in a way allows people to look through it to see the feather inside, but also, at some level prevent us with its reflection. As being prevented at the first sight to see what inside the hole, people come closer and try to look inside desperately. The effect of seeing ourselves in the hole poses the question: which side of it are we in? Are we inside the hole or outside? We try to find something but we find ourselves.“
Using the hole as symbol of an entrance to another world, Giang has tried to create an imaginary realm within the everyday, to make possible the utopian.
The event is brought to you by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture & Development & the Cultural Development and Exchange Fund (CDEF) of the Danish Embassy.
Le Hoang Bich Phuong
Born in 1984 in Ho Chi Minh City, Phượng is known as one of Vietnam’s most promising young artists in Vietnam today. A graduate of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University, she was awarded an artist-in-residence in Sapporo, Japan, as part of the ‘JENESYS Program: Invitation Program for Creators’ of the Japan Foundation in 2011. In 2010 she was finalist in the ‘Talent Prize’ of the Cultural Development and Exchange Fund.
Her recent exhibitions include ‘A Transformative Disguise’, San Art, 2012 and Paeonia Dream, San Art 2013; ‘Sapporo Biennale 2011’, Sapporo, Japan, 2011; ‘Shaping a line’, Sàn Art, 2011; ‘Saigon Contemporary’, La Lanta Fine Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand, 2011 and Occupy Utopia, Aalborg, Denmark, 2013
Le Giang
Born in 1989 in Hanoi, after graduating from the Vietnam University of Fine Art in 2010, Le Giang went to London to study art at the Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London. In 2012, she returned to Vietnam and works in Hanoi as an independent artist and drawing teacher.
As a young and dynamic artist of Hanoi, Giang works on a wide range of media: drawings, installations, and sculptures. Her recent exhibitions include: ‘Reincarnate’. Conflictable Cube art space. Irabaki, Japan (2013), Young South East Asia Artist Festival. Spot Art, Singapore (2013); Bend over Shirley. Beaconsfield Gallery. London, UK (2012); A Machine For Living in. Hannah Barry Gallery, UK (2012)…
| Manzi Art Space 14 Phan Huy Ich, Hanoi |
