KVT – THE SENSE of a LIGHT TOUCH @ Manzi

Luong Van Viet-sculptor extraordinaire- has invited English language users to use their senses to explore the sculptures in his latest solo exhibition. He has invited Vietnamese readers to use their sense of touch

Scattered over tables in Manzi – that has arranged its interior to suit the exhibition’s minimalist intent – are small metal pieces that are too inviting not to stroke and one in particular suggests that you may rearrange its parts to suit your aesthetic fiddling

As you sip a cool drink on a hot day the squat maquettes, placed on stone tiles on your table are too tempting to leave alone

And the cylindrical columns on a long bench are inveigling

It’s the large, monumental metal sculpture that is the attention grabber and it’s almost too hard not to caress it as you wander around and through it and come across the its small scale precursor

For those readers technically or mechanically inclined this YouTube clip shows the sculptor putting the pieces together

For an appreciative insight into Luong Van Viet’s large works you should read and view critic Ilza Burnett’s excellent piece about his extraordinary solo show last year where she adroitly uses the adjective that is essential when discussing his pieces-tactile.

A 2011 opinion piece I enthusiastically compiled on a hot July day after I’d stumbled into the artist’s industrial studio near Thang Long Bridge visually hints at why I often refer to his sculptures as poetry in steel

When you go upstairs at Manzi you realize the purpose of those inviting table cubes. Scattered through two spaces are full scale works of a few of them.

I tend to label them as functionally tactile sculptures, designed to be sat upon – or at least balanced upon -indoors or out

The wood and steel bench that dominates one space is designed to be a striking functional feature

A lot of Luong Van Viet’s fans really like his works that feature wood and the tall column in the front courtyard, shade dappled, could well be called a signature work

In 2012 a wooden column in the front courtyard greeted viewers to an exhibition of his maquettes at Chula

His marrying of materials is exampled in the two wall mounted works-steel and lacquered wood – which, again are invitingly tactile

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Luong Van Viet’s works in metal, wood, and stone… and CHAM at Manzi is worth a sensory visit… especially with a glass of their chilled guava juice in hand.