Exhibition “Light as Pink Feather” by Two Vietnamese Artists in the US

Exhibition “Light as Pink Feather” by Two Vietnamese Artists in the US

Opening Reception: Fri 21 Sep 2018, 6 – 9 pm EDT
Exhibition: 21 – 30 Sep 2018 (Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 1 – 4 pm EDT)
Closing Reception: Sun 30 September 2018, 1 – 4 pm EDT
Sprinkler Factory
38 Harlow St, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

From the organizer:

“Light as pink feather” is a Vinglish (Vietnamese and English) phrase from the Vietnamese saying “Nhẹ tựa lông hồng,” which describes a can-do attitude and optimism to life’s struggles, no matter how complicated or dire the situation.

In this exhibition, Nguyễn Kim Tố Lan and Nguyễn Thế Sơn reflect on this resilient, problem-solving attitude characteristic of the Vietnamese people through their works of photography, drawing, video, and installation. While Sơn’s art focuses on everyday social and political realities in contemporary Vietnam and how people creatively work around them, Lan’s works explore the moon as a longtime symbol for human aspirations and ideals—from the famous Vietnamese folktale of the lonely man and his magical tree on the moon, commemorated in the annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in Vietnam, to the human dream of reaching the moon that was actually achieved by Neil Armstrong in 1969, in contrast with the major worldwide protests and social upheavals that also marked that year. “Light As Pink Feather” looks at the grace, beauty, and humor people find in the world in spite of its many difficulties.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Nguyễn Thế Sơn is a visual artist practicing in a range of media, including photography, silk painting, calligraphy, lacquer, installation, and video. He received his MFA in photography at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and is a professor of fine arts in Hanoi. Fascinated by life on the streets, especially the ubiquitous, ever-toiling, low-wage earners who are so easily overlooked, Thế Sơn uses his photography to create large-scale, layered photo-reliefs and installations that reflect his street experiences. He is currently the inaugural artist of the SE Asia Artist-in-Residency program at the Worcester Art Museum.

Nguyễn Kim Tố Lan is a multidisciplinary, conceptual artist in Ho Chi Minh City. She helped found Sao La Collective, an independent art collective in the southern region of Vietnam. Community oriented, she and fellow artists have been working towards a multi-form “art” approach and creating more public engagement in everyday spaces. She is currently the inaugural artist of the SE Asia Artist-in-Residency program at the Worcester Art Museum.

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