”The Room”

Sat 13 Aug 2022, 08 pm
Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA)
B1 – R3, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City
72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi

From VCCA:

‘The Room’ is a cross-disciplinary project and a collaboration between Nguyễn Linh Chi (Chi L. Nguyễn) and choreographer Nguyễn Duy Thành. The project consists of the performance series ‘The Room’ that each version takes inspiration and focuses on one symbolic element from the ceramic-making process in relation to life, our worldview and the universe. ‘The Room’ version 01 centers around the mould representing the endless existential cycle while ‘The Room’ version 02 revolves around the symbol of the wheel-table and the emotions compressed, sculpted and thrown by the wheel of rationality, societal norms and the cycle of life. Initiated in 2021, ‘The Room’ version 01 was performed at Goethe-Institut Hanoi in March 2022 with support from their Ignite Creativity Grant.

The idea of ‘The Room’ stems from Chi’s background as she was born and brought up in an environment filled with her father’s ceramic sculptures. From an early age, she observed her father’s ceramic-making processes and comprehended the hard labour of this particular medium, also through her own exploration in her hometown – the ceramic village Bát Tràng. All these have given her much insights and reflection of life in relation to the symbol of the moulds in slip-casting process, the wheel-table as well as the transformative power of ceramic-making all of which lead her to develop the concept of ‘The Room’. And to bring this notion to life, choreographer Nguyễn Duy Thành have created the spaces with the language of movements infused with representative and symbolic layers. Not only is it a personal narrative of the relationship between human and nature (clay – earth, water, fire, time and serendipity) but also ‘The Room’ version 02 brings up multiple interpretations of human communication through emotions being figured as well as the conscious and unconscious sculpting process of feelings and rationality.

‘The Room’ version 02 is performed at The Vincom Contemporary Arts Centre (VCCA) with the production kindly sponsored by VCCA, Ha Manh Thang’s Studio, Viet Art Station and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha from Rubyk Agency; media supported by VCCA & Nghệ thuật & Đời sống; and visual production supported by Grey Picture.

Concept & Production – Nguyễn Duy Thành, Chi L. Nguyễn
Choreography – Nguyễn Duy Thành
Stage – Chi L. Nguyễn
Performers – Vũ Ngọc Bảo, Chu Nhật Vy
Costume Design – Phạm Đăng Khánh
Visual – Việt Jack
Sponsors for production – VCCA, Ha Manh Thang’s Studio, Viet Art Station
Media supporters – VCCA, Nghệ thuật & Đời sống
Filming & photography supporter – Grey Picture

Nguyễn Linh Chi (Chi L. Nguyễn) is an art and design practitioner in Hanoi. Borned and raised in a family with several generations of sculptors as well as having the chance to observe her father’s ceramic sculpting process from an early age, the language of sculpture and installation art have made great influence in Chi’s practice. Although trained in Visual Communication – Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts with experiences in graphic design and product design, Chi has combined elements from her upbringing with her diverse range of experiences to experiment and explore her expressive modes. Above all, with ‘The Room’ project, the language and synthesis of performative arts and stage design have truly revealed what she has been searching for.

‘The Room’ is a cross-disciplinary project initiated by Chi in 2021, in collaboration with choreographer and performance artist Nguyễn Duy Thành. The project consists of the performances The Room version 01, The Room version 02, The Room version 03. In each version, ‘The Room’ focuses on one symbolic element from the ceramic-making process in its relation to the cycle of life. ‘The Room’ version 01 with its space-time centers on the clay mould, ‘The Room’ version 02 focuses on the symbolism of the wheel-table. ‘The Room’ version 01 was performed at Goethe-Institut Hanoi in March 2022 with support from the Ignite Creativity Grant by Goethe-Institut.

On the other hand, in 2020, Chi participated in the group exhibition ‘Citizen Earth’ at Museum of Biology with her multimedia installation of mirrors and sound design by Sound Awakener. In the same year, she co-founded Collective Sonson with Trần Thảo Miên & Linh Trịnh and earned First Prize at Designed by Vietnam 2020. In 2022, she was artist-in-residence at Sàn Art and continues to develop ‘The Room’ project with choreographer Nguyễn Duy Thành. Besides practicing stage installation, Chi has extended her knowledge about dance and performative arts, spatial elements, lighting from Duy Thành and his colleagues.

Nguyễn Duy Thành is a performance artist and choreographer who lives and creates in Hanoi. With multiple years working in the field of performance and participating in many multicultural and multidisciplinary projects, Thành has developed a distinctive motion language transcends pure dance and breaks pre-existing conceptions. In his creation, Thành pays close attention to the connection with the performing space and the expression of the transitional state through the manipulation of speed of motion.

He has a particular interest in works that have the freedom to bring new perceptions of pre-existing realities.

In 2019, based on the traditional spirit in the art of Tuồng, Thành choreographed and performed ‘Thán’ in collaboration with musician Phú Phạm and lighting and stage artist Đặng Xuân Trường. The trio also worked together in the production of ‘Hoa Giấy- A fairy tale’ in 2020.

Thành used to be main choreographer of the HipHop group S.I.N.E until 2013. Then he works as an independent performer. He has performed in different contemporary pieces by choreographer Sebatien Ramizer (France), choreographer Trần Ly Ly as well as participated in projects with local and international names like Arco Renz, Heiner Goebbels, Trí Minh and Jamie Maxtone- Graham.

In 2020, Nguyễn Duy Thành along with other artists, formed the Scarab Art Group. In 2021, he formed the performance group Without A Hitch and developed ‘The Room’ project with Chi L. Nguyễn with the first version of ‘The Room’ performed at Goethe-Institut Hanoi with his team.

Đào Nhật Vy graduated from the Military University of Culture and Arts in Dance Acting. She is now a member of the performance group Without A Hitch and also works in Thang Long Theater and Ta Dance group. In 2021-2022, Vy participated in the performance ‘The Room’ version 01 at Goethe-Institut Hanoi.

Phạm Đăng Khánh, founder of Bigent label, is an independent practitioner in fashion. Khanh’s costumes are always non-binary, free and challenge the contemporary aesthetics. Through clothing, Khanh seeks to communicate not only the aesthetics that covers the body but also empathy and positive spirit in multiple circumstances in life with the hope of being able to help someone.

Vũ Ngọc Bảo graduated from European Classical Dance at School of Dance Vietnam (now Dance Academy Vietnam) from 2003 to 2010. He used to work at Vietnam National Music and Dance Theatre from 2010 until 2015 and Thang Long Theater from 2016 to 2020. Since 2018, he began to practice and experiment with contemporary dance through ‘O show’ with Baydance group. In 2020, he joined Scarab Art Group and in 2021, together with choreographer Nguyễn Duy Thành, he is also a member of the performance group Without A Hitch. In 2022, he also takes part in Ta Dance group and now lives and works in Hanoi.

In 2018, Vũ Ngọc Bảo participated in the liveshow “Bộ tứ Sông Hồng” of the singer Tùng Dương and co-worked with artist Nguyễn Duy Thành. Bảo was fascinated by the freedom in movement as well as the methods and thinking of Nguyễn Duy Thành and since then, he started following and learning from Nguyễn Duy Thành. Besides, in 2021, he was the choreography assistant for ‘The Room’ version 01 and in 2022, he participated in ‘The Room’ version 02 as dance-actor.

Initially a dance-actor, after exploring and experimenting with performance arts, Vũ Ngọc Bảo believes that movement is a synthesis of multiple elements such as the feelings of the body, the imagination of the mind, emotions and also spatial elements, the audiences, the atmospheric qualities, the lighting, etc. are vital aspects in creating a performative work of art. He aims for the freedom as well as the open-mindedness, the intergrity – to be truly oneself above established rules and restrictions.

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Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) B1 – R3, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City 72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi