Home Event Listings Art Đỗ Hà Hoài & Đỗ Trọng Quý

[TGS – Introducing Artists] Đỗ Hà Hoài & Đỗ Trọng Quý

Posted on 27/06/2023

The Grapevine Selection, was initiated by Hanoi Grapevine’s founder – artist Brian Ring exactly 10 years ago in 2013. The exhibition series The Grapevine Selection is an initiative within Hanoi Grapevine’s mission plan, which is to promote Vietnam’s arts and culture at home and abroad.

The Grapevine Selection 2023 is a bold experiment when placing contemporary works of outstanding artists, from painting and sculpture to installation in a space rich in cultural heritage such as the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam to a modern high-end industrial space like Audi Charging Lounge. Hanoi Grapevine hopes that the change in space will not reduce the audience’s experience of enjoying art, but will resonate with works of unique beauty, increasing the sensory experiences by cross-linking exhibition spaces and themes, a trend that will explode in Vietnam in the future.

The Grapevine Selection 2023 selected 53 artworks from 16 artists from the following areas of art practices: Painting, Sculpture and Installation with consultation from the Art Advisory Board.

Artist Đỗ Hà Hoài

Đỗ Hà Hoài was born in 1994 in Gia Lai and graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts in 2018 with a major in Sculpture. Đỗ Hà Hoài’s works explore the observations of human psychological and behavioral reactions, further connecting them with social and environmental issues. Đỗ Hà Hoài has participated in group exhibitions of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association (2015), Saigon Centre Takashimaya (2016), Erato School of Music & Performing Arts (2017), Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts (2017), A. Farm art residency (2018), and Vincom Center for Contemporary Art (VCCA) (2021). In 2021, Đỗ Hà Hoài’s first solo exhibition was held at TOONG, including a series of pieces from the “Dị ứng” project. In 2022, Đỗ Hà Hoài participated in multiple sculpture exhibitions, including “Trung điểm” by VCCA and VinWonders Nam Hội An, the 7th Saigon – Hanoi Sculpture Exhibition, the 5th International Hanoi Art Connecting Exhibition, and “Cảnh Quan Rạn Nở” by Hoa Tay Space.

“Traditionally, a sculpture is produced with materials such as concrete, bronze, stone, wood, iron, ceramic, plastic, etc. I combine those materials with foam. Foam has two physicalities, liquid and solid, and is subjected to substantial external impacts under different conditions to arrive at its final shape. This uncontrollable property of Foam reminded me of uncertainty in the form of allergies on my body, as on anything else. The origin of random allergies is a testament to the uncertainty of the allergens in and out of every “body.” I liken myself to a “body,” a house to a “body,” society to a “body,” and presence to a “body,” or faith, after all, is a “body.” All are exposed to limitless allergens.

Inspired by the physical and mental lives of individuals, about allergies through the experience of allergies when eating bread, body allergies are in sync with the reactions of the self – when human emotions are provoked and invaded by the turbulent flow of information on online social networks. Through that, I depict pain by visualizing the wound with sculpture. By composing about physical allergy, I want to express the sensibility of mental body allergy.”

“Inner Allergy” attempts to portray psychological allergies – the self’s passive reactions to social influences.

Artist Đỗ Trọng Quý

Đỗ Trọng Quý was born in 1994 in Hanoi. Trọng Quý graduated from Hanoi College of Art, then attended and graduated from the Faculty of Painting, Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Trọng Quý began collaborating with Đông Phong Gallery while still a senior in college. By getting an early approach to the working environment as a student, Trọng Quý learned about previous generations’ professional experience and lifestyle, thereby understanding the art scene from a very young age. Trọng Quý soon formed their style and technique, representing the young generation. Trọng Quý’s practices vary in mediums and materials. In 2021, Đỗ Trọng Quý had the first solo exhibition, “Endless Summer” at Mo Art Space. Currently, Quy is studying MFA at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, United States.

The work, “Baby chasing his father”, is part of the dark comedy series Landscape/Stillife 2020. Made with the traditional still-life drawing method, the work depicts a boy driving a lawn mower chasing his father. Inspired by the Greek myth of Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother, the work emphasizes the brutal transfer of power through the image of a lawnmower. The characters bring the look of modern society through their clothes, intended to convey solidarity with contemporary social issues when divorce rates increase. Children use violence as a psychological solution to take the place of the father.

A Blessing

The work is displayed in the form of a sculpture. The turtlehead models (x3) were made by scanning Lidar on the actual scale, then molded and poured with bath soap. The work encourages viewers to rub the turtle’s head and is expected to be corrupted entirely after the Hanoi – Saigon exhibition schedule.

I choose the material bath soap because it has a scent, and for me, it keeps the memory most completely. In addition, this material is intimate because it directly interacts with our skin daily. The corrosion rate will increase compared to the original stone turtle head. This underscores my view of the impermanent existence of a supposed art object. At the same time, they raise fundamental questions about faith and its effects on the surrounding environment.