”Ethereal Places” by Ha Manh Thang
11 am – 07 pm, Tues – Sat 12 Aug – 02 Sep 2023
Richard Koh Fine Art,
Blk 47 Malan Road,
#01-26 Gillman Barracks,
Singapore 109444
From the organizer:
Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) is delighted to announce the upcoming solo exhibition, “Ethereal Places,” featuring the captivating works of artist Hà Mạnh Thắng. The exhibition will be held at RKFA’s Singapore gallery from 12 to 26 August 2023.
Drawing inspiration from the rich history of East Asian landscape art, “Ethereal Places” presents a collection of Thắng’s works that explore the theme of landscape over the past five years. Deeply rooted in the traditions of East Asian art, landscape has always held a significant place in daily life, serving as a means to express the perspectives and inner thoughts of our predecessors.
Thắng’s artistic journey began with an exploration of the formal changes in landscape, symbolically capturing the essence of Vietnam’s landscapes in his earlier series titled “Vietnam’s Landscapes” (2010-2014). This led him to further delve into the spiritual essence of landscapes with his series “The Circle of Time” (2016-2021) and the subsequent series “The Reflections.” Throughout this artistic evolution, the artist gradually moved away from the traditional depictions of landscapes and embraced a path of visuo-spatial exploration influenced by traditional poetry and abstraction.
Informed by his deep appreciation of Tang poetry, Thắng discovered a profound connection between Chinese classical poetry and landscape art. This revelation allowed him to transcend the boundaries of space and time, exploring the endlessness and delicate beauty inherent in landscapes. Through a process of abstraction, inspired by the characteristics of gushi (Chinese classical poetry), the artist expanded his visual boundaries and embraced a sense of freedom and wholeness within his works.
“Ethereal Places” invites viewers to embark on a journey through Hà Mạnh Thắng’s artistic exploration of landscapes, where history, time, and memories converge. Through his art, the artist aims to connect with viewers, enabling them to reflect upon themselves and their place within the vastness of the universe.
Join us for the opening of “Ethereal Places” at Richard Koh Fine Art’s Singapore gallery on 12 August 2023. Experience the ethereal beauty of landscapes brought to life through Thắng’s masterful creations.
Ha Manh Thang (b.1980, Thái Nguyên, Vietnam) is known for his bold and colourful painterly canvases that juxtapose Vietnam’s past and its rich heritage with fashionable images of consumerist culture.
Bridging modernity and tradition, Thang’s satirical paintings examine Vietnam’s culture and social history within the context of the dramatic changes the country has undergone since Doi Moi.
Thang is one of Vietnam’s most important young painters. He was also the only artist from Vietnam profiled in the Phaidon publication ‘Painting Today’ (2009) alongside acclaimed artists such as Gerhard Richter, Neo Rauch and Peter Doig. Having graduated from the Hanoi Fine Arts University in 2004, Thang has since held a number of notable regional and international exhibitions including Instruments of Meditation: Works of Art from the Zoltán Bodnár Collection, Reök Palace, Budapest, Hungary (2011); Connect: Kunstzene Vietnam, ifa Galleries, Berlin and Stuttgart, Germany (2009); The Rain and The Small Stream presented by Ernst & Young’s Asean Art Outreach program, Singapore (2008); and Post Doi Moi: Vietnamese Art After 1990, Singapore Art Museum (2008).
Ha Manh Thang currently lives and works in Hanoi.
