KVT – Installation “Involved and East Sea Ballad”

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EAST SEA INTERLUDE

UPDATE: A mistake as to age was made in this piece and KVT wishes to apologize to sculptor Dao Chau Hai. The mistake has been rectified and the entry now reads as it should.
Thanks to Lin for pointing out the mistake (see her comment below).

Just back from a few days at the Shanghai Biennale with my mind over loaded with lots of fantastic, contemporary art and a little reticent to see any local stuff in case it fell way too short.

I took a friend to the Bui to re-visit Pham Huy Thong’s pink womb canvasses and discovered that they still made me feel great and my friend fell head over heels for them too.

Then I stumbled across the Viet Art Center (I always stumble that way when I’m in that part of the city in case I catch something worthwhile and extremely worthwhile this stumble proved to be).

63 year old Ly Truc Son has counterpointed his exceedingly lyrical abstract and semi abstract scapes on dzo paper against the cold and grey, but equally beautiful, steel wave like sculptures of mid twentyish experienced sculptor and teacher Dao Chau Hai. The collaborative installation is quite wonderful and any viewer would quickly realize that given more money to realize the concept, they would have a real winner on their hands.

The installation called ‘Involved and East Sea Ballad’ may be two distinct bodies of work but they merge seamlessly into one lovely piece, the cold and callous waves surging through a foamy sea of fine white gauze cloth, the same cloth that is used to make simple funeral tunics, meeting a shore that becomes a welcoming haven. The paintings are mounted on canvasses enveloped in the same gauze.

I could rave on about this exhibition and its possibilities but it closes on the 17th and I want to encourage art enthusiasts to catch it.