KVT – Luong Viet’s Sculpture Win again

KVT satisfied with simplicity at Chula

I have a lot of arty adventures pedaling my bike around greaterHanoi.

Way back in July 2011 I was out in the shadows of Thang Long Bridge and came across the studio of sculptor Luong Viet, a reserved and exceptionally talented man. I was so blown away with Viet’s large work that I named him as one of the best art events of 2011. 

Thus this week when I found out that Diego and Laura had an exhibition of his sculptures at Chula I couldn’t wait to get back on my bike on Monday and pedal around Ho Tay on a sunny winter’s day and get amongst them.

And was I disappointed? No way! In fact they’re a sure bet to in my top twenty list of the best of the best of 2012.

Before you enter Chula, if you look up at the Chula Tower, you see a large red rectangular cube standing in a cage at the top…at night it’s illuminated

Red is often used by Viet as a signature color (below in a 2011 work in his studio) 

Then to pique your interest as you enter the Chula front gate is one of Viet’s older steel works standing proud in a well stocked fish pond

Immediately you meet the first and largest of Viet’s pieces in this exhibition and you sort of stand in contemplative mood and take all of its simple beauty on board

It’s the way that Viet successfully and beautifully marries sculptural mediums together that always make me stop and ponder and wonder and aesthetically enjoy…steel and wood, bronze and wood…..Some are large and obtrusively displayed while others are semi concealed in nooks and crannies and on surfaces throughout the marvelous maze that makes up Chula.

And I think that Diego has decided to purchase the very beautiful work shown here

I’m not a huge fan of a lot of modern works in marble but Viet uses it nicely indeed….married and single.

Viet cites Richard Serra as a big influence in his work as this comes across in the extremely lovely Serra type steel curve that sits in one of the courtyards.

Or the block that holds audience in another courtyard

If you really like discovering minimalist sculpture work in cunning and delightful places then I’d suggest a visit to Chula by yourself or as part of a very small group. As you wander you can’t help but give out sighs of enjoyment. Whether these small pieces are maquettes for larger works I’ve no idea. They certainly work as they are in wood, in steel, or as pieces cunningly combined.

The connecting covered walkway is the central part of the exhibition and apart from being the focus of  3 excellent works, features a Diego made panel of  polished steel that has a photographic montageof Viet and his work attached.

I talked to few  people who’d attended the opening of the exhibition last Saturday night and they weren’t even half as as excited as me about the works on show. In fact a couple hadn’t even noticed most of them.

What a shame to be so blind in the midst of  such wonder!

One of the shows not to be missed….. on until the end of December and welcomes the wandering public.