Exhibition “Praising impermanence”

09 am – 08 pm, 07 Aug – 03 Sep 2023
Annam Gallery
371/4 Hai Bà Trưng, Võ Thị Sáu Ward, D.3, HCMC

From the organizer:

Annam Gallery and Lan Tinh Foundation are pleased to present “Praising impermanence”, an inaugural solo exhibition of Hoài-Phương. This curated collection, overseen by Ace Le – founder of Lan Tinh Foundation, comprises over 30 paintings, each accompanied by a Haiku poem composed by the monk poet Pháp Hoan.

Out of a pool of over 600 poems, Hoai Phuong personally selected each poem based on her profound connection and sympathy. The painting titled “Eighty four thousand trees” embodied the vast forest of Buddhist preaching while reflecting her own feeling as she embarked on her artistic journey. The painting “Great Snow” is based on a koan of a Zen master who chopped down a Buddha statue to make a bonfire, making her question about the true nature of belief. The painting “Arid field” made her sympathize with the farmers from Mekong delta whose livelihood are endangered with water salinization and prolonged drought.

As a self-taught artist hailing from Saigon, Vietnam and now based in Bologna, Italy, Hoài-Phương has always been driven by a passion for drawing. She transformed this hobby into a lifelong career while pursuing her B.F.A in the United States, and now as a mother of two, she continues to nurture her art practice alongside her family.

Utilizing traditional Asian techniques such as painting with natural pigments and ink, Phương hopes to understand the essence of the past while also bringing a fresh perspective to her work. Her art is a fusion of Asian techniques and Western realism, reflecting her position as a diasporic Vietnamese constantly questioning her place and connection to her surroundings. Like a plant seeking to root itself in foreign soil, Phuong is always contemplating the East and the West within her heart.

Her work is a meditation on the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world, a contemplation of the mysteries of the universe, and a search for hidden truths. Through her pieces, Phương weaves a poignant narrative of the human experience and the beauty of natural phenomena, showcasing her deep appreciation for the complexities and wonders of the world around us.

* Entrance fee: 50.000VNĐ/person

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