When My Spirit is a Butterfly

10 am – 07 pm, Tues – Sun, 16 May – 09 June 2024
Cuci Art Studio
3rd floor, 17 Hàng Cân, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội

From the orgnanizer:

Cuci Art Studio is grateful to introduce the exhibition ‘When My Spirit is a Butterfly’ by the group of artists: Nguyễn Xuân Hoàng, Phan Tuấn Ngọc, Nguyễn Đoan Ninh, Nguyễn Hồng Phương, Nguyễn Khánh Toàn, Đoàn Xuân Tùng. The exhibition presents a collection of 21 works, including works using paper and silk materials.

The artist takes his canvas as his wings to fly to gardens. Fragile as it may be, the stories etched in each stroke of the paintbrush are like the veins webbed within the wings. They are the stria through which the butterfly channels the vital energy that allows it to take flight, traveling from flower to flower; spreading the pollen grains so more are sown in the garden.

Before the artist opens up and pecks to the sun, they’re buried within a thick wall, a cocoon that encapsulates the period of the dark night of the soul. All creative ideas come from the unconscious. This period of the larva turning into pupa is a deep investigation of the mind into the very source of life. Artists are the only people intentional at making use of this often unnoticed or ostracized part of the Self.

Đoàn Xuân Tùng

Tùng walks us through the clashes between tradition and modernity, seeking the stories usually buried and recreating them through his assemblage of found objects. His sculpture opens a new way of reorganizing our perception of those left behind lingering in the realm of the forgotten.

Reorganizing these materials to communicate the process of decay changes our relationship with these objects to that of reclamation and integration.

Nguyễn Hồng Phương

Phương has embarked on the realm of fantasy and explored a common dream – that of flying. His flying portrait amid industrial balusters could signify escapism. But his long practice in painting and the control he has earned in his medium made him explore this capacity of the brain to imagine far and beyond. This fascination is usually present in children doing pretend-play of fantasy land, which Phuong experimented with his son sticking cute neon Barbies and butterflies on his work.

Nguyễn Khánh Toàn

In constantly seeking what is new, Toàn is not oblivious to deleting his older self, from one superimposition after another. It’s like witnessing layer after layer of fallen leaf, so thick it sinks when you step on it. The surface cover lies on a ground of memories. Although forgotten, they still fertilize or infect our relationship with the visible realm.

Nguyễn Xuân Hoàng

Hoàng visualizes the somatic experience of the journey towards our inner Self. Mindful walking is a practice to keep us a step closer to our center -to that part of us that is immutable and divine. It reflects the profound spiritual awakening when one goes through the dark night of the soul and chooses to identify with the qualities of the dharma, a journey aligned with one’s unique thread of life and walking through it with presence.

Nguyễn Đoan Ninh

Ninh’s works are usually humorous social commentaries. His mocking approach to things that are taken too seriously guides us to the other side of the fence. Through his playfulness, the repressed ugly part of the human side is unmasked. “I don’t paint the pretty looks that I can see. I draw my perceptions about life,” he said. With humor, he sifts through what matters and provides us clarity on the painful truth – partially dragging us to the dark side of things, yet liberating us from sinking into their abyss through laughter.

Phan Tuấn Ngọc

Ngọc’s works are evanescent, and his media is reminiscent of the delicate wings of a butterfly. To him, “An artist’s mission is to convey what is in the soul in different ways, little by little over time.” His pieces reflect the fragility of moments. Once they pass, they can either be retrieved or dissipate like a drop of paint in a vast body of water.

One image at a time, one drop of paint after the other, a leaf that falls on a bed of decaying leaves—the pieces springing from the unconscious of the six artists reorganize our view of reality into something reflective of their motivation to create—perhaps, that very will to live—love. And so, the butterfly takes flight after a deep reflection on dreams, fantasies, imagination, memories, the humorous incongruences of life, and awakening to the divine.

About Cuci Art Studio

Cuci Art Studio is a contemporary art space that is open to the public. A professional, creative, and versatile space, Cuci Art Studio’s mission is to connect local artists, especially young artists, with national and international audiences. In order to share the essential and true values of the visual arts and honor the humanity of the Vietnamese and their complex contexts, Cuci always welcomes a wide spectrum of talented artists through exhibitions, workshops, talks, lectures, etc. Cuci is proud to represent the well known and talented Vietnamese artists — Lục Quốc Nhượng, Nguyễn Hồng Phương, Nguyễn Khánh Toàn, Lục Quốc Nhượng, and other artist friends….

Founded in 2014 by art organizer Vo Quynh Hoa and artist Nguyen Hong Phuong, companions inboth life and art, Cuci Art Studio values creativity, change, and experimentation, dedicated to introducing Vietnam's hidden visual arts talents to art lovers and collectors at home and abroad.