Bang Nhat Linh
Bang Nhat Linh (b. 1983, Vietnam) graduated from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts in 2005. Working primarily as a visual artist, he is also well-known as a collector of war memorabilia, which he transforms and recontextualizes as communicable and interactive objects. Linh cites the human condition as a primary concern and inspiration for his artistic practice, which delves into themes of memory, history, and the oblivion of submerged psychological spaces.
Linh’s notable exhibitions include Illuminated Curiosities, Nguyen Art Foundation, HCMC, Vietnam, 2022; SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan, 2017; Miền Méo Miệng / Contemporary Art from Vietnam, Bildmuseet, Umeå, Sweden, 2015; and The Vacant Chair, Nha San Collective, Hanoi, and Dia Projects Dong Khoi, HCMC, Vietnam, 2015.
Studio Visit with Bang Nhat Linh
In this conversation with Nguyễn Art Foundation, artist Bang Nhat Linh reflects on the evolution of his artistic practice: from an initial reluctance toward pursuing art to discovering a distinct artistic language through encounters with foreign-language books and magazines, social relationships, and various journeys and adventures. As he traveled and experienced more of life, Linh gradually moved away from artistic notions tied to physical scale and began tracing microhistorical narratives and personal–collective memories, encapsulating them within the modest forms of everyday household objects. A highlight of the conversation is his thoughtful analysis of the work ‘The Vacant Chair.’ Stemming from the deep-seated divisions within the artist’s own family, this immersive installation – through gestures of intimate, everyday care – embodies an attempt to reconcile postwar conflicts and differences that continue to persist across generations and regions to this day.
This video is part of a series of interviews by Nguyễn Art Foundation.