» Hunting as a metaphor for politics no. 2 #15

With its title referring to the research of historian Eric Jennings, the series Hunting as a metaphor for politics belongs to Le Phi Long’s project Dong Duong Lang Du. From the historical and sociological investigation which the artist has been conducting since 2016 in Dalat (Central Highlands, Vietnam) and France, the project focuses on unpacking the ambition of colonial powers by highlighting France’s political plans from the late 19th century to the early 20th century in Vietnam. For this series, the artist samples architectural drawings and construction plans of colonial buildings, re-interpreting old postcards and illustrations from hunting catalogs and archival pictures. By doing so, he aims to decipher and re-interpret the establishment of Western influence in Vietnam, as well as attempting to transform his work into a space to contemplate issues of historical legacy and consequences.

(Edited from text excerpts provided by the artist)