» Night Gathering (The Perfect Lock)

In this photographic work, an aerial view captures a nighttime spectacle where 42 motorcycles and their riders engage in a vibrant and colorful performance, their exhaust fumes pumping into 42 plastic inflatable sculptures handcrafted from discarded trash bags found in Vietnamese markets. The scene embodies an aspect of Saigon’s youth culture, inspired by the spirited riders and races that would create a bustling “bão” or “storm” of motorbikes through the city street.

With a thoroughly planned sketch, the artist directed the 42 bike riders to drive to their designated positions, strategically blocking each other’s path in a choreographed sequence. The result resembles the familiar traffic deadlocks often seen on the streets in Saigon, elevated into a conceptually driven artwork that juxtaposes disorder with structure. Amid this organized chaos, the motorcycles’ exhaust emissions serve as both an agent of delight and of danger, mirroring the Hindu myth of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, where creation brings about both blessing and curse, signifying both the beginning and end – a duality that holds profound relevance for the current fate of our planet.