Curatorial tour with Van Do – ‘White Noise’
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4 November 2023
Read ‘Một cộng đồng trôi dạt và sự đa cảm của vật liệu’ here
Text by gấu thiên thể | Graphic design by Tram Nguyen
This essay is available in Vietnamese only
Sentimental Materials
“The smooth surface of wood worn down through years of skin contact, the fire ash that leaves clothes riddled with holes, the rot of wood submerged in water – these surfaces, impossible to recreate by human hands, are rich with emotion and carry with them singular narratives. This exploration of Thanh Mai’s works led by gấu thiên thể is an effort to delve deeper into the relationships between materials and people, clothing and the body, driftwood and a peaceful home. Anchoring gấu thiên thể’s storytelling of the exhibition is what the duo calls the sentimentality of materials. This journey will unveil the traces of human presence within Thanh mai’s artworks that are unique to a community floating on the vast waters of the Tonlé Sap.
Let’s explore ‘No more, not yet’ with gấu thiên thể!”
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Despite the rain, our Artspace at EMASI Nam Long was filled with an attentive audience for the exhibition outing with gấu thiên thể on a Saturday afternoon. The event explores ‘No more, not yet’ through the relationship between materials and people, clothing and the body, driftwood and a peaceful home.
gấu thiên thể is a public arts project focusing on contemporary art in Vietnam. The project aims to foster connections between the public and creative community, and engage in discussions about the arts using approaches from the two founding members’ disciplines: the social sciences and humanities.
*gấu thiên thể literally translates to celestial bear in English.