ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Danh Vo's Retrospective at Guggenheim Examines History Through Objects

exhibition · 2026-04-20

At the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Danh Vo’s exhibition 'Take My Breath Away' presents a 15-year collection of works that delve into both personal and political narratives. Among the displayed historical items are Chippendale-style armchair frames utilized by John F. Kennedy and Robert McNamara during their Vietnam War discussions, alongside letters from Henry Kissinger. Vo's experience as a Vietnamese refugee is emphasized through various pieces, including a chandelier named '08:03, 28.05, 2009', hybrid sculptures, and the silver cross '06.03.1965' from Gemini 4. The photographic series 'Good Life' captures Vietnamese men in a moment of connection, while '2.2.1861' features the last letter of missionary Théophane Vénard. This exhibition concluded on 9 May 2018, receiving a review in Spring 2018 ArtReview Asia.

Key facts

  • Danh Vo's retrospective 'Take My Breath Away' was presented at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York
  • The exhibition featured works spanning 15 years of Vo's career
  • Historical artifacts included Chippendale-style armchairs used by John F. Kennedy and Robert McNamara during Vietnam War planning
  • Framed letters from Henry Kissinger referenced his inability to attend theater due to foreign policy matters involving Saigon, Ho Chi Minh, and Cambodia
  • Vo was born in Vietnam in 1975 and fled with his family after the fall of Saigon, eventually settling in Denmark
  • The exhibition included the photographic series 'Good Life' showing Vietnamese men holding hands, taken by an American anthropologist during the war
  • The show ran through 9 May 2018
  • The review appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of ArtReview Asia

Entities

Artists

  • Danh Vo
  • Ben Eastham
  • Théophane Vénard
  • John F. Kennedy
  • Robert McNamara
  • Jackie
  • Henry Kissinger

Institutions

  • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
  • Guggenheim Museum
  • ArtReview Asia
  • New York Post
  • Vatican

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Vietnam
  • Denmark
  • Saigon
  • Ho Chi Minh
  • Cambodia
  • France

Sources