Hoang Duong Cam Blends Abstraction with Vietnam's Political History
Hoang Duong Cam's exhibition, called 'Light permeates the wounds,' is running at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries in Singapore from July 5 to August 7. In this showcase, he blends abstract art with political messages. His vibrant works feature dynamic, swirling surfaces that resemble topographical forms, accompanied by texts that draw from Vietnamese literature, music, and history, especially the Vietnam War. For instance, 'Sunlight in the Garden' (2021) references a 1938 story by Thach Lam about a doomed romance, touching on areas like Huê and Quang Tri. Meanwhile, his series 'The Lightings – Ideal Forms Found in the U Minh Forest' (2022–24) explores the myths of the U Minh Forest, known as a hideout for pirates and the Viet Cong, while encouraging a Zen perspective. Cam’s focus on his own narrative raises questions about whether abstract art can effectively convey political ideas, with much of the meaning hinging on the accompanying text.
Key facts
- Hoang Duong Cam's exhibition 'Light permeates the wounds' runs 5 July – 7 August at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore.
- The paintings are abstract with swirls, strokes, and splashes reminiscent of topological forms.
- Wall texts in first person explain inspirations from Vietnamese literature, music, philosophy, and the Vietnam War.
- Painting 'Hanging a Bird Net' (2017) references a short story by Nguyên Huy Thiêp.
- 'Sunlight in the Garden' (2021) is inspired by a 1938 short story by Thach Lam and named after Huê and Quang Tri, sites of Tet and Easter offensives.
- Series 'The Lightings – Ideal Forms Found in the U Minh Forest' (2022–24) references myths of U Minh Forest, a hiding place for pirates, smugglers, bandits, and Viet Cong.
- Cam describes 'U Minh' as a mental state of uncertainty and not-knowing, akin to Zen's 'beginner's mind'.
- The exhibition relies on textual explanations to convey political content, raising questions about abstraction and politics.
Entities
Artists
- Hoang Duong Cam
- Nguyên Huy Thiêp
- Thach Lam
Institutions
- The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries
- Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Locations
- Singapore
- Vietnam
- Huê
- Quang Tri
- U Minh Forest