In Absence, Presence at Nguyen Art Foundation Explores Emotional Materiality

The Nguyen Art Foundation in Ho Chi Minh City showcases 'In Absence, Presence', a collective exhibition featuring four Vietnamese women artists born between the late 1970s and early 2000s. This exhibition is divided between two campuses of the EMASI international school. At the Nam Long location, Nguyễn Thúy Hằng's 'The Warriors' (2011–15) displays muslin- or paper-wrapped figures suspended upside down or clustered on the floor, honoring her family's displacement during the Franco-Vietnam War. Nearby, Linh San presents ceramic sculptures that mimic stacked A4 paper, reflecting themes of personal loss. At the Van Phuc campus, Oanh Phi Phi's ongoing 'Palimpsest' series (2011–) employs lacquer resin on glass plates within magic lanterns to create ethereal color projections. Lêna Bùi's multimedia works feature handwoven wool carpets illustrating chakra maps, layered watercolor-on-silk paintings, and a video titled 'Light' (2024) accompanied by cosmic sounds, encouraging barefoot reflection. The exhibition is open from September to January.