White Noise Exhibition Explores Hybrid Bodies and Trauma in Vietnamese Art

At the Nguyen Art Foundation in Ho Chi Minh City, the exhibition White Noise explores the ways in which human subjectivity, encompassing gender and national identities, is shaped by the body. Running until 20 January, the display showcases contemporary Vietnamese artists who employ hybrid techniques to confront trauma and societal issues. Lai Dieu Ha's Hurt in here (2011) features dried pork skin to mimic human skin, while Trần Tuấn's Forefinger (2021) critiques capitalism through a massive index finger crafted from American soldiers' ID tags. Nguyen Phuong Linh’s Tongue (2021) pays tribute to vanishing salt farmers, and Dinh Q. Le’s Adrift in Darkness (2017) reflects on the collective identity of refugees. The exhibition's lighting design enhances themes of memory, loss, and rebellion.