From social critique and political satire to the celebration of human strength, Hope – the inaugural exhibition of Craig Thomas Gallery's new downtown location – is the most personal exhibition to date by Hanoi-based artist Pham Huy Thong.
The holidays aren't here just yet, at least in the world of art, as Craig Thomas Gallery (CTG) opened its second space in downtown Saigon earlier this month near Ben Thanh Market.
It is not clear whether the new gallery space will have a different curatorial program from the original location off Hai Ba Trung, but we are glad that the only commercial gallery specializing exclusively in contemporary Vietnamese art now has a more central location. At a time when downtown Saigon's most prolific and influential art spaces are in jeopardy – Galerie Quynh and Dia Project, the city's two other main contemporary art galleries, will soon relocate after the building they inhabit on Dong Khoi is demolished – another CTG venue is reassuring to Saigon's art scene.
For the grand opening of its second gallery, CTG chose Hope, the latest series of paintings by Hanoi-based artist Pham Huy Thong. Though the exhibition has since been moved to CTG's original location in northern District 1, Thong's Hope was a worthy collection for the new space's debut.
Pham Huy Thong, Spring Water (2015), acrylic on canvas. Image courtesy of Craig Thomas Gallery.
Social mobility and internal migrations seem to be under scrutiny across Thong's large canvases: everyday men carry miniature rural villages on carts, bicycles and quành gánh to an unknown new location, but we have to look through the thick paint and rich strokes of Thong’s skies to learn whether their new destination will be fortuitous or not. Along with sea storms and dark green clouds, the use of the color red – a recurring feature in Thong’s practice since his 2009 Don Bao series, which centered on the development of Vietnamese society after the end of the war – is contrasted by the presence of white clouds, representing the hope of the people.
The Hanoi-based artist has quickly built a reputation for creating politically charged artwork and for his commentary on Vietnamese society, however Hope leads us down a more personal and optimistic path, as he explained at the gallery's opening. “I am talking more about society and my point of view about life,” the artist said.
Pham Huy Thong, Retail Dreams (2015), acrylic on canvas, 140 x 160 cm. Image courtesy of Craig Thomas Gallery.
This new series was conceived as an investigation into humans' ability to deal with and overcome adversities through the undying force of hope. “The first story that urged me to do this was when I went back to my village outside of Hanoi,” Thong explained at the exhibition's opening. “I realized that all the young people had left. I asked the elderly if they still had fun, and they said that funerals have become the best moments because the young people come back. They still see the positive.”
Although there is a clear criticism about the increasing economic gap between the rich and poor in Vietnam, Thong explained that the show does not aim to be a social portraiture of farmers’ lives or of villagers migrating to cities, but rather an example of multiple manifestations of desire, optimism and faith within cultural, socio-economic, historical and personal frames.
Pham Huy Thong, Hometown Burden (2015), acrylic on canvas, 140 x 160 cm. Image courtesy of Craig Thomas Gallery.
The piece Hometown Burden, in which a man walks toward a grim horizon with no visible end while carrying his village in a quành gánh, immediately conjures up stories of poor villagers having to leave their hometown for the city in order to provide for their families. The familiarity of the scene also opens discussions on whether this is a desire from a past Vietnam. It makes the different motivations and aspirations of the new generation more evident, posing questions about what the next generation will wish for and what the common thread is which keeps humans hoping for something better.
Thong's paintings also explore the philosophical side of hope. This concept has enthralled thinkers for centuries, from the European existentialist philosophers to contemporary Asian savants like Seiichi Hatano. German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer believed that desire and hope are primordial and innate parts of human nature. For him, men’s lives are part of an endless cycle in which hope is men’s illusion of fulfilling our desires; when those desires are met, others surface.
Whether it is a small ambition like selling goods (Retail Dreams) or a grand endeavor like preserving your land from disaster (Land of My Forefather), Thong’s oil paintings allude to the role hope plays as an intrinsic and unavoidable tie that separates life and death.
Pham Huy Thong, Land of My Forefather (2015), acrylic on canvas, 160 x 140 cm. Image courtesy of Craig Thomas Gallery.
The Last Hope depicts a man beheaded by the Islamic State. He is on his knees wearing the usual orange jumpsuit, and doves are flying out of his decapitated head. “[This piece] is about what Isis' victims think about during this last moment. I think, in their mind, they still have a last hope,” Thong explains.
He added that he does not wish for the viewers to feel pity or sadness for his subjects; on the contrary, he hopes that this exhibition will instill a sense of admiration for human strength.
Over the years, Thong’s works have had a fascinating strength of their own: they can be satirical (Captain! Our Ship Has Been Ducked!), grotesque (A Sacrifice) and downright grim (Bubble Kingdom), but their arresting power is undeniable. Whether you like his aesthetic or not, this provocative painter has the ability to draw viewers towards his canvases because, deep down, we know there is a bit of each of us in his paintings.
Hope will be on display until January 10 at the original Craig Thomas Gallery.
27i Tran Nhat Duat, Tan Dinh Ward, D1
09 03 888 431
12pm – 6pm, Tues to Sat; 1pm – 5pm, Sun
You can also visit the second Craig Thomas Gallery location near Ben Thanh Market.
165 Calmette, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, D1
09 03 888 431
12pm – 6pm, Tues to Sat; 1pm – 5pm, Sun
[Top image courtesy of Craig Thomas Gallery]
