A. Curatorial Rationale
An intersection, quite literally, is a place where two or more distinctive entities cross over one another. My IB Visual Art Exhibition – Điểm giao nhau (the intersection) – explores the relationship between the traditional and contemporary values that arose as the Vietnamese society progresses. Recording the experiences of being a woman, the intersection diversifies by looking at the central message through an eclectic mix of lenses – from scrutinizing the conversations regarding social norms, examining the human connection with time, to looking at my own experiences as a third-culture kid.
My exhibition as a whole is an extension of the central work which is the artbook gold, which consists of two parts: reality and dream. The first part of the artbook, reality, records stories of the stigmas surrounding gender, both locally and globally. However, dream, the second part, was made in the form of a diary to record the journey of a young girl as she escapes from social norms. As the name suggested, the two parts of the artbook contrast with each other – one is general, the other is personal; one records external conflicts, while the other explores internal conflicts. The theme of ‘gender’ is where reality and dream intersect.
My exhibition resembles a timeline (from past to present) that can be further divided into two parts in accordance with the artbooks. The opening and the ending pieces were placed separately on the smaller walls of my exhibition space to mark the entry and exit points.
My pieces are also formally linked by the incorporation of different shades of yellow to physically represent a sustained relationship between traditional and contemporary values. The narrative nature of the exhibition is further communicated through starting with the imagery of a river and ending with imagery of the ocean.
Besides allowing the viewers to immerse themselves into the stories that were presented within each of the pieces, I also want the audience to discuss their interpretations of the works based on their prior experiences; I want them to leave their own ‘traces’ on my work. Hence, the intersection does not only presents the intersections of cultural and contemporary values, but also triggers a connection between the artist’s ideals and that of her audience.
B. Exhibition Map
I currently don't have access to most of my works from this exhibition. Below are some of them, but this page will be updated once I'm able to retrieve my old pieces. Thank you for understanding.
C. Pieces from art book GOLD – Reality
1. Inner Beauty
30 x 30 cm | Ink on watercolor paper
A commentary on how teenage girls suffered greatly from societal beauty standards.
2. Her value(s)
30 x 30 cm | Acrylic and charcoal on acrylic paper
Commentary on the negative perception of women's infertility.
3. "..."
30 x 30 cm | Charcoal and acrylic on parchment paper
Commentary on domestic abuse.
4. boys don't cry
20 x 30 cm | Photography
Commentary on toxic masculinity and traditional male values.
5. break free
30 x 30 cm | Acrylic on acrylic paper
Commentary on the binary gender norms.
6. Polychrome
30 x 30 cm | Acrylic on acrylic paper
Call-to-action for an inclusive world.
B. Other pieces in the Exhibition
nơi phù phiếm (place of frivolity)
50 x 70cm | Marker pen on 300gsm watercolor paper
‘Place of frivolity’ illustrates the desire for a place where women can divorce themselves from the responsibilities of the mundane, everyday world. The women here are attractive, mysterious, and mellifluous (communicated through bright colors). They could be anyone we want them to be, anywhere we desire them to be. The figures are distorted to reinforce the idea of personal beauty rather than suggesting a standard.
trivial
35 x 90 cm | Photographs mounted on foam board
‘trivial’ is a series of photographs capturing a teenager filming a TikTok video (in the POV of the camera). Women, especially teenage girls, don’t hold cultural capital in society. Men’s hobbies are often considered good taste, but entertainment for women is deemed superficial. this piece asks, why do we label these similar perceptions with such drastic differences in connotations?
Isn’t she happy?
ending piece: ‘adrift’
50cm diameter | Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas
I started with a very general and broad piece, so I want to end with a more personal and intimate ambiance. ‘adrift’ talks about the confusion and uncertainty of an individual amidst the swells and washes of waves of traditional and contemporary values, a question of self-identity and sense of belonging. the gold leaf reveals the anticipation for the future – the artist is curious to explore how those experiences will contribute to her growth as a scholar, and above all, a woman.
