An impressive fusion of ceramics, installation and video art, the contemporary exhibition 'Van Ceramics' by artist Ngo Trong Van has transformed the familiar space of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association into a vibrant multi-sensory experience, attracting a large audience of art lovers.
Two foreign guests attentively enjoy every delicate ceramic detail at the exhibition 'Van Ceramics' - Photo: H.VY
After more than 3 years of passionately working with clay, glaze and fire, artist Ngo Trong Van has just launched Gom Van in an interesting contemporary exhibition space at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association . The exhibition displays more than 40 ceramic works (including 11 sets of works) carefully arranged, combined with video art projections by visual artist Kyuri Vien, running until December 13.
Van Pottery of passion, dreams and love
At the opening ceremony, artist Ngo Trong Van could not hide his emotions because for him, the solo exhibition Gom Van was like a dream come true. This is a worthy achievement for the creative journey full of ups and downs of a person who tried, failed, left and then returned with passion for pottery.
The large-sized and impressive work Heart of the Forest by Ngo Trong Van - Photo: H.VY
Artist Ngo Trong Van and his wife were both ceramics students. After graduating, he wanted to find his own path with ceramics but failed. With the added worry of making a living, he had to turn to another direction.
But his love for pottery still ached, then gradually reborn when he saw his wife - artist Nguyen Thi Dung still persistently kneading, passionately persevering to let each batch of pottery bloom. So since 2014, he returned to clay and kiln, with dreams of being able to freely create, experiment with new discoveries and express all his inner feelings with pottery. Therefore, coming to Gom Van , viewers can easily feel the love sent from the author. Not only because the exhibition has many heart-shaped artifacts, but also in the very sincere expression of emotions. That is the harmony with the epic themes of nature and life; the use of creativity with delicate, different structures; the meticulous attention to every detail, the tiny explosions of fire mixed with the color of the glaze, or the changing beauty of each layer of glaze inside and out revealed under the cracks after many firings...
Combined with installation art, "Van Pottery" attracts viewers to carefully observe from many angles, the more they look, the more interesting things they discover - Photo: H.VY
Those who learn about pottery can imagine how much dedication, effort and passion the creator has behind it. Just carrying, lifting, and turning the clay to create large ceramic works is a heavy challenge, not to mention the mentally exhausting process of thinking about the work. Next is the process of being nervous with the fire when the pottery is put into the kiln. Because the shape of Ngo Trong Van's works is very complex and unique, as his wife - artist Nguyen Thi Dung said, it is very "unstable". Firing large works with many "unstable" creative elements like that, the risk of damage and cracking is even greater. But in return, the joy from a successful batch of pottery is incomparable. Every time the pottery comes out of the kiln, the couple admires it together in overflowing joy. Therefore, Gom Van is also the crystallization of the endless creative process of an artist's soul always pursuing perfect beauty and understanding himself.
Artist Ngo Trong Van is happy at his first exhibition Gom Van - Photo: H.VY
The Private Path of a Ceramic Sculptor
Ngo Trong Van once confided that with pottery, creative emotions from the heart and mind are transmitted directly through the hands, creating a genuine connection between the earth and people. That philosophy makes him always focus on the deep connection between people and nature, gradually shaping Van's pottery style. Van's pottery not only tells the creative story of the artist, but also contains the desire to return to the origin, listen to the whispers of the earth and fire, to connect and cherish every source of life of Mother Nature. Viewing the exhibition and following Ngo Trong Van's creative journey combining solid craftsmanship, traditional pottery techniques with modern thinking and artistic ideas, many colleagues agree that he deserves to be called a ceramic sculptor.
Art researcher Ngo Kim Khoi is pleased with many new discoveries about "Van Pottery "- H.VY
According to sculptor, Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Tien, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, Gom Van is very beautiful, with diverse themes, clearly showing the author's unique way of creating new shapes. Ngo Trong Van's works have won many awards, some of which have been collected and preserved. The themes of people, love, society, especially works about the heart, seedlings, genetic modification, climate change... in Gom Van are both soaring and turbulent, evoking many thoughts for viewers and leading towards truth, goodness and beauty.
Ceramic work "Tornado of life" by Ngo Trong Van - Photo: H.VY
According to artist Nguyen Duy Nhut, many people have always associated ceramics with artisans and practicality, but with Gom Van , ceramics have brought a new breath and the voice of art. With a spirit of dedication to the profession, Ngo Trong Van has found his own path with a distinctive visual language and glaze color. This will help him go further in his career with new and better directions in the future. In particular, this ceramic exhibition is not only a display of works, but also contains an artistic message associated with contemporary solutions of young artists. The harmonious combination of ceramic works with installation art, video art and even the scent of Petrichor when the rain touches the dry ground... All create a new multi-sensory experience, bringing viewers into the magical flow of Gom Van , of creativity and love. Some images at the Gom Van exhibition:
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