December Round-Up

SAC Gallery, Vin Gallery, Gajah Gallery, etc. 
By Andari Suherlan

BLUE project exhibition installation view. Image courtesy of Heritage Space.

B L U E project
Alexandre Muller once said, “behind each cloud hides the blue sky”. This is the basis for the exhibition ‘Blue Project’, which centres around the associations tied with the colour blue, or lack thereof in Hanoi’s socio-cultural landscape. The colour blue has become an iconic visual representation of ideas of serenity, commercial brands and even political parties, yet it is also a reminder of the absence of such colour in Hanoi such as the blue skies. This absence has become the driving force of three international artists Katja Jug, Masahiro Wada, Miho Shimizu, and five local Vietnamese artists Phan Anh, Mai Huyen Chi, Flinh, La Mai and Trag Lem to investigate and illustrate the uncovered narratives found within the city. The show is part of Heritage Space’s annual initiative ‘Month of Art Practice’ (MAP) 2020. 

Heritage Space, 21 November to 12 December 2020.

Maria Indriasari, ‘Mimpi dapat ikan/ Dreamed of receiving a fish’, 2020, canvas, patchwork, buttons, thread, safety, pins, zippers, wood, 180 x 120cm. Image Courtesy of 16 Abermarle.

Indonesia Calling 2020
In association with the Australia Indonesia Art Forum, 16albermarle Project Space, Indo Art Link and Project Eleven, ‘Indonesia Calling 2020’ continues to raise awareness of Indonesia’s development in Australia. In this show, 30 artists from Bandung, Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta illustrate life in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show is a reflection of each artist’s journey in response to the pandemic, and aims to strengthen the links within the art community in Australia as well as the close-knit Indonesian art scene. As an act of solidarity, all proceeds will be used to support the artists and their communities during this difficult time. The gallery exhibition will be held physically at 16albermarle Project Space, in conjunction with an online presentation, ‘Pasar Seni’. Read about Pasar Seni, featured in the digital round up here.

16albermarle Project Space, 31 October to 12 December 2020.

Gregory Halili, ‘Following the Equator’, 2020, oil on shell, 5.7 x 8.9cm. Image courtesy of SILVERLENS.

Navigating the Abstract, Glass Horizon and In Medias Res
This month, Silverlens launches three solo exhibitions taking place simultaneously online and in the physical gallery. ‘Navigating the Abstract’ by Dina Gadia juxtaposes popular media and language to convey unseen social imageries and representations and how to navigate through existing social anxieties. In the second show, ‘Glass Horizon’, Gregory Halili presents new capiz shell paintings reflecting on the fragility of nature, human existence and social order. The final show exhibited within Silverlens physical gallery is Hanna Pettyjohn’s ‘In Medias Res’, which features new paintings and sculptures depicting the artist’s recollections of her past works. These are reshaped to reveal hidden truths found in the past and present.

SILVERLENS, 5 to 23 December 2020.

Thidarat Chantachua, ‘The Reflection of the Serenity’, 2019, embroidery and acrylic, 115 x 170cm. Image Courtesy of SAC Gallery.

the end is now, now is here: The Exploration of Drawing
This exhibition of drawings recognises the significance of this technique amidst the dynamic Contemporary art scene in Thailand today. With artists constantly pushing the boundaries of art through new forms and mediums, ‘the end is now, now is here: The Exploration of Drawing’ draws the attention of the Thai art community back to the basics of drawing that values process, gesture, time and expression of ideas. In this way, 25 Thai artists treat it not only as a medium, but also as a methodology to perceive and examine society's definition of art today.

SAC Gallery, 14 November 2020 to 5 January 2021.

Mahalakshmi Kannappan, ‘The Crevice III’, 2020, charcoal on wood, 77 x 100 x 7cm. Image courtesy of Gajah Gallery.

Singular Moments
Singapore-based artist Mahalakshmi Kannappan seeks to identify material properties and their forms mainly through the use of charcoal. Featuring a series of three-dimensional sculptural charcoal works, ‘Singular Moments’ is a manifestation of the artist’s exploration of material beauty and textural possibilities. Her practice, which utilises the impure form of carbon, one of Earth’s most primary components become representations of processes made up of single moments, now captured. 

Gajah Gallery, 5 to 31 December 2020.

Le Thuy, ‘Multimedia Installation’, 2020, calligraphy ink on silk, lacquer on wood and stringed instruments, 120 x 220 x 600cm. Image Courtesy of Vin Gallery.

The silence is deafening
Exhibiting a new body of work by Vietnamese artist Le Thuy, this showcase by Vin Gallery displays the artist’s exploration of questions concerning grief and restoration. Amidst the large silk paintings and sculptures is an installation that consist of 39 pieces of the đàn bầu, a stringed instrument used in Vietnamese folk music tradition. The show is based on the tragedy of 39 Vietnamese nationals who died in the trailer of a refrigerator lorry on their way from Vietnam to the UK. Through this show, the artist hopes to create a space of silence as a homage to the lost souls embodied in these empty forms transformed into beautiful lacquer paintings. 

Vin Gallery, 13 November 2020 to 8 January 2021.