Bright the Below

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Research Background

Science fiction is a difficult genre for a fine artist to employ by virtue of its perceived 'ownership' by popular culture. In response, artists employ a variety of strategies. For example, Sarah Sze's filagree installations [www.sarahsze.com] imply a cosmic cyberspace, yet can be read in many other ways. By installing his paintings in abandoned buildings, Joshua Hagler [www.joshuahagler.com] implies post-apocalyptic dissolution. Glenn Brown piggybacks on the sublime nature of the sci-fi artist Chris Foss by directly visually quoting him [https://glenn-brown.co.uk/artworks/38/]. What is missing is an artist who employs science fiction imagery unapologetically and without resorting to such oblique strategies.

Research Contribution

The artwork shown in the exhibition 'Bright the Below' is not ashamed of its visual wellspring. The 12 artworks on show, variously depict rockets, robots, spaceship interiors and post-apocalyptic ruins.

Research Significance

The fine art scene of Vietnam is still developing and the opportunities to exhibit experimental artwork in managed project spaces is limited. Despite this, I was invited by the artist/curator Ha Ninh Pham to exhibit in A Space: one of the few independent project spaces in Vietnam. The director of this space is Vân Đỗ, one of Vietnam's only full-time professional curators. The solo show featured eight paintings, three videos and one sculpted object. The opening was well-attended, as was the accompanying artist’s talk. The show was invited to be part of the 2024 Hanoi Creative Design Festival. There was no press associated to this exhibition as there is a complete lack of art press in Vietnam.