Âm ỉ 11 (Smoldering 11) sized at 85cm by Vương Thạo in 2021. It is made from acrylic, charcoal, wood and gold foil. — Photos courtesy of Mơ Art Space

HÀ NỘI — Artists Vương Thạo, Đào Tân and Koa Phạm are conveying their reflections on the social landscape through a group exhibition entitled Lửa Mầm (The Fire In My Belly).

The artists use natural materials such as stone, charcoal, wood and water to create their works.

Their unique approaches make the artworks stand out and share a commonality that is the interaction between artistic craft and the transformative processes of nature.

With the series Âm Ỉ (Smoldering), using materials like charcoal, acrylic and gold foils, Thạo simplifies all imagery to focus deeply on the inner self.

The artist's reflections on the human psychology are a symbolic emotion. The cracks and fractures on the surface of the paintings, created by burning the entire frame in a smoldering fire over a long time, then re-illustrate desires waiting for the moment to burst forth through red or yellow strokes.

Thạo is a member of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association and a visual artist known for his notable works such as the series Frozen Dreams and Mông. His artistic practice combines various materials and forms, ranging from painting to sculpture, with experience spanning over two decades.

He has received prestigious awards both domestically and internationally, including the Installation Art Award from the Việt Nam-Sweden Cultural Fund and he was among the top 10 Asia-Pacific artists in 2009, as selected by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). His works are in major collections at the Việt Nam Museum of Fine Arts, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) in Singapore and at the 'Asian Focus' sculpture art park in China.

Đào Tân's stone-made 20years30years50years/minute No.3 sized at 71cm by 30cm by 7cm.

Tân’s sculptures 20years30years50years/minute transports exhibition visitors to a different state of space and time. Tân collected leftover industrial stones to recreate a new value of wealth and concept for this series of works.

The marks of intentional erosion on the sculptures are not the result of natural creation.

Tân's sculptures reflect on the relationship between humans and the socio-economy, as well as its power structures and their consequences.

Meanwhile, the youngest artist Phạm was inspired by Albert Lamorisse's film The Red Balloon (1956), exploring the unexpected effect of imagery in the subconscious and symbolic images on human perception.

Incorporating elements of performance into paintings, the chemical reaction between bath soap and water creates shimmering, soft images blending into one another, evoking visions of a paradise.

Phạm currently lives and works in London. He is an artist who is involved in different mediums such as drawing, sculpture, performance and design.

The Lửa Mầm exhibition runs until September 22 at Mơ Art Space, 136 Hàng Trống Street. — VNS