Drawing on paper using ink, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, and other mediums are not new to Vietnamese art, but local artists who pursue this form of expression as a dominant mode of their practice are few and far between. Internationally, the art of drawing is a celebrated medium with dedicated museum expertise responsible for writing about its history and relevance (such as the Drawing Centre in New York), however sadly in Vietnam, the skill of drawing is still considered inferior to the plastic arts. In Vietnam, drawing on paper has predominantly been considered a sketch to note draft ideas for a work in another medium, despite the fact that these drawings are often beautiful, with rigour in their own right.

 

In response to this context, San Art Gallery’s new exhibition ‘Shaping a Line’  is showcasing the work of eight local artists whose training in various backgrounds, such as architecture, illustratation, animation and fashion, has informed their art with particular intriguing influences in terms of subject and treatment of the drawing medium. The exhibition is displaying pieces by artists; Nguyễn Thị Bảo Ngọc, Sita Raiter, Phan Ngọc Lan Chi, Nguyễn Đức Hồng Quang, Lê Thanh Tùng, Lê Hoàng Bích Phượng, Sandrine Llouquet and the late Vũ Dân Tân. Do drop in and check out this awesome exhibition, it runs until September 8th, 2011.

 

 

Lê Thanh Tùng in action

 

 

Drawing directly onto walls and turning cardboard into a three dimensional world, his drawings reflect the youth of today and their desire to break free of the stereotypical roles in society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trần Minh Đức 

 

Sita Raiter drawings reference the rapid urban changes she has witnessed in Ho Chi Minh City. Emulating nature has long been an indispensible part of international architectural design and in ‘Thong Nhat’ Sita has covered the paper surface with flower motifs, strange forms found in nature.

 

 

 

 

For Nguyễn Thị Bảo Ngọc, fashion design is a passion that has become an instinct. According to Ngọc, creating forms is endless, but being able to combine wild imagination with the practicality of clothing for wear is not easy, her sketches reflect this creative process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Shaping a line’ is curated by Tran Minh Duc (artist) and Zoe Butt (Co-Director and Curator, San Art).