Art Vietnam Salon Gallery (in conjunction with the Japan Foundation – Asia Centre) is honored to announce the upcoming exhibition “Gang of Five Chancing Modern” to be held at the Vietnam Film Studio, No. 4 Thuy Khue Street, Hanoi from October 21 – November 19, 2017. Opening reception 6pm, 21 October.
The Gang of Five, members Hong Viet Dung, Ha Tri Hieu, Dang Xuan Hoa, Tran Luong and Pham Quang Vinh hold an esteemed position in the history of fine art in Vietnam’s post-Doi Moi (Reform) era. They emerged in the early 80’s as Vietnam was struggling to rebuild after decades of war. Five male artists bound by friendship and a passion to express themselves freely without constraint, with a hope for the future that in the past was inconceivable, they pursued their dreams and consequentially inspired others to follow. Known for creating bold, distinctive works, depicting personal conceptions that departed from the socialist realist imposition of the previous generation of artists, they began to gain attention and started exhibiting abroad in the early 90’s. Their first exhibition as five young artists was in 1990 and they officially adopted the name “Gang of Five” in a 1993 exhibition in the Vietnam Fine Arts Association at 16 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi, one of the few exhibition spaces at that time. Invitations to exhibit abroad in Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and in New York quickly followed as the world recognized the emergence of a culture previously hidden from the world view.
The exhibition site takes place at the Vietnam Film Studio where the new works of the artists will be presented along with a collection of archival materials highlighting a journey that traces their aesthetic development; the unique separate-togetherness that sustained the Gang of Five; the social environment that might have contributed to their acclaim while at the same time concealed their practices from thorough art historical discourse.
The previous works of the artists and the original copies of archival materials, owned by collectors worldwide will be presented at the Art Vietnam Salon Gallery.