“Just by Being” , consisting of a series of paintings on old books, pharmacopoeia or old bibles of Tày minority people from Tay Bac (Northwest mountainous areas of Vietnam), created with natural pigments originated from soil,flowers and plants; and a series of 9 sculptures made out of paper and clay, acts as a chronicle of a vanishing culture, but also brings hope and life to the ruins of time. “In all of Phuong’s works, the way he sees the world is saturated with nostalgia, decadence, a mourning for things past but also full of Joie de vivre. Destruction and decay are inevitable in the circle of natural movement but it is also a hope for a rebirth. Overall, that nonchalant, carefree and simple spirit in Phuong’s artistic creations is his statement: Just by being.” – extract from the article written for the exhibition by art critic Đỗ Tường Linh.
Exhibition “Just by Being” by Nguyen Duc Phuong will open on 3 November and be on display until 26 November 2017 at Manzi Art Space.