LE THUY
Desolation
"Desolation/ Hoang tàn”
Time: February 1st - February 22 nd, 2024
Opening on February 1 st 2024 / 6 pm - 9pm
A2Z Gallery
24 rue de l’E’vhaude’, 75006 Paris.
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday, 11h -19h
Information: +33 (0) 156248888
info@a2z-art.com
www.a2z-art.com
For Lê Thúy, humans have lost their connection to the earth in favor of their incessant quest to appropriate it. A graduate of the University of Fine Arts in Vietnam, the artist considers her work a witness to the present times, illustrating contemporary events through her personal prism and the use of traditional Vietnamese techniques. Thus, she seeks to express, through her works, the anguish transmitted by those who feel marginalized by modern society. In her new solo exhibition Desolation, the artist presents her silk paintings with a masterful technique of delicacy. She formulates the silent echoes left by the underprivileged, addressing various current societal concerns such as natural degradation, environmental destruction, deadly pandemics, war, and the ethical decay of humanity. What becomes of the relationship between nature and humans in the era of the anthropocene?
The exhibition is divided into two parts: The Barren Land and Belief.
Selection 1 _ The Barren Land
The exhibition begins with landscape paintings. I focus on the theme of nature, where humans and nature are in conflict. These seemingly serene scenes reveal a deeper narrative – a land marked by struggle, resilience, and the poignant interplay between humans and their environment. "Barren Land," portrays the Vietnamese people's unwavering connection to the land as both a source of life and a battleground to attain and possess. As time passes, the idealistic struggle for freedom and a better future descends along with the moral decay into a desperate fight for possession. At any cost. To anyone. The contrasting elements - a velvety night, a tumultuous ocean, freshly plowed fields, moonlit waters, misty mornings, and silvery evenings. Through these images, we peer into the minds of those seeking refuge, where the dark night, the mist, and the waves become harbingers of both danger and hope.
The landscapes, seemingly tranquil on the surface, unfold as witnesses to the collective pain, memories, and losses endured by the people. It is a narrative that transcends the visual, urging us to reflect on the world events that echo in the exhibition's confines.
Section 2 _ The desolate world
Continuing from the desolate landscapes, we delve into artworks depicting a world of desolation. In these works, my intention is to address the moral decay and erosion of ethics in everyday life. Writer Vương Trí Nhàn, in "My Country, My People," aptly concluded: "A nation with a confused life, a society lacking humanity... These are times when an entire society become dregs ..."
I predominantly use the imagery of young children - symbolic representation of the future, at the center of myriad dangers and temptations, surrounded by ruthless perils. Placed within culturally constructed symbols from East Asia, imbued with educational and celebratory meanings, these figures paradoxically question our daily actions against the backdrop of a desolate era. What does the future hold when wishes and beautiful meanings clash with the harsh realities of our everyday conduct?
