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A flame in the darkness
Dream Art Space possesses a hidden energy, where invisible labor and physical intellect intersect. Viewers enter not just to "see" the paintings, they want to touch the vibrations that cannot be expressed in words.
“Womb of Fire” showcases 100 works by Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American female and non-binary artists from around the world. The project, initiated by curator Do Tuong Linh in collaboration with Nguyen Vu Thien An and Carmen Cortizas, aims to research, preserve, and introduce diverse art practices.
A display area at the exhibition.
The work emphasizes the connection between body and emotion.
"Night Fire" doesn't erupt brilliantly like fireworks, but rather is a smoldering fire, hidden within each body—the fire of memory, of life and creativity, where people can find a balance between control and letting go. Here, art doesn't need to prove femininity; it simply "is present as it is," reflecting the fragile yet powerful fragments of human experience.
The silence of the space allows the viewer to listen to the inner movements within themselves. The light and arrangement in the space evoke a sense of a ritual of rebirth and transformation, the body being returned to itself, not imprisoned by the gaze of others. "Night Fire" does not create an overwhelming feeling; it suggests a state of embodiment, bridging the boundary between artist and audience, creator and receiver, dissolving in the slow breath of the space.
Spectators observed and photographed the striking details of the artwork.
The video artworks, installations, lighting, and body textures form a unified flow, where the boundaries between viewer and work are blurred. The space evokes a sense of returning to the origin, with light and shadow merging together.
The Art of Healing
If "Night of Fire" is a symbol of the body, then "Womb of Fire" is a symbol of rebirth. The exhibition opens a journey of exploring how to listen to the body and emotions; artists and audiences can listen together, identifying desires and wounds that are often overlooked.
Video artwork is another distinctive highlight of the exhibition.
In the exhibition space, the light from each artwork is like warmth spreading through the audience's footsteps. Each painting or video, each material, is a fragment of memory, but when pieced together, they create a shared flame of a state of bodily awareness that is listened to and understood.
The man fell asleep, and the door opened to an unknown place.
The right-hand door of the artwork, adorned with old calendar pages containing quotes, encourages viewers to interact and read.
One of the works that captivated viewers the most was "The Man Falls Asleep, and the Door Opens to an Unknown Place." Viewers were invited to touch, bend down, and peer through four small holes in the door to discover the hidden "memories" within. On the other door, viewers could flip through old calendar pages, reading small quotes that evoked personal memories.
The letter "Where Ideas Rest"
Letters are symbols of memory.
One of the most fascinating aspects of "Night Fire" is how the curators allow art to become a form of silent dialogue. This approach prompts viewers to define their own emotions, to confront their inner anxieties or desires. Art, then, ceases to be an exhibit; it becomes a journey of self-discovery.
The artwork was created using breast milk, an emulsifier, and a lacquered wooden box.
The exhibition celebrates the natural presence of feminine elements in creation, without focusing on gender statements. It extends to the emotional realm of all bodies, including those without a defined identity. This very inclusiveness makes the exhibition a unique experience within the context of contemporary Vietnamese art, a "different" space that is embraced, not categorized or interpreted.
Like a fire in the night, the exhibition offered light, evoking its own shadow, the dark side of the body containing fear and repressed memories. But instead of avoiding it, the works allowed viewers to step into that darkness, experiencing a sense of stillness and self-awareness. Perhaps that is what art can do: not erase trauma, but evoke awareness and empathy.
The exhibition is therefore not just a visual display, but a sensory and spiritual experience for viewers to feel the fire within themselves. In that moment, art returns to its most fundamental meaning: to make people more connected to themselves.
The exhibition will take place from October 4th to November 9th, 2025 at Mơ Art Space (B3 Floor, 136 Hang Trong Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) and from December 12th, 2025 to January 23rd, 2026 at Vin Gallery and Gallery Medium (Ho Chi Minh City).
