EN
Fire in the Dark
Mo Art Space contains a hidden energy, where invisible labor and physical intelligence intersect. Viewers come in not just to “look” at paintings, they want to touch the vibrations that cannot be expressed in words.
“Da Lua – Womb of Fire” showcases 100 works by Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin female and non-binary artists from around the world. The project was initiated by curator Do Tuong Linh, in collaboration with Nguyen Vu Thien An and Carmen Cortizas, to research, preserve and introduce diverse artistic practices.
A display corner at the exhibition
The work emphasizes the link between body and emotion.
“Night Fire” does not burst out brightly like fireworks, but is a smoldering fire, hidden in every body, the fire of memory, of life and creativity, where people can find a balance between control and letting go. Here, art does not need to prove its femininity, it simply “is present as it is”, reflecting the fragile yet powerful pieces of human experience.
The silence of the space allows the viewer to listen to the movement within themselves. The lighting and the arrangement of the space evokes the feeling of a ritual of rebirth and transformation, the body being returned to itself, not imprisoned in the gaze of others. “Da Lua” does not create overwhelm, it evokes a state of incarnation, the boundary between artist and audience, creator and recipient, disappearing in the slow breath of space.
Audiences observe and take photos of the outstanding details on the work.
Video works, installations, lighting, and body materials form a unified flow where the boundary between viewer and work is blurred. The space evokes a sense of returning to the origin, where light and shadow merge together.
The art of healing
If “Da Fire” is a symbol of the body, then “Womb of Fire” is a symbol of rebirth. The exhibition opens a journey to explore how by listening to the body and emotions, artists and audiences can listen together and identify desires and wounds that are often overlooked.
Video works are a distinct highlight of the exhibition.
In the exhibition space, the light from each work is like warmth transmitted through the audience's footsteps. Each painting or video, each material is a fragment of memory, but when put together, they create a common flame of a state of body awareness that is heard and understood.
The man fell asleep, and the door opened to an unknown place”
The right door of the work, which is lined with old calendars with quotes, encourages viewers to interact and read.
One of the works that makes viewers pause the longest is “The Man Falling Asleep, and the Door Opens to an Unknown Place”. The audience is invited to touch, bend down, and peek through the four small holes on the door to discover the “memories” hidden inside. On the other door, viewers can flip through each page of an old calendar, reading small quotes that remind them of personal memories.
The Letter "Where Ideas Rest"
Symbolic letters of memory
One of the most interesting aspects of “Da Lua” is the way the curators let art become a form of silent dialogue. This approach forces viewers to define their own emotions, to confront their own insecurities or desires. Art, then, is no longer an object of display, it becomes a journey of self-identification.
The work is made from breast milk, emulsifier and lacquered wooden box.
The exhibition highlights the natural presence of the feminine element in creativity, not focusing on gender statements. It extends to the emotional space of all bodies, including those without names. It is this tolerance that makes the exhibition a different experience in the context of Vietnamese contemporary art, a space of “difference” that is welcomed, not classified or explained.
Like a flame in the night, the exhibition brings light, evoking its own shadow, the dark part of the body that holds fears and repressed memories. But instead of avoiding it, the works allow the viewer to step into that darkness, to experience a sense of stillness and self-awareness. Perhaps, that is what art can do, not erase the trauma, but evoke awareness and empathy.
The exhibition is therefore not just a visual exhibition, but a sensory and spiritual experience for the viewer to feel the fire within themselves. In that moment, art returns to its most original meaning, which is to make people more connected to themselves.
The exhibition takes place from October 4 to November 9, 2025 at Mo Art Space (B3 Floor, 136 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) and from December 12, 2025 to January 23, 2026 at Vin Gallery and Gallery Medium (HCMC).
