VI
EN
The greatest fear for people living on the waterways is running aground – when their boat cannot pass because the water is too shallow. There are countless reasons why a boat can run aground: going astray, carelessness, falling asleep before the tide recedes… Especially when a heavily loaded boat runs aground, it is incredibly exhausting. The difficulty and danger a woman, who usually gives birth on land, faces during childbirth is likened to a man overcoming a (stranded) boat. Hence the folk verse:
Men go to sea in pairs.
A woman goes to sea alone, orphaned.
Breaking it down word by word, we have the exhibition "Going to the Sea in Pairs" by artist Nguyen Cong Hoai.Man- The painter tells the story of the personWomanThey are alone, theygo to the beach- giving birth, theyhave a pair -Giving birth. Sailing has always been a perilous and dangerous journey, undertaken only by men. Even so, they had companions by their side. A woman's childbirth is equally arduous, but she faces it alone. It's the law of nature. A talented artist doesn't just record what they see; they must use color and lines to tell the emotions of that moment. Looking at Nguyen Cong Hoai's paintings, we see a love that is unfiltered, raw yet tender.
Nguyen Cong Hoai was born in 1984 in Quang Tri. His paintings often delve into the many facets of a person's inner self, encompassing light and darkness, solitude and glory. Whether colorful or monochrome, strong or soft, the human figures in his paintings remain independent, even solitary, in their life journeys. However, in the exhibition "Going to Sea with a Partner," the figures in his paintings, though alone, in pain and anguish, still radiate a romantic and compassionate light.
The women in the artist's paintings appear strangely familiar. We may not remember their faces, but we've certainly met them. A warm light radiates from them, spreading to everyone around them. That energy nourishes the infants, nurturing them as they grow. These simple yet powerful emotions are depicted by the artist like a visual diary entry, seemingly hastily sketched, yet each line and stroke is carefully crafted.
Nguyen Cong Hoai shared: “Women, carrying their own burdens, don't necessarily represent anything in particular. I just paint my wife and children. Pregnancy, love, confusion, busyness, irritability, sadness. I don't understand why I paint my wife and children so gentle and tender. It's just love, that's all. Women are always connected to their children, family, and small acts of love. Each time she gets pregnant, she carries a heavy burden, but inside, it's a rebirth. Those things make me feel happy. Happy to care for them, to see them grow, to share together…”
Curator Ly Doi shared: “The 'Going to Sea Together' exhibition is a selection of years of painting about family; it's like a treasure trove. Hoai said jokingly, but truthfully: 'When I don't know what to paint, I paint my wife and children. Because once I'm in the studio, if I don't paint anything, it's a waste of a day.' This statement shows that Hoai has decided to dedicate himself to this, like a tree that grows bigger every day, and eventually must bear fruit.”
The artist reveals his most naked self through his works. The exhibition "Going to Sea Together" shows us another side of Nguyen Cong Hoai: a very gentle and affectionate husband and father. No longer burdened by existential anxieties or lost in dreams, he returns to simple family life, to a home where both husband and wife have their own separate paths but remain connected by love: their children.
“Going to the Sea Together” is Nguyen Cong Hoai’s 6th solo exhibition, taking place from March 2nd to March 22nd, 2023 at Alpha Art Station (271/5 Nguyen Trong Tuyen, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City). Half of the exhibition’s paintings will be displayed at the American International Hospital (AIH), 199 Nguyen Hoang, An Phu Ward, Thu Duc City (formerly District 2) on March 7th as a spiritual gift for women who are, have been, or will be mothers.
