The first exhibition of Belgian prints on raw silk in Vietnam.

Strategies and questions about spaces that nurture human beings.

The "Light" exhibition is the first event in Vietnam to showcase prints on raw Belgian silk, and also an art project that opens up an introspective experience for viewers. This is not a light exhibition in the conventional visual sense, but rather a space where light is used as a spiritual medium to illuminate, inspire, and guide people back to themselves. The exhibition is created by Chieu, the first Original Printmaking studio in Vietnam, with the desire to place art in its rightful place: a place for emotions to anchor, where living spaces can truly "breathe".

"Light" is the overarching theme of the exhibition, but it's not presented through dazzling effects or immediate overwhelming impact. Here, light signifies calmness, slowness, and depth – a light that not only allows us to see, but also reminds us that in every human journey, there are three states: darkness, dawn, and light. This journey is not linear. Light is not the destination, nor the reward, but the moment we realize we have the courage to confront our inner selves, accepting both our flaws and our strengths.

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The "Light" exhibition wasn't created to preach anything. It doesn't feature millions of flashing modern light bulbs, nor does it invite immediate awe. The founder of Chiêu - Đông Trần shared that he hopes for something lighter for viewers: that upon leaving this space, a light exhibition will awaken within them, however subtle.

The language of light on raw silk

In the exhibition "Light," all 20 works were created by two artists, Pi and May. They spent three months preparing and one month of continuous creation to complete the collection, which includes 5 works titled "Darkness," 10 works titled "Dawn," and 5 works titled "Light." On the raw silk material, light appears like a breath: sometimes warm, sometimes cold, sometimes strong, sometimes breaking into very thin strips, giving the viewer the feeling of standing in their own dawn, a place not too dark to be afraid, nor too bright to be dazzling.

In her work, Pi typically begins by laying out the initial strokes to define the composition and emotion, then lets the colors guide the rhythm of the painting. In contrast, May chooses the colors first, viewing it as a way to establish the atmosphere and prevent the emotions from straying. Pi particularly loves red – a strong, warm hue that requires careful adjustment to maintain balance. Conversely, the soft blue in Vibration of Freedom is May's favorite, evoking movements like the waves of Hokusai, creating an interesting contrast to the overall light and restrained color palette of the exhibition.

The works primarily utilize shades of blue: deep, gentle, sometimes cold, sometimes expansive like a lake reflecting the sky; the remaining tones are toned down to give way to the sense of clarity and minimalism that both artists pursue. The paintings are mostly still lifes, minimizing the appearance of people so that viewers are not led into a pre-existing story but can confront their own narratives.

Three transformations: Darkness - Dawn - Light

In the "Darkness" section, Slowdown reveals forks in the road, turns, and paths that must be continued despite the uncertainty ahead, forcing one to place their trust in themselves. Or "Hang On," where a naked girl lies on a sofa in a dark room; the light from outside shines in but fails to reach her withdrawn soul. A thin, translucent white blanket stretches out like endless sadness, making the entire scene a deep and unending silence.

In *Dawn* and *In Shadow We Know*, the image of stacked Russian dolls suggests that the message of openness is actually another form of withdrawal. The deeper one goes, the more simplified, sharp, and bare the forms become, until only a tiny nucleus remains, just enough to support all the layers that once protected it.

Hay Vibration of Freedom speaks of the vibration of freedom, with the opening line: “The world shivers like silk in the wind. No one gives orders, only the water leans to listen, and the reflection of the heartbeat falls into each ripple.” Meanwhile, Stillness places the viewer before droplets of water, like beautiful, fragile, round marbles, but with just the slightest vibration, a slight tilt, they will roll and fall off the table. Therefore, keep the table straight. Let the mind be the only plane not tilted toward the past or the future, where the marbles remain still and reflect each other in a soft, clear light.

In "The Light," Who I Am presents the image of a white swan reflected in the water, reminding us that each person walks through the world as a body enveloped in light. Form is not everything; it sows in us the illusion of all concepts, like a swan without a shadow on the lake, and then we realize that everything we once tried to hold onto was actually just an illusion.

In Together, six hands open, revealing six directions of consciousness, six paths leading in and out of the same door. One hand holds a sala flower—the flower of wisdom, blooming and falling, fragrant and dissolving into dust. One hand is empty, neither grasping nor holding, devoid of any concept of possession. One hand lifts an hourglass: each grain is a glance, a life, a memory that has turned to dust; and even if one wanted to turn it back, one could not change destiny. One hand holds a fishbowl, where the fish still swim in a liquid that seems free but is actually a transparent prison of perception. One hand holds a mirror; in the mirror there is no “self,” only countless reflections recognizing each other. And the last hand holds a thin blade, its cold light cutting through moss-covered doctrines.

And sometimes we wonder: is there a seventh, invisible hand – the hand of the one watching, the one who, unaware of our presence, is also reaching out?

Open to the public from December 4th to 7th, the "Light" exhibition is an opportunity for everyone to experience their own moment of dawn.

Text and photos: Quynh Mai