Introduction
The exhibition 'Thắm Lại' argues for the profound and enduring influence of women's desires and labor in shaping Vietnamese culture over centuries, drawing inspiration from Hồ Xuân Hương's poetry and the concept of 'duyên'. Four artists explore female experiences, from mythology to traditional crafts and emotional labor, as spaces that generate connection and meaning. The central thesis is the accumulation and transmission of feminine desire, expressed through the 'reddening anew' ('thắm lại'), affirming women's indispensable role in the cultural continuum and its transformation across generations.
Thắm Lại brings together four artists – Tường Danh, Như Xuân Hứa, Anh-Phuong Nguyen, and Vân-Nhi Nguyễn – to explore desire as a process, tracing the unspoken aspirations of women that have subtly shaped Vietnamese culture over centuries. The exhibition's title, taken from a line in Hồ Xuân Hương's poem "Mời ăn trầu" (Invitation to Chew Betel), evokes the idea of 'thắm lại' (to redden again): a deepening hue, a repeated stain accumulating through desire. The exhibition delves into 'duyên' – a predetermined bond – and its expression through women's actions, both historically and in the present. The artists examine the experiences of girlhood and womanhood, Vietnamese mythology, and various forms of labor undertaken by women, from traditional crafts to domestic work and emotional labor. 'Thắm Lại' celebrates the contributions of Vietnamese women in preserving and transforming culture, while posing questions about what endures and accumulates over time, as the red hue continues to deepen with each return.
Participating Artists
No artist information available
