Show case Sorry For The Inconvenience

Ồ Ạt Showcase: “Xin Lỗi Đã Làm Phiền / Sorry For The Inconvenience”
Artist: Phạm Huy Thông
Date & Time: 9am-8pm from 19.7 to 28.7.2024
Venue: 2nd floor, Amanaki Thảo Điền – 10 Nguyễn Đăng Giai, Thủ Đức
*The showcase is free of charge, please register for best arrangement. Registration link: https://forms.gle/pPYEcnK7jyyJ4x5R9

Contemporary artist Pham Huy Thong, born in 1981, graduated from the University of Industrial Fine Arts in 2004. After many years of practicing art in Hanoi, he has absorbed a metaphorical way of thinking and expression. Thong’s works initially capture viewers with seemingly straightforward messages; however, once the initial visual excitement settles, viewers have the opportunity to uncover multiple layers of hidden meanings. His art touch on many thorny social issues: “For many years, I have focused on creating works that reflect the social life of Vietnam, considering that this is the environment that surrounds me, providing me with creative materials. On the other hand, Vietnam is also an integral part of a continuously developing Asia and an interconnected world.”
“Sorry for the inconvenience” is a common sign seen at construction sites—a familiar scene in a developing country like Vietnam. In this exhibition, a group of works reveals thoughts about the shifting borders of urban areas leading to changes in scenery and culture. New value systems of contemporary society emerge, with abstract valuations occupying most of the significance of a concept, replacing physical and practical values. For instance, seemingly immutable things like real estate also change in value daily, flowing with the changes in economic investments and resident flows. People may be the main characters in the paintings but they are individuals caught in the midst of a storm of changes. Another group of works personifies construction sites, placing them in different contexts to open discussions on various social stories. Some of these works allude to the figures of people who can never free themselves from their internal needs, making the process of self-liberation seem like an unfinished project. Reflecting on it, “Sorry for the inconvenience” is also a sentiment Thong sends to the viewers, as his works are not easily pleasing.

Oh Art is an independent art initiative, dedicated to foster an inclusive art community in Vietnam by creating interdisciplinary collaborations between artists and audiences.