Bright the Below (exhibition catalogue)

<p dir="ltr">Research Background</p><p dir="ltr">Science fiction is a difficult genre for a fine artist to employ by virtue of its perceived 'ownership' by popular culture. In response, artists employ a variety of strategies. For example, Sarah Sze's filagree installations [www.sarahsze.com] imply a cosmic cyberspace, yet can be read in many other ways. By installing his paintings in abandoned buildings, Joshua Hagler [www.joshuahagler.com] implies post-apocalyptic dissolution. Glenn Brown piggybacks on the sublime nature of the sci-fi artist Chris Foss by directly visually quoting him [https://glenn-brown.co.uk/artworks/38/]. What is missing is an artist who employs science fiction imagery unapologetically and without resorting to such oblique strategies.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">Research Contribution</p><p dir="ltr">The artwork shown in the exhibition 'Bright the Below' is not ashamed of its visual wellspring. The 12 artworks on show, variously depict rockets, robots, spaceship interiors and post-apocalyptic ruins.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">Research Significance</p><p dir="ltr">The fine art scene of Vietnam is still developing and the opportunities to exhibit experimental artwork in managed project spaces is limited. Despite this, I was invited by the artist/curator Ha Ninh Pham to exhibit in A Space: one of the few independent project spaces in Vietnam. The director of this space is Vân Đỗ, one of Vietnam's only full-time professional curators. The solo show featured eight paintings, three videos and one sculpted object. The opening was well-attended, as was the accompanying artist’s talk. The show was invited to be part of the 2024 Hanoi Creative Design Festival. There was no press associated to this exhibition as there is a complete lack of art press in Vietnam.</p>