Opening on December 6 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (66 Nguyễn Thái Học, Hanoi), the exhibitions “Vọng sơn” by Lê Lạng Lương and “Khải sinh” by Hoàng Mai Thiệp are both curated by artist Vũ Hồng Nguyên. Each sculptor selected 30 outstanding works to provide the public with a comprehensive and multifaceted view of contemporary sculpture.
Carving clouds, shifting mountains, bending air, shaping forests
Curator Vũ Hồng Nguyên noted that the “Vọng sơn” exhibition presents 30 works created by sculptor Lê Lạng Lương using materials such as copper, aluminum, and painted plaster over nearly a decade of contemplation, persistence, and quiet, passionate dedication to his craft.
With the spirit of one who carves clouds, shifts mountains, bends air, and shapes forests, bringing the majestic spirit and emotions of the highlands, deep mountains, and silent forests into the noisy urban space, the “Vọng sơn” collection features a rich structure of diverse directions, forms, and dynamic movements. The surfaces of the works are meticulously crafted, skillfully dividing the tonal qualities of the materials, between smooth – rough, hollow – solid and sealed, fragile – heavy…
Viewers not only see the shapes and air intertwined, but also the movement of the air expanding into the form’s space. Sometimes beauty surges forward unpredictably, like a mountain that seems unclear, or trees and clouds that may not be clearly defined—works that transform between stillness and motion as one’s gaze shifts.
Seeing mountains and hearing about them always brings a sense of sacredness that cannot be separated. Perhaps this is because mountains are rooted in sacred lands, connecting straight to the clouds, like a central axis linking the earth – the mortal world – the heavens, and the universe.
Mountains function like conduits for power—places where sacred energy flows into the world of all living things. Lê Lạng Lương condenses the mountains and transfers them into material forms that are drawn from the heart of the mountains, yet viewers can still sense the sacredness of the mountains within the works.
“Lê Lạng Lương views mountains and forests through a fresh perspective that delves into the essence of simplification. When admiring the artist’s work, viewers are not confined by the author’s ideas; everything they see serves only as a suggestion or visual cue, prompting them to reflect within their own memories, expanding their associations with the work, which echoes the layers of information accumulated over time.
Sometimes, imagination conjures up the precariousness of a cliff, other times, shapes rise like a chest welcoming the wind and moon. Somewhere, the shapes of wild animals transform like clouds forming images. This contemplation is not limited by age, education, or skin color. To me, this is the success of the “Vọng sơn” collection,” curator Vũ Hồng Nguyên commented.
The Struggles of Farmers
Lê Lạng Lương’s works are diverse, utilizing materials such as wood, stone, metal, and paper. He is a member of sculptor groups like 5 Plus, New Form, and Sài Gòn – Hà Nội. Lê Lạng Lương frequently participates in domestic and international sculpture workshops in Vietnam, Thailand, China, and the United States.
His works are preserved and displayed at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Art in the Forest Đại Lải Flamingo, sculpture parks both within Vietnam and internationally, and have received several important awards from the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.
Lê Lạng Lương believes: “For me, sculpture is life, and each piece reflects who I am at that particular moment, interacting with the environment that shapes the work, giving each piece its own life.”
From the inaugural workshop titled “Returning to Stone” in 2019 to the “Harmonious Echo” workshop in 2020, sculptors collaborated to create remarkable works with stone. In 2021, he and other sculptors combined their efforts to organize a creative workshop and exhibition at the VCCA Contemporary Art Center titled “Transformation.”
This art event featured nine sculptors from three generations, including 5X generation artists such as Đào Châu Hải and Lê Thị Hiền; 7X generation artists like Lê Lạng Lương, Khổng Đỗ Tuyền, and Lương Văn Việt; and the vibrant younger 8X generation artists like Trần Văn An, Thái Nhật Minh, Lương Trịnh, along with the emerging 9X sculptor Đào Tân.
Stone, once a material with which many sculptors had some experience, always feels both familiar and challenging for new creative journeys. Each time, stone brings a sense of closeness while presenting a challenge for the artists’ creative process. Stepping out of the personal workshop space, the artists participate in activities rich in sharing and collaboration.
Working with stone, Lê Lạng Lương intensifies the “conceptualization” of sculpture by combining solid shapes with the shadows they cast. His installations, along with the relationship between the piece’s internal space and its surrounding space, reflect his further research and experimentation.
This requires a multifaceted awareness and invites viewers to consider assumptions or choices in how to engage with the work: to observe it from the outside or to step inside the piece, standing between the actual object and its shadow on the wall, like the boundary between reality and concept in life.
Lê Lạng Lương’s works in “Transformation” exude a mystical, introspective quality. His deep concern is directed toward the plight of farmers and rural life, which is increasingly challenged by the dividing forces of modern life.
In the conceptual art exhibition “Harmonious Echo Hoa Lư 2020,” with the work “Fusion I,” Lê Lạng Lương draws inspiration from the mountain formations in the Tam Cốc region (Ninh Bình), exploring the mystical visual balance between the real and the unreal, between equilibrium and imbalance, between what is seen and what is hidden. The piece challenges viewers’ visual perception more than verbal interpretation. The fusion suggests elements of contrast and harmony within an exploration of sensation.
“Fusion II,” on the other hand, represents the spontaneity of combining two stones—white and black—forming a cyclical composition that conveys the message of life, symbolizing the harmony of opposing pairs: day – night, male – female, form – shadow…
Earlier, the group exhibition “5 Plus and the Five Playful Ones,” which included Lê Lạng Lương, featured depictions of scarecrow figures. These figures symbolize the ongoing ideas of the fields and urbanization that Lê Lạng Lương has pursued in recent years. For him, scarecrows have a deeper meaning than just being tools to scare away birds; they represent witnesses to the cultural shifts from agriculture to industry.
The scarecrow carries the traces of the farmers who have toiled through generations, yet also reflects the distorted figures of those who, when land becomes a commodity, struggle with the rise in unemployment. The rural dances seem frantic in the whirlwind of development, often distorting into tragic and darkly humorous reflections of reality.
“Rarely Seen Before” in Ceramic Sculpture
Alongside Lê Lạng Lương’s “Vọng sơn” exhibition, Hoàng Mai Thiệp presents his “Khải sinh” exhibition, featuring 30 ceramic works. This collection marks a new beginning full of hope and a desire for life, growth, and development that the sculptor wishes to convey. It evokes a complete, natural emotion that unfolds for the artist, flowing smoothly yet persistently, continuously.
Hoàng Mai Thiệp’s works take viewers through a journey of ideas, structure, techniques, and the patient skill of the sculptor’s hands, achieving a level rarely seen before in the art of ceramic sculpture. Many of the pieces are oversized—an exciting challenge for the artist eager to conquer the limits of material.
Hoàng Mai Thiệp has successfully mastered the use of sa mốt clay and developed a refined approach to glazing—a uniform liquid mixture applied at the desired temperature. Therefore, earth, water, fire, and time all align according to the artist’s will. The distinct gray-black metallic glaze is the result of research and experimentation, creating a unique signature. Through fire, the clay takes shape, and the cooling process becomes part of the creative journey that adds distinction to the work.
In this collection, many pieces will surely astonish viewers and prompt them to question the use of ceramic materials in sculpture. Upon encountering the pieces, viewers instinctively feel the urge to touch and engage with them, affirming that “yes, this is ceramic.”
Although many generations of artists have explored and experimented with ceramics in sculpture, the number of contemporary ceramic sculptors remains limited. Furthermore, large-scale ceramic sculpture is rare in the context of contemporary art. Hoàng Mai Thiệp’s “Khải sinh” collection is a remarkable success, solidifying the talent of an outstanding ceramic sculptor and contributing to the growth and enrichment of contemporary Vietnamese ceramic sculpture.
Hoàng Mai Thiệp’s works are always crafted with careful attention and seriousness. He is an exceptional sculptor in his ability to experiment and perfect his creations. In 2024, at the Hanoi – Saigon Sculpture Exhibition, nearly 100 works by 37 artists were showcased, and Hoàng Mai Thiệp presented pieces that were fully realized in concept, form, and the message that art seeks to convey to the public.
Sculptor Lê Lạng Lương was born in 1974 in Hữu Lũng (Lạng Sơn), with roots in Lạng Giang (Bắc Giang). Since graduating from Hanoi University of Fine Arts in 1997, he has been continuously active as a teacher and sculptor at the Vietnam Fine Arts University.
Sculptor Hoàng Mai Thiệp was born in 1982 in Hải Dương. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2009 and a master’s in fine arts, specializing in sculpture, from the Vietnam Fine Arts University in 2012. Since 2005, he has been creating and regularly participating in group exhibitions, workshops, and art projects, quickly making a name for himself.