Mixed media installation. Aluminium objects based on structure of elephant saddle, LED light, glass.
Description
Fieldwork trips and peculiar sceneries remain a consistent source of inspiration for Nguyễn Phương Linh on her journey to discover landscape aesthetics (natural or artificial). The work originates from the artist’s observations of the elephant, a symbol of sublimation and power in the spiritual life of many communities in the Central Highland, yet now reduced to an entertainment pet for tourists. Deconstructing the square form of the howdah (the seat placed atop an elephant), Phương Linh rearranges these dismembered pieces according to a completely different order, christening them into shiny, reflective aluminum. Metal blocks sprouted from the LED luminosity appear suspended in midair, dominating the senses of those in their vicinity. There, time-space seems reversed, an orderly yet withering landscape.
Nested within the Chapel of The Outpost - designed with the hope to evoke a private and immersive experience with artworks - “The last ride” of Nguyễn Phương Linh is compressed into a quiet room, empty yet filled with dramatics.
Text extracted from Fractured Times Exhibition Guide, 2022, p. 23.
