Tiếng Việt
Trần Lương
The Artist
Of all the artists in the Gang of Five, Tran Luong has had the most varied and extensive career. He has continually explored new methods of expression while also developing an international career as a curator, helping to develop and expose young Vietnamese artists around the world. Whether this is simply because he was following his fate—born into a family of artists—or because of his exacting nature and determination is a matter of speculation. During the war Luong was evacuated to the countryside, like the other members of the Gang of Five. There he sought refuge from the war in the region’s many rice paddies. These long hours spent beneath the water’s surface, would become the inspiration for some of his earliest works.
Luong graduated from the Vietnam Fine Arts University in Hanoi in 1983 where he made friends with the other Gang of Five members. He exhibited with the group in 1991 in the groundbreaking Portraits exhibition on Hang Khay Street in Hanoi. In 1993 the Gang of Five exhibited under their new moniker so designated by mentor and fellow artist Nguyen Quan and art critic Duong Tuong. They created a sensation that was to catapult them into the outside world. The artists soon were recognized by international collectors and began to be invited to exhibit extensively abroad. Their material lives changed significantly as the market for their works developed.
After their last exhibition as a group in 1996, each artist started to follow his own unique path. It is at this time that Luong, along with artist friend Nguyen Manh Duc, founded the first alternative independent art space in Hanoi, the Nha San Studio. Luong’s first exhibition there, An up-to-date-Dragon, was the beginning of Luong’s career as more than just a painter.
From 2001 onwards Luong’s art tends to focus on his performance and video work, which depict the anxiety and uncertainty that is omnipresent in a developing country. Here he explores a Vietnam that is moving away from the strictures of Communism into a free market economy, subtly altering the lives of every member of the society.
In 2014 Luong was awarded the prestigious Prince Claus Award for his outstanding artworks and cultural promotion activities. According to the jury, Luong wins the award for his dedication to helping develop performance and video arts in Vietnam, and his commitment to artistically enrich the community and nurture younger generations.
Working in parallel to his own personal art activities, Luong continues his curatorial work within Vietnam and internationally, playing a leading role in promoting Vietnamese contemporary art. He continues to develop as an artist, examining social injustice, self reflection and promoting critical discourse and collaboration with artists from all nations. Luong’s works are in the collections of the Guggenheim Museum, New York, Singapore Art Museum, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan and in numerous private collections worldwide.
1960 Born in Hanoi, Vietnam
1983 Graduated from the Vietnam University of Fine Art, Hanoi, Vietnam
1985 – 1992 Designer at Bamboo & Rattan Export company
Designer at Unimex (Hanoi import/ export corporation)
1992 – Now Freelance artist & curator
Lunar Creatures, Painted Tales
The twelve animals of the Vietnamese zodiac have been intricately woven into the spiritual and cultural fabric of the nation over the course of millennia The Zodiac in Vietnamese Cultural Heritage The twelve...
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Lap Loe
2013
DISTRICT Berlin, Germany
Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn
2010
Nha San Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam
Welts, Interactive performance
m(A)outh cleaning¸ performance
2007
798 Space, Beijing, China
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
Moving forwards and backwards, Interactive performance
2006
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Variation for days past
2004
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
Foods of Ground Installation
Up to Paradise
Fairy tale Soup, organized by British Council
2003
Cave gallery, Williamsburg, New York City, USA
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi Opera House, Vietnam
Flowing (installation)
Steamed Rice Man, Mao Khe Coal Mine
On the bank of the Red River
2001
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Cornell, Ithaca, USA
Quang Ninh, Vietnam
Hanoi, Vietnam
Flowing (installation)
2000
Nha San Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam
An up-to-date Dragon
1998
Nha San Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam
Flowing (painting)
1997
Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Flowing (painting)
1996
Southborough, Massachusetts, USA
Flowing (drawing)
1994
Vietnamese Cultural House, Paris, France
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Chancing Modern
2018
The Factory Contemporary Arts Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Gang of Five
2017
Vietnam Film Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam
Taipei Biennial/ Optical Feedback
Club Monster
Fragile Body – Material Body
Performance Art Week 2016, Palazzo Mora & Palazzo Michiel
Group exhibition
2016
The Mausoleum, Taiwan
Asia Cultural Center, Gwangju, South Korea
3rd Venice International
Venice, Italy
Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia
Group exhibition
Secret Archipelago
2015
White Chapel Art Gallery, London
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
No Country: Contemporary art from South and Southeast Asia, The Guggenheim Museum at the Centre
Medium at Large
2014
Contemporary Art, Singapore
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
The Future of Imagination 8, performance art festival
2014
Singapore
Welcome to the jungle
No Country: Contemporary art from South and Southeast Asia
2013
Yokohama Museum of Art & Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Japan
The Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
Group exhibition, Melbourne Festival
PAN ASIA (Performance Art Network Asia)
Negotiating Home, History and Nation: Two decades of contemporary art in Southeast Asia 1991-2011
2011
Australia
Seoul & Gwangju, South Korea
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
Islands for free, Guangzhou Live Art Festival
2010
China
Mao Khe Project, Havana Biennale
Connect: Kunstszene Vietnam
Update: Artscene Vietnam
2009
La Havana, Cuba
IFA Gallery, Germany
ifa Gallery Berlin and Stuttgart, Germany
Post Doi Moi
Strategies from within
Dadao Live art festival 2008
10+: tenth year anniversary of Nha San Studio
2008
Post Museum Gallery, Singapore
KE center for the Contemporary Arts, Shanghai, China
Beijing & Shanghai, China
Hanoi, Vietnam
Flying Circus project
2007
Singapore & Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Mao Khe project “space & shadow”
2005
House of World Culture, Berlin, Germany
We are what we eat, we are where we eat, we are how we eat
LIM DIM
2004
Busan Biennale, Busan, South Korea
Hanoi International Performance Art Festival, Hanoi, Vietnam
8th NIPAF Performance Art Festival
Up to Paradise: Green Red and Yellow
2003
Japan
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
Fukuoka Triennale: Generationext
Liverpool Biennial: The Red Network
2002
Fukuoka, Japan
Liverpool, UK
Group exhibition
2001
Hanoi Contemporary Art Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi City
2000
Goethe Institut, Hanoi Vietnam
Asiatique
2000
Kings Road Gallery, UK
Association from Music to painting
Gang of Five
1997
Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong
London, UK
Gang of Five
1996
Galerie La Vong, Hong Kong
Weather Report Exhibition. An art collaboration of Asian and Netherlands artists
1995
Vietnam Fine Arts University, Hanoi, Vietnam
Collaborations, 6 Day workshop in Dai Lai with Hong Viet Dung, Ha Tri Hieu, Dang Xuan Hoa, Tran Luong, Pham Quang Vinh, Viet Hai, Hans Van Bentem, Rienke Enghardt
1995
Mai Gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam
Red River Gallery
1994
Hanoi, Vietnam
Gang of Five
1993
Gang of Five, 16 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi, Vietnam
Turtle Key Arts Centre, London, UK
Abstract painting
Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Bui Xuan Phai, Tran Trung Tin, Nguyen Quan, Tran Trong Vu and Tran Luong, curator Jeffrey Hantover
1992
Hoang Hac Gallery, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tropen Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Group Exhibition of five artists (Hong Viet Dung, Dang Xuan Hoa, Ha Tri Hieu, Tran Luong, Pham Quang Vinh)
1991
Gallery Thanh Nien, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Portrait, group of five artists (Hong Viet Dung, Dang Xuan Hoa, Ha Tri Hieu, Tran Luong, Pham Quang Vinh), exhibition commemorating the centenary of Van Gogh
1990
Gallery No.7 Hang Khay, Hanoi, Vietnam
Exhibition of Artistic Portraits with Bui Xuan Phai, Nguyen Sang, Duong Bich Lien, Hoang Lap Ngon, Van Cao, Tran Dung Luong, Trong Kiem, Viet Hai, Van Tho, Kim Thai, Hoang Dinh Tai, Nguyen Quan, Dang Xuan Hoa, Hoang Hong Cam, Ha Tri Hieu, Pham Quang Vinh, Tran Luong, Viet Dung, Tran Tuan
12/1990
Gallery No.7 Hang Khay, Hanoi, Vietnam
CURATIONS
Vietnam Eye, Vietnamese contemporary art book and exhibition
2016 – 2017
Vietnam & Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
Nhan Van Giai Pham: A line still stand, archival presentation of 1956 cultural movement, Taipei Biennale 2016
2016
Taiwan
Mien Meo Mieng
2014 – 2015
Bildmuseet, Umea, Sweden
Latcarf | Fractal, (solo exhibition of Trieu Minh Hai)
2014
Nha San Collective, Hanoi, Vietnam
The Green Journey of Vietnam
2011 – 2014
Vietnam University of Fine Art, Hanoi, Vietnam
I-CAMP
2013 – 2014
Muong Museum, Hoa Binh, Vietnam
Singapore Biennale
2013
Altered Cloud
Riverscapes in FLUX, International collaborative art project and exhibition
2012
Hue, Vietnam
Phap Phong, Chap Collective
2011
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tam Ta
Nang Bong Nhe Tech
2010
Bui Gallery, Hanoi & San Art, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hue, Vietnam
LimDim
2009
Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway
Something fell, falling and will fall
Noi vong tay lon, Art in development project
2008
L’Espace, Hanoi, Vietnam
Saigon Open City
Hanoi – Phnom Penh Art exchange Project
2006
DOMDOM1 ¬– Performance art festival
Hanoi – Kunming Art exchange project
Water droplets, Art in development project
Cocoon, solo exhibition of Nguyen Hoang
2005
Hanoi, Vietnam
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
LIM DIM, international performance art festival
Blending in, Photo Voice project
2004
Hanoi, Vietnam
British Council, Hanoi, Vietnam
Green, Red and Yellow
2003
Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Vietnam
Windows to Asia
Hanoi Art Goes New Media
2002
Hanoi Contemporary Art Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi, Vietnam
Mao Khe Coal Mine Project, Workshop & exhibition
Reaching the free space
2001
Quang Ninh & Hanoi
Hanoi Contemporary art center, Hanoi, Vietnam
In-house curator at Nha San Studio
1998 – 2002
Hanoi, Vietnam
AWARDS & GRANTS
Prince Claus Awards
2014
The Netherlands
Civitella Ranieri Foundation
2002
Residence in Italy
Asian Cultural Council
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
1999
USA
Gate Foundation USA
Ford Foundation USA
The Rockefeller Foundation USA
Goethe Institut
Visiting Arts British Council UK
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council NYC NY USA
The Swedish Fund for the Promotion of Culture
Sweden (For HN Contemporary Art Center)
Lucias & Eva Eastman Fund USA (For Nha San studio)
Art Network Asia
COLLECTIONS
Singapore Art Museum
Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Brooklyn Art Museum, New York USA
Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art – Cornell University, New York, USA
Tokyo Gallery Permanent Collection, Tokyo, Japan
Robert Mondavi Permanent Collection, California, USA
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, USA
Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka, Japan
New York USA
Cornell University, New York, USA
Tokyo, Japan
California, USA
New York City, USA
