MADS Magazine d'Art De Saigon - Volume #4 by MADS – Magazine d'Art De Saigon

Magazine d'Art De Saigon

#NEVERSTOPLEARNING #DEVELOPITYOURSELF #GETITRIGHTINCAMERA Magazine d'Art #CHALLENGEYOURSELF De Saigon#PHOTOGRAPHYFORLIFE #EXPRESSIONISM #FIGURATIVEART #MODERNART #FOLKART #NAIVEART #ARONSCHUFTANPHOTOGRAPHY #NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC #STREETPHOTOGRAPHY #TRAVELLER #THIRDCULTUREKID #MIXEDMEDIA #DESIGNERFORHIRE #SAVETHEWILDLIFE #CARTOONISTINVIETNAM #PROUDDAD

Magazine d'A De Saigon

#CURIOUS #ANIMALS #DESIGNER #CRAFTS #FURNITURE #SIMPLICITY #PHOTOGRAPHER #WRITER #TRAVELER #BODYSURFER #CALIFORNIAN #EXPERIMENTALDRAWING #PERFORMANCEART #PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY #WALKINGARTIST #INTERDISCIPLINARYART #DETERMINATION #THINKINGOUTSIDETHEBOX #CONSTANTLYLEARNING #INVESTIGATINGPOSSIBILITIES #ACTIVATINGDORMANTSUBSTANCES

Magazine d'Ar De Saigon

Magazine d'Art De Saigon

David Dredge

Nguyen Thi Mai

Photography to you means: A great deal. Sebastian Salgado explained it best: “Photography is my life. It’s my way of life, and my language.”

Painting to you means beauty. Beauty through balance – the balance of colours, shapes and emotions. Painting is both an expression of, and a balm for, my emotions.

When I frame the image: I’m telling a story. A camera is: A tool for stopping time and starting a dialogue.

When I paint I am at peace. Tranquillity washes all over me and I forget everything that is negative in my life. It is therapeutic.

#NEVERSTOPLEARNING #DEVELOPITYOURSELF #GETITRIGHTINCAMERA #CHALLENGEYOURSELF #PHOTOGRAPHYFORLIFE

A brush is not just a tool that liberates, but an extension of me – not only of my hand but of my spirit and my soul.

Olivier Polmanss

Patrick Carpenter

Design to you means... Give emotions through products and give a meaning to products.

Woodcarving to you is... Woodcarving sits between craft and art and can be unique like sculpture, or a series like photography.

When I create... A quest of absolute... Furniture is... Everywhere! So, better to make it interesting and meaningful! #ANIMALS #DESIGNER #CRAFTS #FURNITURE #SIMPLICITY

#EXPRESSIONISM #FIGURATIVEART #MODERNART #FOLKART #NAIVEART

When I carve... Woodcarving demands time, contemplation and concentration. so when I carve, I am realizing that it is working on my character while I am working on the piece. My favourite tool is... I have one blade that I use most often – you can recognize it in the carvings. but the more carvings I do, the more blades (with different widths) I am using, in order to better represent the character of the landscape or portrait. #PHOTOGRAPHER #WRITER #TRAVELER

#BODYSURFER #CALIFORNIAN

Aron Schuftan

Oyvind Sveen

Illustration to me means playing around with my Japanese ink pen toy. When I create I follow visuals entering my mind. A canvas is a yet unmapped exploration. #MIXEDMEDIA #DESIGNERFORHIRE #SAVETHEWILDLIFE #CARTOONISTINVIETNAM #PROUDDAD

#ARONSCHUFTANPHOTOGRAPHY #NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC #STREETPHOTOGRAPHY #TRAVELLER #THIRDCULTUREKID

Patrick S. Ford

Les Roberts

Photography to you means... Another medium in which to explore and experiment.

Photography to me is a form of self-expression, whether it is the recording of an image in an unusual way, or as at present sharing a different form of art.

When I frame the image... I make the first in a countless series of decisions. A camera is... A tool for initiating, developing or documenting a piece of work. #EXPERIMENTALDRAWING #PERFORMANCEART #PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY #WALKINGARTIST #INTERDISCIPLINARYART

When I frame an image I do so after evaluating carefully the subject and its surroundings to create the maximum impact. The camera to me is a mechanical instrument, which can be manipulated to create a variety of effects. #DETERMINATION #THINKINGOUTSIDETHEBOX #CONSTANTLYLEARNING #INVESTIGATINGPOSSIBILITIES #ACTIVATINGDORMANTSUBSTANCES

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER

David Dredge #NEVERSTOPLEARNING | #DEVELOPITYOURSELF | #GETITRIGHTINCAMERA | #CHALLENGEYOURSELF | #PHOTOGRAPHYFORLIFE

Website | Instagram

Do personal work. Make art that is meaningful to you. Don’t compare yourself to others – no one can be you and express you better than you can.

Please tell us about yourself: I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe but I have been lucky enough to travel all over since I was very young. My father has travelled to almost every corner of the globe for most of his life, as a pilot, and growing up he inspired me to travel, to try new things and to leap. To risk failure in the pursuit of happiness. Vietnam is the sixth country I have called home, and I have lived in Saigon for seven years so far. I’m a creative person at heart. My mother and grandmother were both talented artists. My mother is a skilled painter, and sketch artist and my grandmother was a skilled sculptor. As a child, I was always drawing, building, dismantling things to understand how they worked, painting, and writing short stories. I first picked up a camera at the age of 18 but at the time it was a tool to document family occasions and us kids were not encouraged to use Dad’s camera: it was almost always hidden away. Today I am a portrait photographer, a retoucher. and occasionally, an artist. Your first camera? I borrowed the family camera when I left home to study film production and media writing in Cape Town. It was a horrible plastic shit box that devoured 3-volt batteries but it was small and it was: there! A 35mm film camera, not of the charming, well-made mechanical variety but rather the loud, whining, plastic 80’s VCR variety. It had a ridiculous 10 times zoom feature, and a phallic, plastic Darth Vader-esque member protruded awkwardly outward if you

were foolish enough to zoom as this would invariably exhaust the battery. I occasionally used the camera to create storyboards for film courses that I majored in, but mostly I walked around the city capturing scenes that interested me. I was always short of money so the film was a real luxury and developing it was even more so. Later, I began to shoot positive film and slides because I didn’t have to pay to get them printed; I could just hold them up to the light. For my 21’st birthday I was given a Minolta SLR, which I never left home without. It became an extension of my personality. What made you choose this medium? I spent most of my childhood and teens in boarding schools, which taught me to be self-reliant but also kept me in school a lot So, when I left for University, it was to a completely new and alien city. I knew no one there but it was going to be a huge adventure. So, I felt I had no choice, but to liberate the family camera. Later that year I befriended an assistant working for a commercial photography studio. I recall visiting the studio, which had been set up in what was once a stone church. The greeting area for the studio had huge light panels installed on the walls. The commercial work was carefully housed behind panes of glass. The images were all medium and large format slides, and monochrome positive slides, some 8 inches by 10 inches in size. Back-lit by the panels the effect was mesmerizing. Similar to studying a stained-glass window up close. Each frame depicted an expertly composed scene with flawless lighting and the colour was like nothing I had ever seen.

I was amazed to see in person what could be achieved with film. Especially since I was at that moment in possession of a film camera. I was instantly hooked, I started using positive monochromatic film and slide film and I devoted much of the next 10 years of my life to creating moods and colours, attempting to create something close to what I had experienced that day. I found my way back to film fairly recently in Saigon. Your project The images here are a small selection from a project I began late last year. The project began as a personal challenge to shoot and develop one roll of black and white film every day for 2 weeks, giving me just over 500 frames. This was the plan anyway. I chose to use Kodak Tri-X 400, as it is generally readily available in HCMC if you know where to look, and it is a sharp, contrasty film with a pleasing grain. At least to me. I quickly found, however, that despite my best efforts, I was wasting a lot of film rolls. I had chosen to capture candid street scenes, an area of photography that I am new to and one that demands a great deal in terms of skill, style, luck and persistence. So, after developing, scanning and discussing my failures with friends, darkroom pro’s, and scan shop aficionados, I resolved to archive the first 10 rolls in a distant and obscure folder and to start afresh. I continued to shoot Tri-X 400 but I resolved to get closer to my subjects and to only press the shutter if I knew exactly what I wanted the image to say. Only if I knew the frame contained a story and had a purpose. The selection here is a small collection from rolls 11 to 25. Or 1-15 depending on how you look at things. The project is ongoing.

way – not even contrast adjustments nor sharpening in Lightroom. But more than all of this the project would force me to create more collaboratively. It is rare that a film photographer does everything alone unless s/he owns a darkroom. Thus, every frame is seen by at least, it’s creator, the darkroom owner (to ensure that the chemicals are fresh etc) other photographers using the darkroom, then the scanner(s) and finally back to the owner. A single process is often a communal effort, and this body of work improved when I sought feedback and applied what I had learned. In short, I started the project to learn a different approach to my craft and so far I have learned a great deal. When and where did you capture these images? These images were captured in Saigon. I explored several districts, but the ones included here are from District 4 and 5. Who inspires you? People. Faces, expressions, movements, gestures, and interactions, because the smallest look or gesture can tell a story and make or break an image. Also, good art and well-conceived, well-crafted work. Where do you see yourself going within the next few years? I would like to be creating more work, to have evolved and improved as a creative. I see myself continuing to work with like-minded creatives, photographers, artists, designers, models and stylists on projects that challenge and inspire me.

What is your advice to other artists? Do personal work. Make art that is meaningWhat made you choose this project? ful to you. Don’t compare yourself to others – It was difficult. It was different from the no one can be you and express you better than digital work and extensive retouching that I you can. Set expectations and goals and push had done a lot of. It would challenge me and yourself. Work hard and strive to master your encourage me to explore the city. It would craft. Be kind. Be helpful. Smile. force me to learn how to develop, work within Learn from mistakes and failures. Try not the limitations of the format. It would be a to take yourself or your work too seriously. chance to create something more honest, Some may seem generic, but they have worked since I have not altered the image in any for me.

FINE ART PAINTER

nguyen thi mai #EXPRESSIONISM | #FIGURATIVEART | #MODERNART | #FOLKART | #NAIVEART

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Behance Nguyen Thi Mai – Creating art with emotions discovered art relatively late – in my late 30s. When I returned to Hanoi in 2004 after 5 years of living and working in Singapore, I stumbled upon an art club in the VietnamSoviet Cultural Palace. My journey in art thus began. What started off as a casual pastime became a full-time passion because of the encouragement and support from family members. I started off with the most conventional of medium – oil and acrylic on canvas, enchanted by and drawing inspirations from modern art. Over the years, folk art and tribal art also became major inspirations as my art identifies itself more and more with these genres. As a Vietnamese artist, it would be remiss of me not to explore lacquer painting, the most traditional of Vietnamese art, and which I did from 2010 to 2015. But I was not contented to follow a well-trodden path and wanted to create something different, something that would break new ground – and so I employed a different technique to do my lacquer painting, resulting in a matte look instead of the glossy finishing that’s so prevalent. I feel this gives my lacquer painting a much more refined look, with an understated sense of elegance. I call this Unpolished Lacquer. Currently, I am back to creating through acrylic on canvas and I am trying to transplant the same technique from my lacquer painting to my acrylic painting. This is done through applying many layers of diluted paint onto the canvas to give the paintings a more surreal look.

Through my art, I advocate, and also seek, balance and harmony. Balance and harmony not only on the canvas but more importantly, within me. When a pendulum reaches the extremes, it seeks the centre. Through balance, we have harmony. Through harmony, we have peace. And through peace, we have happiness.

Besides acrylic and lacquer, I have also channelled my creativity through other media, such as silk painting, ink on paper, etc. Silk painting is especially alluring to me because of the visual effect of this medium – charming, soft, elegant and surreal. As a self-taught artist, I may have faced certain limitations in the beginning, but this is more than offset by the freedom in thoughts and the lessened need to follow convention. My art is very much driven by my emotions … and my emotions are influenced by the sounds I hear, the sights I see, and my deep appreciation for tradition and beauty. My artwork reflects my desire for a better and happier world, one in which people of all creeds and ethnicity can live together in harmony and peace. It reflects my yearning for the simpler time of years past, and to eschew an “economy before everything else” approach to life. Through my art, I advocate, and also seek, balance and harmony. Balance and harmony not only on the canvas but more importantly, within me. When a pendulum reaches the extremes, it seeks the centre. Through balance, we have harmony. Through harmony, we have peace. And through peace, we have happiness. I have worked with various different media, but there are three common ingredients that always influence my work: colours, music and the feminine form. With colours, I use neutral and rustic colours, to symbolize the old and simple things in life. Colours that are found in antique pieces like ceramic wares, wooden artefacts and stonewares are commonly used in my work.

Image on the right: Best Friends

Through music, I gain creative energy and inspiration and is reflected in the colour patterns in my work. The hardness of rock music would be manifested by deep contrasting colours like red and black. Love ballads might lead to a softer tone and a more harmonious blending of colours. As a woman, I am proud of the role women play in the world and this pride is manifested in the liberal use of the feminine form in my paintings. The curvaceous shape and beauty of the feminine form also inspire me to include similar curves in my art. Visual art is also first and foremost about aesthetics and beauty. Through my art, I seek beauty. Beauty in the colours, the shapes, the lines and most importantly, in the balance and harmony created by the

interplay of all these different elements. Finding the right audience and showing the artwork to them is probably one of the biggest issues facing most artists today – the sheer volume of artists and artwork out there makes it extremely difficult for an artist to be noticed. Under such adverse conditions, it is very difficult for artists to stay true to themselves and their art. It is just so tempting to follow the trend, especially if it’s a trend that brings in sales. How this issue is dealt with is a decision each artist must make for himself or herself – there’s really no right or wrong. My personal journey in art will continue wherever my emotions take me. I invite all of you to come along on my artistic journey and to experience the ups and downs of my emotions through my paintings …

Image on the right: Portrait No.2

Chorus Girls

Image above: Dance No.4 | Image on the right: Crying Caterpillar

Mother Love No.1

PHOTOGRAPHER

aron schuftan #ARONSCHUFTANPHOTOGRAPHY | #NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC | #STREETPHOTOGRAPHY | #TRAVELLER | #THIRDCULTUREKID

Instagram | Facebook

For me, the art is in the capture, not later in front of a computer. What you see is what I saw, when I saw it.

Could you share a bit about your background and what you do for a living? “MUTT”– My friends have called me this my whole life and, to be honest – I don’t mind. My mother is Vietnamese and my father was born and raised in Chile to German parents. I spent my adolescence in Nairobi, Kenya, but have been fortunate to have lived all over the world including Cameroon, Spain, Puerto Rico, Chile and the US. To be honest, these various clashing of cultures have never made me feel like an outsider- if anything, it made me feel always accepted where every I went which I feel has translated into my life and my art. I am a 43 years old doctor, specializing as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Family Medical Practice and American International Hospital. I have been living in Vietnam for 4 years now, but have been coming to Vietnam regularly (first time I came here was 1986) since my parents relocated to Saigon from Kenya in 1995. Besides photography, I love to travel, play soccer with the Saigon Raiders, Saigon’s oldest ex-pat team and I recently began playing the “Handpan”, a relatively new instrument for me. How would you describe your Instagram wall? My wall is an honest diary of what I see in my day-to-day, from the many countries/places I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived in and visited. As a “street photographer”, it is important to me to capture a moment, a feeling --without manipulating my subject or environment. I try to be “a fly on the wall” and capture exactly what

I see. But at the same time, I try to capture the unusual or the ordinary but in a new way. How did you start? What was your inspiration? I started taking pictures at an early age to document my travels, but really started getting into it while in college in New Orleans, when I was gifted my father’s antique Zeiss Ikon camera… it’s been a love affair ever since. What are your favourite elements to use in your visuals? I love to find repeating patterns and use natural “ frames” in my images. I also try to use wide-angle lenses and incorporate “leading lines” into my shots. I find both to be great tools to pull the viewer in and to capture as much of the subject’s environment – which I believe makes a better visual story. For me, not only is the image important, but also the title. Often I have the title of the shot before I even take the picture – in essence, the title makes my image. I think it stems from the first picture I ever saw that “moved” me. It was a black and white photograph of a pair of feet by Annie Leibowitz and the title was “Pele”. As an image alone perhaps not so special but with the added title, a whole new meaning evolved – a portrait of arguably the world’s most famous feet. Since then I always strive to find a title that makes my viewer think one-step beyond the image. Do you see social media as a tool to inspire or the other way around? I believe it’s a double-edged sword – yes, the

Attitude

mass, instant, dissemination of information and images can help and inspire, but at the same time, I do believe we have crossed the line: it has bred a new generation of completely self-absorbed narcissists and given fame (and a platform) to the ridiculous and menial. I mean, really, do we care what Kim Kardashian ate for breakfast? But I guess I may be the wrong person to ask; I am not exactly the social media demographic. Then again, social media got me this article so I guess it can’t be all bad, can it?

purist, I try to do no post-production of my work (no cropping, no Photoshop), so I don’t buy it. I believe the art is in the capture, not later in front of a computer. What you see in my pictures is what I saw, when I saw it. But then again, as this is a hobby for me, I have the benefit of making that decision. I totally understand (and sympathize) with my professional photographer friends whos clients want a perfect image and they don’t care if you got it on your first shot or after 10 hrs manipulating it on a computer screen.

Who is your Instagram for? Mostly for family and friends, but I do secretly admit that I enjoy getting likes from strangers around the world.

Looking back at when you started, how much has your style evolved and how? As I look back through my photos I can see different phases that I went through. Abstract, architecture, fashion, naturehaving only done photography as a hobby, I have had the freedom to take pictures of anything I want. But I find that what currently inspires me is the people of Vietnam: I shoot mostly children and the elderly. I find “innocence” and “wisdom” interesting subject matters. In any case, I always try to incorporate visual elements in my shots that tell a story and are not just “pretty” pictures.

What do you hope viewers get from your work? I hope my images allow my viewers to see and experience new places, a new culture and feel an emotion. This desire has often lead to me to capture moments that some of my audience find displeasing (eg: my series of photos from a dog meat market in Hanoi). But to be honest, I appreciate the positive praise as much as negative comments. For me, the fact that my images cause a strong emotion (good or bad) is what I strive for as an artist.

What are some of your favourite insta accounts to follow? I love National Geographic’s Instagram (and to be honest am What is challenging about Instagram? jealous of it). It would be my dream come Not only as relates to Instagram, but to social true to work for them (if anyone can introduce media in general: it is hard to get noticed as an me I would appreciate it!). But I am also a artist and have your work really appreciated. big fan of Justin Mott’s work (@askmott) Today EVERYONE is a photographer and who was a fellow contestant/judge of mine people’s attention span is shrinking. Also, in “Photo Face Off” – a photography reality with the advent of Photoshop, the nature of show on History Channel that I was lucky photography has changed – now it doesn’t to be a part of. (https://www.youtube.com/ matter so much how good you are at capturing watch?v=vjMW4-o1kv8) a moment, but rather how good of a graphic designer you are. Some would say it is the What can we expect to see on your “evolution of photography”, or “it’s what we Instagram in the future? used to do in the darkroom”. But for me, as a Hopefully more of the same, but better :) 28

Street Food

24 Hanoi St

Chillinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; like a Villain

Caregiver

Golden Years

Old Souls

Dive Master

ILLUSTRATOR

ØYVIND SVEEN #MIXEDMEDIA | #DESIGNERFORHIRE | #SAVETHEWILDLIFE| #CARTOONISTINVIETNAM | #PROUDDAD

Website | Portfolio

The jungle is also where I find creative energy. Maybe this is not too visible in my designs, but mentally I return recharged every time. Sometimes even with nice photos. You have to look for the exact moment, or luckily stumble upon it. Wild forests are never posing, as a temple will.

just can’t remember not drawing. My granddad always kept a sketch of a car on his wall, which I made when I was 2 years old. Illustration seamlessly went from being a hobby to a job, through my education as an art director back home in Oslo, Norway. My CV is heavily dominated by comics. Together with my childhood friend and work colleague Ivan Emberland, we have published more than 8000 pages of comics in 14 countries. We also write all the scripts, so storytelling is an equal part of our job. This experience means that we rarely slip up when clients demand ideas, and not graphics only. I always find creative inspiration in fields also outside graphic art. Ambiente music, moods in books or movies, clever observations my daughter comes up with, nature and wildlife. Of all the aspects I love about Vietnam, I´d say the wild nature tops my list. When other expats hit the beach, I search out remote national parks. The jungle is also where I find creative energy. Maybe this is not too visible in my designs, but mentally I return recharged every time. Sometimes even with nice photos. You have to look for the exact moment, or luckily stumble upon it. Wild forests are never posing, as a temple will. The last cartoonist who really moved me was Guy Delisle, with his travel diaries from around Asia. Yes, I see the link… Like many other great artists, Delisle sketches what is meaningful, funny or exciting to him. As an advice for other creatives, this is always a good one. Try including something you care about in your work, like a theme or message. Stating the obvious here, I know! Without relation or joy, you might as well do accountancy. And who wouldn’t hate that?

This project: The front pages for the iAMHCMC magazine and the ads for Vietnamese Food Lovers were both assigned to me by Innovo publishing house. Director Patrick Gaveau gave me permission to experiment with different styles. That was the main attraction for me; a chance to mix influences from Vietnamese art and Asian pop culture with whatever I’m into at the moment. I feel that I’m allowed to play around, and I’m trusted as an illustrator. Sometimes I find modern illustration trying too hard to be clever. Especially back in Norway, the trend for the last decade has been to draw like a child. The more naive and simplistic, the better. Add something sad or sinister as well, and you’ll receive awards. For the iAMHCMC covers, each piece has a given topic reflecting the current issue. I try to create colourful and visually pleasing images that are actually nice to look at, while still showing off a creative idea. Ridiculously naive of me, maybe, but I am a commercially trained designer. There haven’t been too many obstacles to speak of, but censorship is an aspect here which I’m quite inexperienced with from back home. Let’s just say that their input feels slightly random at times, art-wise :) #IAMHCMC #STYLEREMIX #VIETNAMINSPIRATION #VISUALCANDY #SAIGON

Øyvind Sveen has lived with his family in Vietnam since 2007, save for a couple of years in Singapore. Please get in touch! You’ll reach me on sveen@sleivdal.com

FINE ART FURNITURE MAKER

Olivier Polmanss #ANIMALS | #DESIGNER | #CRAFTS | #FURNITURE | #SIMPLICITY

Website | Facebook | Vimeo | Website

“Young kids, no matter where they from, are fascinated by animals. Some people might lose that connection later in their life, but the point is that we all once had it. To me, the design is about an emotional connection, not about words. It’s about the vital energy that creates animals, forests, mountains, oceans. It’s so magic, peaceful, so inspiring for us as humans. I’m trying to share that spirit through my creations.”

am French, born in 1987, on the west coast. I grew up between the sea and the fields, which might explain the important role that Nature plays in my work. I studied Product Design at the ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres, in Paris, and graduated in 2011.

and at the same time makes them dream, from a 5-year old girl to 90-year old grandpa. “Young kids, no matter where they from, are fascinated by animals. Some people might lose that connection later in their life, but the point is that we all once had it. To me, the design is about an emotional connection, not about words. It’s about the vital energy that creates animals, forests, mountains, oceans. It’s so magic, peaceful, so inspiring for us as humans. I’m trying to share that spirit through my creations.”

Your first introduction to your discipline? I drew from my very first years. That was my favourite hobby. I wanted to become a comics designer at that time! When I became a teenager, I saw some sketches of designers and What inspired you? thought that it should be a fun job. “Birds are a part of human nature, they are found all over the world and in many cultures, they What made you choose this medium? play an important role – often as a symbol of Around 12 to 14 years old, I was interested in freedom or peace.” architecture, interior design, decoration... all of these things. I have been told by teachers What was the main obstacle you faced? that I would never be able to enter into an Actually the whole piece is a challenge. It architecture school, as I was not good at looks extremely simple, but it’s not at all! All mathematics at all! the planks are cut with different angles and So, I switched to product design, in the need to be connected together. It’s like a puzzle aim to create furniture and homeware with somehow! craftsmen. This has been my guideline since To apply the white lacquer on the side is then. also a crucial part. It needs to be perfectly straight, and if the connections of the wood What made you choose this project? planks underneath haven’t been done properly, The animals’ collection is from far the most you’ll see it through the lacquer. So, it’s all iconic pieces I have ever design. about details. The bird I picked into that collection is A bit like sushi. Extremely simple, but really simple... which is something important needs 10 years of experience to get it perfect! for me. When and where did you capture What do you want to tell about your these images? project? In 2016, at the very first workshop where I I want to make furniture that people can use was working in Thu Duc (Just a few kilometres

#ANIMALS #BOOKSHELF #LESS IS MORE #UNIVERSAL #FREEDOM

away from Ho Chi Minh City). The other ones have been taken by my friend Brice Godard. What made you fall in love with furniture design? I think it’s about creating cosy places that you feel yours straight away. The exact opposite of the standardized anonymous places where more and more people have to live because of the big cities, mass-market products, trends... modern lifestyle. We have to deal with products all our life. So, they should have a meaning for us, a true story behind, a kind of soul. Who inspire you? Well, I guess the logic would be to mention other furniture designers here... Basically, I respect the elders like Ray and Charles Eames, Alvaar Alto, Arne Jakobsen... and some of the moderns like Piet Hein Eek. But, they are not the people who inspire me the most to be honest... I feel more inspired by the first African art, Pharaons, Egyptian deities, Easter island statutes, animist cultures... All kinds of culture and symbols created by Humans to answer to his existential questions and give a meaning to the mystery of life and his condition... Hope it’s not getting too philosophical! Where do you see yourself going within the next few years? I wish to continue to develop my furniture

collections, of course. Working with new materials, meeting new people, news craftsmen always give me some new ideas. So, new things will come soon for sure. But, more and more, I want to create the whole space around. So, I wish I’ll get offered some nice projects of interior design, and I am still thinking about Architecture too! What is your advice to other artists? No advise, strictly speaking. I think it’s all about passion... If you can simply not live without practising your Art, you will push it and it will push you until the end! It’s a quest, I think. What was your hardest assignment? Hardest assignment? It’s not really about the hard assignment, but I’m always wondering how people will receive my products when they are done. It has a meaning to me, but will it have one for the people? Is it something that they will see just as a functional and commercial product, or more than that? Can my products bring them a bit of everyday joy? Will it bring them a bit of peace and tender at the end of the day? Is it something that their kids will be inspired by? Can it help to be respectful with Nature, People, Others? All these secret hopes that I have when I design something...

FINE ARTIST

Patrick Carpenter #PHOTOGRAPHER | #WRITER | #WANDERER | #OBSERVER | #ARTIST

Email | Instagram | Tumblr | LinkedIn

Now, whenever I am in a café or stopped in traffic, I notice much more the shapes and patterns in people’s faces, and I am always thinking how I would translate this face or this moment to a piece of wood without losing the essence of the personality or the setting.

atrick Carpenter, born and raised in Southern California, but have lived almost exclusively out of America since graduating from university. I have lived in Vietnam for well over a decade, first in Hanoi and now in HCMC. I came to woodcarving (and printmaking) through photography. I have been photographing Vietnam and Southeast Asia from the first day I arrived here, both for personal projects as well as for professional assignments. I find this part of the world extremely photogenic, and I have not lost my enthusiasm for trying to meaningfully document daily life in Vietnam and the region. Along the way, I have accumulated a pretty hefty photo archive, and I wanted to find a way to repurpose some of these photos that have been out of sight, hibernating. I took Jack Clayton’s woodcarving-print making class here in HCMC and decided that some of my old photographs could work as carvings. I looked for faces and landscapes with features that could be translated into carvings – meaning I looked for features that could be simplified down or translated from full colour and nuance to one colour and flat perspective. I tried reducing every subject to the minimum of lines, and then tried to find the pattern in those lines, and then tried to work out a balance between character and pattern.

Part of my enthusiasm for carving was that woodblocks and prints have a place of respect in the art of Vietnam. I wanted to attempt to learn this type of art because I felt, for whatever reason, it might add a layer of understanding or appreciation for the skill and the contribution to Vietnamese culture. I can remember watching the woodcarvers in Hanoi’s Old District and how the blade would fly around the wood with full confidence. It seemed a skill and an art form that should be more widely admired, and should not have to fight for relevance and appreciation in today’s art markets. Along the way, it has been useful to explore beyond the block prints (and even the wood sculptures in the museum of ethnography) you can find here in Vietnam. I have enjoyed going over the carvings of the German Expressionists, old book and magazine illustrations, early 20th century posters, Matisse’s cutouts and portraits, some sculpture (especially Calder and Moore), African and Latin American folk art, and the unreachable mastery of the Japanese woodblocks. Even looking at architecture and reading what architects like Louis Kahn have to say about shadow and light has helped. The discipline of woodcarving (you cannot erase, so you must fully commit to each line you carve) is essentially the opposite of what I enjoy about street photography. It is

an oversimplification, but woodcarving is drawing extremely slowly and imprecisely; photography is drawing extremely accurate and extremely fast. On the street with your camera, you take what is given to you: the setting, the light, the tension. The randomness is the medium and the challenge. Woodcarving is closer to studio photography, where you try to control every element in the photo. I do more architecture photography than studio photography, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the same discipline for the eye, and I find the carvings help train my eye to recognize patterns in structures, shadows, and light. Now, whenever I am in a cafĂŠ or stopped in traffic, I notice much more the shapes and patterns in peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces, and I am always thinking how I would translate this face or this moment to a piece of wood without losing the essence of the personality

or the setting. And the more carvings I do, the more I am willing to depart from my initial sketches and just look at how each new carved line relates to all the others, and from this, build the portrait cut by cut or line by line. So the openness to serendipity, which is a key element in photography, seems to be creeping into my woodcarvings and prints. So I like to think that these two disciplines are serving and benefiting each other and the work. I would hope that I could accumulate enough carvings to feel I have a representative depiction of what I have seen and experienced and who I have been fortunate to meet during my time in Vietnam. I would hope the effort would be appreciated by the woodcarvers here in Vietnam as a valid attempt to communicate in their particular discipline and their particular dialect.

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This time I used my map and numbering system as a reference so I would be able to pinpoint the exact location of any source information gathered, in this case: colours.

riginally I was born and grew up in the UK but since May this year, I have been living in Ho Chi Minh City, arriving from Hong Kong where I had lived for many years. Coincidently I relocated to Vietnam exactly 25 after arriving in Hong Kong, 25 years to the day. I studied at Leeds Arts University and Northumbria University in the UK and also with RMIT University whilst living in Hong Kong. At college, I concentrated mainly on the making of sculpture with an additional interest in printmaking because of a desire to introduce a more physical aspect to my drawings. Over the years though, constraints such as lack of storage space, the high cost of studio space etc. pushed me to gradually embrace exploration in other, more portable media. To earn a living I worked as a professional modelmaker for around 15 years, the final 10 years of which was as a partner of a modelmaking company based in Hong Kong. The skills and awareness of materials gained during this time have proved invaluable and have allowed me more freedom in the decisions I make when making work. I have also taught art for around 15 years, including 13 years full-time teaching, 7 years in Higher Education. For 3 years I worked on the development of a BA (Hons) Fine Arts

degree programme, acting as course leader for the initial cohort of students, seeing them all through to successful graduation. For a time I pursued threads of investigation in drawing, printmaking and small sculpture but these projects remained quite separate in nature and it took a long time before they began to converge. These days my work has revealed potential for multiple connections between different media, for example, a drawing may suggest further investigation in relief sculpture, or work towards a digital print may lead to performative walking and psychogeography. I tend to follow the work rather than attempt to push it where I would like it to go. For the previous few months, I had been working on digital prints that involved the creation of layers within the print’s image with blocks floating on the uppermost layer. The configuration of these blocks was derived from a previous sculpture, made several years earlier, entitled ‘Excavation’. As I had been using cross-hatching to differentiate between the blocks within the image I felt that the print had taken on some of the imagery I had noticed within geologist’s maps, notably the way they employ a range of graphic patterns to denote the various geological materials present in the area covered by the map.

These digital prints were abstract in appearance and also abstract in the sense that they did not refer to actual locations. As I had recently moved to Vietnam, the thought came to me that I should create the next print based upon an actual location here in Saigon. From a downloaded map of a certain area within District 7 of the city, I made a simplified version and numbered the road junctions. These intersections would be the focal points of the image in the print. The numbering of the junctions allowed me to keep a record of particular details collected. In total, there were thirty-four intersections within the area I studied. I had walked around the area to gain an overview and a general feeling for the area but now was the time to revisit the location with a specific aim in mind. This time I used my map and numbering system as a reference so I would be able to pinpoint the exact location of any source information gathered, in this case: colours.

As I had already become familiar with an app for the mobile phone that allowed for the collection of ambient colours in a chosen location, I had confidence that it could contribute to my working method. Using this app I collected a colour sample for each of the thirty-four road intersections and used them as place-markers in my digital print. Of course, the app was only a data gathering tool, whereas I would retain the final say in how that data would be used. Back in my studio, I isolated each of the collected colours and created a square-format swatch for each of them. This made it easier for me to review and drop them into place in my print. Although systems-based strategies intrigue me, I always prefer to retain the final say based on considerations of the composition. My work is often described as being conceptual in nature; nevertheless, I work with a mindset in which I grant the final say to the work itself, which is necessarily interpreted by me.

I keep an eye out for unexpected serendipity, chance encounters or unpredictable outcomes if they appear to resolve the logic of the work. My working method could be described as systems-based but tempered with an editing process that is driven by an instinctive judgment developed through experience. The final appearance of the digital print included overall grid lines to tie all the blocks together, but these are rendered in grey to push them back in space a little, contributing to the layering effect. The grid could provide a frame of reference without being too dominant in the hierarchy of elements. As the placing of the colours within the print relates to the location where they were collected, the final configuration of the print could be read as constituting a map of the area studied. Whether or not anyone would be able to use the print as a map when negotiating their way through the area remains debatable. The user would need to be sensitive to the

ambient colours, and the colours themselves may change over time. Some colours were collected from flowers and others from local advertising. Both of these elements could be subject to change, thereby removing points of reference. There is nothing to say that the print should or should not be regarded as a map, or whether it should function successfully as a map. The mere suggestion that the print could be regarded as a map could work as a trigger to initiate a line of thought for the audience. This line of thought is quite personal to each viewer, allowing each individual to create their own meaning for the work. The work was printed out in an edition of 30 and with an overall paper size of A3. I envisioned the work as a personal psychogeographic exploration of the area. For this project, the aim was twofold: to become more familiar with the area and to take particular notice of the colours found at certain locations within that area.

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les roberts #DETERMINATION | #THINKINGOUTSIDETHEBOX | #CONSTANTLYLEARNING | #INVESTIGATINGPOSSIBILITIES | #ACTIVATINGDORMANTSUBSTANCES

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My search for a new process continued, with many disappointments along the way until I found what I now call Chromography.

’m Les Roberts, originally from North Wales in the UK. My earliest recollections are of my accomplished father’s passion for cine photography. Possibly because of his passion I became interested instead in still photography. The work of Ansel Adams enthralled me. Over time I came to reflect on the power of still photography. All the iconic events in the recent history of the world are frozen in time in photographs. The moving image is for me a transient affair. In my youth the local mountains beckoned me and armed with my Voigtlander I started taking rock-climbing photos. At the age of sixteen, I had my first home processed print published in a boys’ monthly magazine. I met many skilled photographers who were generous with their advice. One great influence on me was a dear friend, the late Wally Nelson A.R.P.S. He showed me how to keenly observe my surroundings wherever I was. I remember him telling me, “When looking for a shot walk from right to left you will see much more.” I am still doing so when out and about. I also developed an urge to create something different, often spending hours experimenting. I tried many forms of photography, but it was macro that really appealed to me. Sitting in a bank of wildflowers patiently waiting for that elusive butterfly to appear became a regular event. This process was, in fact, my only use of colour film apart from family photos. All my other photography was in black and white. Later while working with disabled children

I introduced them to photography, including printing their own black and white photos. The impact on their self-esteem was tremendous. While working in education I was also chairman of the local photographic society several times and a tutor for the British Amateur Photographers Association. At about this time I was persuaded to shoot a wedding for some friends. The shots were ok, but it was an experience never to be repeated. When it was over I felt like a hack or worse. My search for a new process continued, with many disappointments along the way until I found what I now call Chromography. It all started when I spilt some paint into a bowl of water. As I looked I could see a reaction taking place. I watched and saw something totally new unfold. I then began to experiment in a more structured way. It is a process that is both rewarding and frustrating. Using just one colour quickly led to the introduction of several colours. Pushing the boundary further I started to combine different paints that were incompatible. Experimenting with different chemicals and fluids a further discovery emerged. Different fluids, which I now refer to as active agents, react in different ways. Some have minimal effect, while others can be more active. This activity can be aggressive, causing different paints to react in ways that show they are trying to overcome one another. Others can have a calming effect on the combination of incompatible paints with active agents. These fluids range from chemicals to

liquid household products. Throughout the interaction between the elements, changes can be seen to develop. This is in the form of movement. Regular observation is necessary to capture and record the changes. This process can take hours, days and sometimes weeks. The purple and red example included as part of this introduction took six weeks to mature. After maturation, the decay sets in and the image is lost. A further development is the use of different materials as a base for the colours. The range involves silk, nylon, embroidery, plastic-based material, a range of papers including some that are waterproof. Then there is a range of card with different finishes. An essential element of this process is the addition of active agents. The base material can be soaked in such an agent. A variety of paints are used again with some being injected with a change agent. Again movement can be observed, especially when adding thin colouring to thicker paints. Using one layer on a Perspex or plastic base quickly changed into developing tiers of different materials, some dry and some soaked with different types of change agents. The variations available are only limited by my own imagination. I have already combined processes and materials that were unlikely stablemates. I believe I am creating a unique form of art. That might sound pompous, but if you do not believe in yourself nobody else will. What drives me is the desire to push the boundaries further. I plan to work more with plastics including Mylar. I have also just scratched the surface with the use of a limited range of woven materials. Nothing excites me more than visiting craft

and art shops. I collect a range of unlikely materials and then spend hours investigating the possibilities. The camera is the record of my successes and failures. I retain failures for study and, perhaps move on to success. Chromography is not a process of painting by me. A combination of the elements used to activate the process. I, therefore, do not consider myself an artist. A brush is never used. Fluids and paints are injected onto, or into the host by hypodermic syringes, sometimes with needles, sometimes without, together with some tiny squeezy bottles and droppers. All chemicals and applicators are bought over the counter from my local pharmacy. I have experienced a lot of frustration during my journey of discovery. Most importantly I have never given up. I have always â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thought outside the boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and I believe in doing so I shall continue. I live alone and this has allowed me to turn my apartment into a workshop and utilise the spare bedroom as a storeroom for the considerable range of items that I keep available for further development. Above all, I would advise others to follow their dream. Create their own images and never cease to learn from your experience or from the advice of friends. A small selection of my work, which is regularly changed, appears on Facebook: Les Roberts Chromography Wall Art Vietnam. Marketing is through either myself or Creative Images Studios Saigon. The latter also displays my work. A standing exhibition, which is changed regularly, is found at: Eden, R3-85 Khu Pho Hung Phuoc 1, Phu My Hung, HCMC.

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Ho Chi Minh City

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76/2A Tay Hoa Street, Phuoc

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Long Ward, District 9,

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