Progress, graffiti , 180x280, 2005, Liberation in mind, graffiti, 300x500, 2006

While examining memory, trauma and psychology, Le Quy Tong delves into the lives of his subjects to explore what hidden truths may be repressed. His past works are varied, depicting countryside life in dour tones, as well as very energetic scenes of a modernizing Vietnam. Expressing that he aims to “go straight to society’s problem[s],” and bring these social ills to the public’s attention, the highly activist stance Le takes makes his poignant landscapes and portraitures less surprising. Notwithstanding this case, it does not detract from the emotive impact of such expressions, particularly in pieces like his featured graffiti work, Liberation in Mind.

When asked about the exhibition theme, “Liberation,” Le makes reference to the wars Vietnam and other nations have undergone. Rather than discussing the actual events, he is more concerned about the psychological aftermath of these distressing episodes. In some ways, these mental scars are far more debilitating than the physical razing of towns, because it further protracts the imprisonment and trauma of a nation of people who are mostly innocents. A major step forward and away from this damage, Le asserts, is to “search [for] a solution to release ourselves.”  In this release, we will find liberation.

A graduate of the Hanoi Fine Arts Institute, Le Quy Tong has been featured in major exhibitions at the Goethe Institute and L’Espace in Hanoi, as well as in Japan. Le is also an honored artist of a Phillip Morris ASEAN Fine Art Exhibition.