It's been an amazing year so far in terms of production and opportunities. Starting out with a solo exhibition, Prophilia, at SPRMRKT in Singapore in January and then on to my 45-day artist residency which resulted in a two floor solo exhibition, The Reconstruction, at the Bangkok University Gallery in March/April. I was commissioned by Chan + Hori Gallery to produce the public outdoor installation, The Orang's Last Stand, at Gillman Barracks in Singapore as a part of the DISINI project in June. I returned to Vietnam and relocated my studio to another building in the neighborhood. In early October, I created Nature Morte at the Lawangwangi Creative Space in Bandung, Indonesia as a part of the [not]ARTOfficial: Out of Track group exhibition, as well as giving a workshop and lectures at Telkom University and the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). In early October, I travel to Krabi to work on my installation for the Thailand Biennale opening Nov. 2nd and will close out the year with a research trip to Japan as an invited artist for the 2019 Setouchi Triennale, finish a private commission watercolor painting and a final new sculptural work with the UNESCO project in Vietnam pairing artists with manufacturing companies culminating in an exhibition either late December 2018 or early January 2019.
While it's been productive in terms of art work, I find myself still at the precarious crossroads of trying to figure out a way to make a living from art. The institutional opportunities in 2018 were absolutely fantastic and I must now work hand in hand with de Sarthe Gallery, based in Hong Kong and Beijing, to realize works that will attract collectors. 2019 will be a year working to find balance - I plan to work towards a solo exhibition with the gallery next year at one of their spaces as well as produce for Art Basel HK. If all works out, I also plan to show work and assist on the curatorial side with HCMC-based Vin Gallery in Asia.
