Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Ha Noi audiences will have a rare chance to enjoy what some would describe as the strange world of contemporary arts with a performance by painted artists performing in a pond full of water. The work is by artist Dao Anh Khanh.
Khanh believes life started in water and describes it as "the most popular element on Earth". That’s why he finds inspiration in the liquid and chose it as the theme for his performance.
Khanh will perform together with artists such as musician Nikola Mounoud from Switzerland, performing artists Le Nguyen Manh and Vu Lam, dan tranh (16-chord zither) player Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, actor Bui Thanh and actress Hoang Trang from Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre.
Their stated aim is to discover and present movements of the body to a background of light and music.
“We will also use body painting to make the artists become artworks themselves,” said Khanh. “The body of each artist will be a brush to paint the air.
“I have not built a detailed script for the show,” he said. “We just based it on a concept and perform and interact with each other following our real emotions and the lead of music and light.
“For example, artist Lam will play a leaf floating in the water. He will be deep in meditation and harmonise his breathing to see how a human “leaf” drifts in the waves.”
The series, titiled In Water, will include four shows inspired by the four seasons. The first show, In Autumn, will be organised on the evening of October 6 at Dao Anh Khanh Treehouses, Lane 462, Ngoc Thuy Street, Long Bien District, Ha Noi.
Entrance is free but due to limited space around the swimming pool, there will be space for only about 50 viewers. However, the performance will be broadcast live on two big screens.
Khanh was born in 1959. He works as a painter and performing artist. He’s known widely for Dao Xuan (Spring Comes), a performing art series over the past 10 years. He has performed and exhibited abroad.
Khanh unique art events have attracted many audiences and convinced other Vietnamese and international artists to join. — VNS