Do Thanh Lang

In Do Thanh Lang’s paintings there is a hidden force within their bright swathes of colours that intrigues and confuses. The performativity of his characters and heightened drama of the scenes act as a visual confidence trick, masking the dangers lying in wait beneath the superficial resin. The spectator takes the role of the dreamer, for like in dreams one is unsure how one arrived at this, or any particular instance. Navigating through the artist’s perplexing, surrealist tableaux, the spectator–dreamer is but a character equipped with scripts and storylines, though acting as witness rather than participant. As his frantic brushmarks flit between the crude layers of plastic and resin, Do Thanh Lang seems to mimic that hypnagogic state of mind where darkness turns to dreams.

Born in 1986 in Ho Chi Minh City, Do Thanh Lang studied painting at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University. His work has been shown in numerous group exhibitions in Vietnam and regionally, such as Transposition, Gallery Rhim, Seoul, South Korea; Salt of the Jungle, Korea Foundation Gallery, Seoul, South Korea and CUC Gallery, Vietnamese Women’s Museum, Hanoi, Vietnam; Modern Wind, HCMC Fine Arts Association, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; My Eldest Sister, San Art, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Fall, Cafe Tram, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Out of Nowhere, Sao La, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; March: Art Walk, numerous venues in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and fluorescent fog (curated by Arlette Quynh-Anh Tran), Lunar Breccia, Alluvium, song of the cicada among summer poppies, Hopscotch and NGUCHONOBAY (curated by Sao La) at Galerie Quynh, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Do has also participated in Spot Art Singapore 2014 (ARTrium @ MCI, Singapore) and in the residency program The Brownian Movement at Heritage Space in Hanoi, Vietnam.