'Memorial Project Nha Trang, Vietnam- 'Towards the Complex-For the Courageous, the Curious and the Cowards', (2001) is a video project by Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba. Research this project to identify the ideas behind the work. Can you connect some of the concepts and ideas from the renaissance, Enlightenment or Modernism with the work. Discuss your answer.
Discuss how do you think the title of the work reflects
the artists' intentions?
1.Research this project to identify the ideas behind the work.
ReplyDelete'Memorial Project Nha Trang, Vietnam- 'Towards the Complex-For the Courageous, the Curious and the Cowards' is a video project that was Filmed underwater. Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba’s 13-minute video installation at the Asia Society portrays the dull but epic struggle of six Vietnamese fishermen pulling cyclos along the sea floor. The ideas behind Jun Nguyen-Hatushiba’s ‘Memorial Project Nha Trang, Vietnam – ‘Towards the Complex- For the Courageous, the Curious and the Cowards’ (2001) are mainly based around cyclo’s and their drivers. A cyclo is a bicycle/taxi that was once very common in Vietnam. cyclo’s in now day are more of a tourist attraction. Nguyen-Hatushiba seeks to capture the uniqueness of the cyclo, as several cyclo drivers make their way underwater to the pilgrimage site of several mosquito nets placed throughout a rocky reef.
This project describes and tells of the harsh and challenging conditions of everyday life for many Vietnamese people, the difficult job of dragging the cyclos through the ocean tells of the difficult weight of the past in the face of modernization. As this art project tells us, the government decides to stop Nihau Trang, even though it was Vietnams traditional transportation system. The Cyclos were left serenely in the dark blue water.
2.Can you connect some of the concepts and ideas from the renaissance, Enlightenment or Modernism with the work?
This Project focused on the concepts of human nature and progress, which come out from the Enlightenment. Also, The work could almost be said to be about modernism, with the decline in the use of Vietnams unique and traditional transportation system, the cycle, Nguyen-Hatushiba seeks to commemorate the vehicle in their work.
3.Discuss how do you think the title of the work reflects
the artists' intentions?
The title reflects the artists purpose of commemorate the cyclo, in the line “towards the complex” is a reference to the difficulty of new technology compared to the simple cyclo. The Courageous, the Curious and the Cowards could also be a reference to the accessibility of the cyclo, and that anyone can use one.
References:
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/425959645/651/jun-nguyen-hatsushiba-memorial-project-nha-trang-vietnamtowards-the-complexfor-the-courageous-the-curious-and-the-cowards.html
http://listart.mit.edu/node/533
http://www.nyartbeat.com/nyablog/2008/07/for-the-courageous-the-curious-and-the-cowards/
http://sites.asiasociety.org/arts/nh/excerpts.htm
http://www.parish-without-borders.net/cditt/cambodia/dailylife/cyclo.jpg
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