A corner of “Mise-en-scene”. (Photo taken by Valerie Mai/ VNT)

Against the diversity of blooming indie art shows in Hanoi, “Mise-en-scene” - an exhibition by Sabine Douxchamps, stands out for the artist’s unique way of exploring art materials and combining them with her inspiration from Vietnamese ethnic culture.

Explaining the idea behind Mise-en-scene, Sabine said she started with different kinds of materials, some are typical in painting, such as linen and cotton, some are taken from the street, countryside, or ethnic minorities of Vietnam.

“I studied both science and fine art, so this is a bit of a scientific approach where I go to the lab, and then go to the field. In the lab, I zoom in the materials to see their structures, then I study the raw materials. After that exploration, I see how to use the different materials to bring further depth to a painting,” stated Sabine.

Sabine Douxchamps at the exhibition (Photo by BruncherBox)

Sabine’s approach is cleverly demonstrated in The Temple, a cozy 30-meter exhibition room in BruncherBox, a cafe and restaurant in Tay Ho.

Entering the room, visitors meet two benches displaying Sabine’s method to dissect seven basic materials, in other words, the result of her “in the lab” process: zooming in to display their molecular structures and zooming out to display their origin.

The materials are used creatively to demonstrate the daily lives of Vietnamese people from different ethnic groups and provinces. That is, according to the exhibition introduction, the field where she uses the materials “as a stage for diverse actors playing their role along an inexorable pathway towards a certain idea of progress, looking for new ways of asserting their existence.”

Sabine Douxchamps, a Belgian scientist and artist, came to Vietnam in 2016 to work in agricultural research. Her career as a scientist brings her to different parts of Vietnam, where she can learn about the livelihood of ethnic groups. Thanks to her work, Sabine can approach lands and minorities that are not well-known to foreign tourists.

Her excitement and in-depth understanding of Vietnamese people result in paintings capturing the signature of each ethnic group and region. One can easily recognize the traditional vibrant dress of H’mong girls, the typical hairstyles that Thai women are proud of, a basket boat commonly seen along the shore of central provinces’ beaches, or a market corner in Hanoi that one cannot remember the exact location yet still gets a familiar feeling as if one had been there hundreds of times.

A bench showing Sabine’s method to study art materials. (Photo taken by Valerie Mai/ VNT)

Sabine’s paintings do not stop at describing familiar scenes in the daily lives of Vietnamese people but convey the artist’s perspective of presenting both modern and traditional features.

“I am always fascinated by the way they [ethnic groups of Vietnam] keep their customs but at the same time, use some very modern things,” Sabine said. In one of her works, Thai women wearing their traditional hairstyles hold a smartphone, showing modernity and ancient customs can coexist.

“I am also fascinated to see such diversity in a country. I want that to be preserved and I want to add more paintings about other ethnic groups.”

Women of Thai ethnic group - Rice bags and acrylic on canvas. (Photo taken by Valerie Mai/ VNT)

Being a researcher, Sabine sometimes finds inspiration for her art from the lab. There is a spot where art and science meet, she said. With her logical mind and aesthetic soul, she seeks beauty in humble materials.

“I think this is where I stand and what I love to explore,” the artist smiled.

Under the warm spotlight, each painting appears like a scene with different structures, textures, and actors. Each material adds to the uniqueness of that “stage," altogether creating a feast for audiences’ eyes.

H’mong children - Linen, black tea, gesso and acrylic on canvas. (Photo taken by Valerie Mai/ VNT)

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