French-Viet Artists Return to the Homeland in New Exhibition

S& S Art Gallery (Ho Chi Minh City) holds an exhibition of the Graffiti works of Cyril Kongo - Mr. Colorful; and the "Woman" collection by Hom Nguyen. Photo: Doanhnhanplus

Two international contemporary artists Cyril Kongo and Hom Nguyen are bringing their works to local art lovers in Vietnam. S& S Art Gallery (Ho Chi Minh City) holds an exhibition of the Graffiti works of Cyril Kongo - Mr. Colorful; and the "Woman" collection honoring the faces of Asian women by "the holder of memory," Hom Nguyen.

This special exhibition conveys a beautiful message: “In art there is no limit, no matter who you are, how old you are, where you come from, it is never too late for a start” – Hom Nguyen shared.

The two artists returned to their Vietnamese roots and want to become a part of the Vietnamese contemporary arts. They encourage local artists to join hands to put Vietnamese art on the international map.

Cyril Kongo - Mr. Colorful

Cyril Kongo decided to open his first personal gallery in Hanoi and the second in Ho Chi Minh City, retelling his inspirational career story of a self-taught Graffiti artist. He believes that Western artistic values when combined with traditional local values ​will create different, vibrant impressions.

Cyril Kongo - Mr. Colorful. Photo: Elleman

The exhibition highlights Cyril's best works and biggest works. Viewer can find the 2 meter square art piece of Horus Eye at the center of the gallery. The eye of Horus is a symbol of absolute power, the ability to regenerate and restore. The ancient Egyptians considered this eye as a sacred amulet to protect them from devils who walk the earth. Egyptian sailors used to draw the Horus Eye symbol on the bow of their ships to ensure safe sailing.

The Horus Eye symbolizes "immortality." It is a metaphor for the permanence of the spirit of "Karl Lagerfeld" and the timeless artistic values ​​that he left behind. The piece is also one of the last imprints that Kongo and the late Karl Lagerfeld could complete during the fashion legend's final days.

Cyril Kongo - the pioneer of graffiti in France Cyril Kongo. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Cyril Kongo (Vietnamese name is Phan Ngoc Suong) was born in 1969. His father is a Hue native and his mother is French. He lived in HCMC until the age of 6, followed his mother back to France, but soon followed her mother to Brazzaville, Kongo. The artist shared “Joie de vivre – the joy of life” are what he learned in Kongo, so he chose Kongo as his official name. This is also the place that brought out his love for Graffiti and where he began revolutionary work. Cyril Kongo became a world-renowned Graffiti artist who is a pioneer in bringing this contemporary art beyond the walls. When he returned to France, Cyril and his colleagues organized exhibitions and movement to convince the public and timid experts say that Graffiti is an art form that goes beyond the prism of the rich and the poor. Kongo's works are displayed on every surface such as tree trunks, bags, scarves, bottles, watches, cars, airplanes....and are honored in many parts of the world: Grand Palais Museum, Grande Arche la Defensecho, famous galleries in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Amsterdam, New York...The painting Horus Eye belongs to the collection in collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld - the late artistic director of Chanel.

The faces of Asian women by Hom Nguyen

The Woman Collection. Photo: Elleman

The Woman collection, composed by Hom Nguyen, dedicated to Vietnamese art lovers, has a characteristic portrait style only found in this artist.

His chaotic brushstrokes with no beginning and no end, focus on portraying the character's soul and depicting the raw emotions.

This collection is like a dialogue with portraits in the style of free and bold eyes that speak the words of the soul, honoring the faces of Asian women, made by "the holder of memory" "Hom Nguyen.

Hom Nguyen - From shoeshiner to Paris sold-out artist Hôm Nguyễn. Photo: Elleman Born in France in 1972, Hom Nguyen lived with his mother who could not speak French in a modest apartment in Paris. His mother is wheelchaired since he was 4 and his hardship brought out the best of his drawing talent. The instinctive painter created portraits of a soul from hundreds of interwoven lines. His distinctive style is well-recognized by the public. Started out as an unknown shoe-shine boy on the streets of Paris, Nguyen has since grown to become an internationally admired artist. He was highly praised by former French president 2016 Francois Hollande, and magazines and organizations such as Vogue, UN, Grand Palais and Palais de Tokyo. His art journey was not easy for a Vietnamese-born in a strange land, but there is a saying that "what comes from the heart touches the heart", so Hom Nguyen's storytelling is full of emotions that appeals to people from all over the world.

Paris contemporary art shines in the heart of Saigon

Cyril Kongo and Hom Nguyen in the S&S Art Gallery. Photo: Doanhnhanplus

S&S Art is proud to present the works of Cyril Kongo and Hom Nguyen in the S&S Art Gallery space in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. This place honors artistic quintessence of contemporary art in particular, with the desire to act as a bridge of Western-Eastern arts to be closer to the public.

Address: Union Square Shopping Center - 171 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 9AM - 10PM

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